To function for Sámi reindeer herders, semi nomads and
indigenous people of the Swedish northern and mountain areas, an IT
system cannot rely on a fixed infrastructure. The herders move within
unsettled areas where topography makes radio limited in its reach,
broadband cannot cover the total area, and satellite coverage is
intermittent and too expensive for general use. With a functioning IT
system, one which would not require real-time speed initially, the
following services would be possible:
- Distance learning and education;
- Distance health care;
- Remote office employment;
- Self-employment;
- Communication across wider communities;
- Recreation and pleasure.
These services are identified among individuals and groups within the
Sámi community as to have a potential to increase economic gain
and the quality of life for individuals and for families. At the
workshop, the SNC group
will present requirements for a functioning IT system in a
communication challenged region. The presentation will relate this to
present conditions, and to an explanation of why IT matters to the
Sámi of today, specifically the herders in the Laponia World
Heritage Area. The presentation will also present an overview of the
intended solution and the manner in which applications can be
supported in this environment. The solution is based on ongoing work
in Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN) a technology which can offer
benefits to many isolated populations in remote regions; not only in
Northern Europe and the Sapmi (Lapland) but in other isolated regions
of central and eastern Europe.