The Sirius Handheld Computing Platform

Dear Mr. Goher,

Thanks for writing to us about the Sirius Project. Let me first answer your specific questions. First of all, it’s quite radically different from the OLPC project that you mention which only leverages the economies of scale - without any real innovation – in producing relatively inexpensive laptops meant for children in the developing countries. The only real similarity between Sirius and OLPC is the attempt to bring down the cost of instrument for its wider accessibility. Sirius is actually the codename of the prototype of the first – and the only – handheld computer completely designed in Pakistan by a team led by Mr. Amir Husain at the FiveRivers Technologies (www.fiveriverstech.com). Secondly, as you’ve queried, it can be put together in various form factors using housings of various shapes and designs.

Here’s a brief description:

It is a tri-processor design with dedicated I/O and Graphics processors. The handheld has a full QWERTY keyboard and rechargeable internal batteries. The current display is a backlit monochrome screen with adjustable contrast. The device comes with a cable that allows it to connect to other computers and communication devices, as well as a programming cable that allows the internal software to be updated (flashed) conveniently.

The device uses three Philips 89C51RD processors capable of operation at 40Mhz each. Additional ROM and an SD card interface have also been integrated into the design. The operating system, AlephOS, has been innovatively developed to provide access to all three processors. Application developers can write apps without having to worry about parallel programming techniques. In addition to the OS and programming APIs, developers can also make use of a hardware simulator that allows code development and debugging on a PC.

To support PC synchronization, FiveRivers created a PC Synch application that allows any files on the SD card to be read/written from a PC. AlephOS implements a FAT-16 filesystem on the SD card so the data on the card is compatible with PCs when plugged in to an MMC/SD card reader.

Application development for this device is possible in C, and FiveRivers has also built development boards that they have shared with some of the universities in Pakistan to start to create an application ecosystem around the platform.

Further development is focusing on low cost wireless communications peripherals, external display capability, OS extensions, SMS/GPRS integration, TCP/IP stack implementation and GPS integration. On the software side, some sample apps are complete, but FiveRivers is attempting to engage Universities and students to accelerate this process further.

Other than the chips themselves, everything has been designed and developed in Pakistan. This includes the layout and manufacture of the PCB, the keyboard, the internal firmware/OS, and the device housing.

Attached is the inspiring story of this initiative along with a detailed discussion on its differences with similar projects like Simputer and OLPC. Am also sending you a presentation that was used for its demo at a conference organized by PASHA in Lahore. You may also check out a well written report of this demo at:

http://jang.com.pk/thenews/dec2006-weekly/cyber-17-12-2006/index.html#1

With best wishes,

Hasan A. Rizvi
CEO
Five Rivers Technologies (Pvt.) Limited
21-E/1 Gulberg 5, Zafar Ali Road
Lahore, Pakistan
Email: hasan.rizvi -AT- fiveriverstech -DOT- com
Phone: +92.42.578.0399, +92.42.576.1061
Fax: +92.42.575.1377
www.fiveriverstech.com

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Sirius Team