Why Doesn’t Uruguay Have Robots?Angela Wang, Eddie Lu, Hong Chen, Roy Li, Zhijun Huang

What is a Digital Divide?

Divide between “haves” and “have-nots” Information and Communication Technology

(ICT) Internet: Access to information, global

economyTele/mobile phones: Instant communication

Significance

Access to ICTs is important in a global economy

Sustains inequality between rich and poor Digital divides amplify economic

differences

Where are the Divides? Global

Developed and developing nations Local

Social groups within a nation Social factors

GenderAgeCultureGeographic localizationSocioeconomic factors

Bridging the Divide

Increasing access to Internet Affordable personal computers Computer and internet training Inclusion of technology in culture

Japan vs Urugruay

Japan

Uruguay

Japan

High-Tech Japan

G8 summit CEATEC JAPAN Cutting-edge technology exhibitions DLNA NGN PLC

Innovations

Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency International Space Station

RoboticsHonda

Methods of closing the Divide

Narrowband to broadband New “super-fast, nationwide fiber system” Government encouragement Science and Technology in Society Forum

Rural Japan

Limited or no internet access “Community internet” Broadband access Encouraging government subsidies Population drift to urban areas

Japan's Digital Divide

Technology in Daily Life E-commerce, mobile-commerce and

the acquisition of information Mobile terminals are the most common

source of internet access The number of Japanese that use

cellphones is twice the number that have landlines

Economics

Electronics and machinery are key exports 72% of GDP comes from service industry

Government Actions

‘e-Japan Strategy’ 'u-Japan Strategy'

Huge emphasis on technological advancementOnly 1% of GDP spent on defense

Uruguay

Stats of Uruguay

Ranked 2nd according to the Human Poverty Index

Ranked 3rd poverty below $2 dollars a day

Growth of Uruguay from a Global View

Agricultural Based Economy

Relied on raw material exports until 1998

Increase of capital good imports

Exports fell by 25%

Technological Status

Lack of Technological Growth led to stagnation in globalization

Spending on research and development was 0.26% of GDP

Of a million people in 2002: 370 are scientist 51 are technician

3% of their exports was technology

Bridging the Digital Divide• Improve Education,

which includes providing computers

• One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) - nonprofit organization

• Uruguay has invested in 100,000 laptops

OLPC

• Mission: “eliminate poverty and create world peace”

• Funding:– AMD– Google

OLPC: Aims

Narrowing the Digital Divide Improve educationEncourage collaboration Increase internet connectivity Inspire technical careers

OLPC in Uruguay

• Large Investment– 100,000 x $200 per

laptop

• Full coverage of all students 6-12

• Internet connectivity in all schools by 2009

Improvements

Uruguay has now put more effort into software industry

Uruguay was ranked 36 on the prosperity index

The income inequality was ranked 88

Literacy rate is ranked 51th, at 97.7%

Internet usage

31.6 %1,100,0003,477,7782007

20.9 %680,0003,251,2692005

11.2 %370,0003,304,9212000

Percent %Internet UsersPopulationYEAR

Japan (blue) vs. Uruguay (green)

Bibliography

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/7114785.stm www.griffith.edu.au/.../japanesemain/bmark.html www.instablogs.com/media/2006/12/japan1_69.jpg http://radian.org/notebook/first-deployment http://www.olpcnews.com/countries/uruguay/

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