A Low-Cost Audio Computer for Information Dissemination Among Illiterate People Groups

We present Literacy in Technology (LIT), a low power, low cost audio processor for information dissemination among illiterate people groups in developing regions. The 265 K gate, 8 million transistor, 23 mm², ARM Cortex M0 processor uses a novel memory hierarchy consisting of an on chip 128 kB true LRU cache and off-chip NAND Flash. LIT reduces initial acquisition cost through a high-level of integration that results in a low board-level component count. In addition, it also reduces recurring cost through design decisions that lower energy consumption. LIT´s multiple power operational modes and power management schemes are specifically designed for efficient operation on Carbon Zinc batteries. These are commonly found in developing regions and allow LIT to be priced at a point that is viable for illiterate people groups in developing regions.