Providing Increased Access to NI Technology
Planet NI program is an extension of our company mission to equip engineers and scientists with tools that accelerate productivity, innovation, and discovery to the large population of engineers in emerging countries who face affordability and accessibility barriers to technology adoption. NI invests in this program because we see that our technology can make a positive impact in the world and because the program supports the financial growth of our business by seeding these high potential marketplaces.
The program focuses on nurturing local innovation and primarily supports start-ups and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and collaborates with education institutions, local governments, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that support technology-based entrepreneurship. Our partners include UNESCO in South East Asia, Engineering World Health in Honduras, Texas Instruments in Africa, and various universities around the world.
Highlight, Challenge, Commitment
2011 Highlights
Expanded the Planet NI program to 16 countries
Partnered with organizations including UNESCO in Southeast Asia, the UN Development Programme in Arabia, Engineering World Health in Honduras, LEGO® Education in South America, and Texas Instruments in Ghana
2011 Challenges
Customers in emerging countries with low purchasing power require new products optimized for low cost. Their needs vary significantly between communities, making it difficult to standardize programs while maximizing local impact
2012 Commitments
Double the number of LabVIEW users in emerging countries who would otherwise not have had access to NI technology
Invest in the creation of affordable product offerings that are relevant for engineers in emerging countries
Double the number of SMEs enrolled in the Planet NI program
Creating a Pocket Projector for Rural India
Udupi Tech, one of the earliest SMEs supported by Planet NI in India, has grown from a one-person start-up to a 32-person company working simultaneously on six engineering projects. The company, which is located in Bangalore, provides a variety of efficient design and manufacturing services. It was founded in 2002 by Ramachandra Rao, a former professor who wanted to create his own system integration business. He faced a few initial challenges with his first LabVIEW project, but after receiving technical support from NI, he became extremely successful. The company has since created products such as the "pocket projector," a low-cost projection device with a long battery life that can be used in villages in India where electricity is scarce or unreliable.
LEGO and the LEGO logo are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2012 The LEGO Group
Empowerment Through NI Technology
Cedric Atangana
President
Infinity Space
Cedric Atangana is the president of Infinity Space, a group of students from the Industrial Engineering Faculty (IEF) of the University of Douala in Cameroon, Africa. The goal of Infinity Space is to share knowledge about advanced technologies such as LabVIEW to promote local community development. The club sponsors presentations and hands-on sessions at which students can get firsthand experience with tools such as LEGO MINDSTORMS®. His team now plans to participate in next year’s World Robotics Olympiad in Malaysia and the next Google Lunar X competition. In the future, Cedric hopes to transform Infinity Space into a research laboratory that develops scientific projects for the economic growth of Africa and the world.