The impact of low-cost, high-configurable, and easily-deployed telecommunications infrastructure has been highlighted in an article by Wired Magazine’s Helen Nianias today, showcasing efforts by volunteers to create Wi-Fi networks for refugee camps across Europe and Africa.
The article, entitled “Homemade Wi-Fi routers are giving refugee camps a lifeline,” discusses efforts by The Worldwide Tribe’s Jāṅgala project to develop and deploy low-cost Wi-Fi infrastructure for use in refugee camps. “Early systems were held together with gaffer tape and flowerpot lids,” Nianias explains, “meaning that parts broke off easily in the rough and ready camp environments, so Jāṅgala started packaging the systems in 3D-printed boxes instead.”
Now on third-generation designs, split into the lunchbox-size Small Box and briefcase-size Big Box, Jāṅgala’s creations have proven the importance of quickly-deployable volunteer-led infrastructure in these environments. “The first thing people do when they get online is make voice calls to their families to tell them they’re safe,” explains fabricator Samson Rinaldi, “so when it’s going well you’re the most popular person in the camp, but when the Wi-Fi stops working, you become very unpopular very quickly.”
The team has plans to launch another 100 systems in France, Greece, Bosnia, and Kenya over the next twelve months, while also working on a companion project dubbed the Wet Box for emergency communication at sea. In concept, the devices have much in common with the LimeSDR-powered GSM base stations deployed at the EMF Camp event earlier this year, and of one of the target use-cases for the recently-announced LimeNET Micro standalone combination software-defined radio (SDR) and general-purpose processing (GPP) platform – a device which is capable of acting in a range of roles for radio access network (RAN) provision in a compact and low-power design.
The Worldwide Tribe is currently raising funds for deployment of additional Wi-Fi hardware via BT’s MyDonate.