The goal of the program is to develop simple, inexpensive devices that can be produced locally and make a real difference for people and communities in developing countries.

On Monday, July 14, about 60 people from 20 nations, including 6 EWB-UK
members, descended on the MIT campus for IDDS 2008. The event is intended as a
collaboration between people from a wide range of backgrounds: students,
faculty, mechanics, social workers, doctors, carpenters, farmers, and
professors from around the world, who are joining forces to build
technologies that could improve the quality of life in the developing
world.

As they did last year, the participants will split into about 10 teams
that will each spend the four weeks working on a specific project to
design and develop some piece of technology or software, as in the case of
one potential project, the $10 Computer, that could meet significant specific needs
of local people in the developing world, especially in small rural
communities. In many cases, building, selling and operating these devices
could also become a source of revenue and jobs at the local level.

Several of the technologies that were developed during last year's
summit, including transparent containers for transporting and sterilizing
water, devices for reducing the smoke from cooking fires, and low-cost
refrigeration systems, are now on their way to being produced in various
countries around the world.

For more information see www.iddsummit.org

To follow this year's conference read the daily blog at
www.iddsummit.blogspot.com