The One-Laptop-Per-Child computers are going on sale to non-developing-country-children starting Christmas (maybe) for a few hundred bucks each. These are small, ruggedized, weather-sealed, open-software-driven boxes explicitly designed for mesh networking. Does this have implications for people looking to deploy sensor networks for ecological monitoring?

The machines will be priced well over production costs, as the sales are meant to subsidize the give-aways, but the price will still presumably benefit from the economies of scale embedded in the massive production runs they’ll be working with. Especially compared to the cost of building your own batches of custom sensor boxes.

The green-and-white, kid-friendly laptops that can be powered with hand cranks were designed for use by poor children in the world’s impoverished nations. They were designed to withstand severe weather common in areas of Asia, Africa and Latin America. They run on Linux software, feature a high- resolution display that can be read in direct sunlight and are known for their low power consumption, operating up to 12 hours on one battery charge.