Overview
- Chief Minister Siddaramaiah unveiled KEO at the Bengaluru Tech Summit after development by the state IT department with KEONICS and local partners.
- The compact PC runs Linux on an open-source RISC-V processor, offers 4G, Wi‑Fi, Ethernet, USB‑A/USB‑C, HDMI and audio, and includes preloaded learning, coding and productivity tools.
- An on-device AI core enables offline use, and the system ships with BUDDH, an assistant trained on the Karnataka DSERT syllabus to support students in areas with poor internet access.
- The device is priced at Rs 18,999, with officials announcing pre-orders on the KEONICS website and citing interest from industry figures planning school sponsorships.
- State leaders target deployments across schools, universities, small enterprises, government offices and homes, while pursuing partner-based production without an immediate manufacturing unit and signaling scope to lower costs as component constraints ease.