CAM: A Mobile Paper-Based Information Services Architecture for Remote Rural Areas in the Developing World

During our work with microfinance groups in rural India, we found that paper plays a crucial role in many local information practices. However, paperbased record keeping can be inefficient, so we need to link paper with the flexibility of modern information tools. A mobile phone can be the perfect bridging device. Here we present the CAM mobile document processing system, in which a camera-equipped mobile phone is used as an image capture and data entry device. Our system is able to process paper forms that contain CAMShell programs - embedded instructions that are decoded from an electronic image. By combining 1) paper, 2) audio, 3) numeric data entry, 4) narrative scripted execution and 5) asynchronous connectivity, we have synthesized five years of design experience into a usable and locally harmonious system that has the potential to impact billions of people.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2005
• Where: VL
• Authors: Tapan S. Parikh
• Keywords: Data Entry, Languages, Mobile Phone, Perfect Bridging Device, VL 2005