A project to provide people in developing countries with computers could deliver its first systems in July.

The One Laptop Per Child initiative wants to put notebook computers, costing less than $100 (£55) each, into the hands of deprived children around the world.

The notebook, known as an XO machine, uses a 366MHz processor developed by AMD. It has no hard disk, using 512MB of flash memory for long-term storage, as well as two USB ports for external devices.

It runs Linux, the free open-source operating system, rather than the paid-for Microsoft Windows. However, the computer will use a newly designed interface, called Sugar, which is said to be substantially different from the normal Linux look, and which has been developed especially for the project.

One Laptop Per Child is being masterminded by Nicholas Negroponte, the former academic from American university MIT, where he founded the pioneering Media Lab.