CAM: Mobile Services Framework for Rural Areas

CAM is a mobile information services framework for rural areas in the developing world. The key design elements of CAM are:

  • camera-based - barcodes link CAM to paper-based processes
  • user interface - finely tuned to rural users and the constraints and opportunities of mobile devices
  • offline networking - using SMS and other SMTP-based protocols
  • mobile phones - long battery life, wireless connectivity, solid-state memory, low price
  • localisation - easy to localize, even if phone doesnt support target language
  • web-based - easy to connect to existing web services

The CAM framework consists of the CAMBrowser, a single mobile phone application, CAMForm paper forms, equipped with embedded processing instructions and the CAMServer, an on-line service that links CAM with web-based services.

We are currently pilot-testing the CAM framework with select partners. If you are interested in trying CAM at your site, please contact us.