Closing the digital divide with solar Wi-Fi

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Baikie, who developed the software used in the controller, explained that in implementing the Green Wi-Fi system, users are split into categories, with everyone initially able to connect. If the power level drops a bit, certain groups are cut off, leaving access only to specific school grades or teachers. When even less power is available, the system limits their bandwidth--users can send e-mails, for example, but not watch videos online. Finally, the hours of operation can be restricted to the opening hours of the school. All this is managed through a simple Web-based interface.

The first prototype was primitive and went through a tough test. In the beginning of March, Baikie stuck the solar panel on the roof of his home in San Francisco, together with the router and charge controller and sealed in a waterproof Tupperware container he filched from his kitchen. His timing helped test the limits of the device: Rain fell in the Bay Area for 28 days straight.

But the network stayed up, Pomerleau said. "At the end of the month, with the network never having gone down, we knew that we had something."

Of course, demands on a Wi-Fi network in a developing country can be considerably more severe. The equipment must cope with temperature variations, high moisture, extreme heat, dust and attacks from insects and rodents. But solving those problems wasn't all that hard, Baikie said. "The technology was there, we just needed to put it together in the right way."

The 10-watt solar panel, a Shell ST10 (PDF), was designed to withstand hail storms, which means it is not easily torn or broken.

The battery, no larger than a motorcycle battery, is sealed in a protective gel and built for heavy-duty use and many recharges. The system's Netgear WGT634U router is off-the-shelf, demands low power and accommodates variable bandwidth.

A pilot project
Before the network can deliver Internet content, though, it needs a single, primary broadband access point, which can be several kilometers away. Fortunately, the Wi-Fi nodes can be up to a kilometer apart, allowing a relatively inexpensive deployment of nodes to transfer a signal over several kilometers. In many cases, primary sources are relatively close to schools serving poor communities.

"The digital divide doesn't have to be physical distance at all," Pomerleau said. He observed that many poor schools are in urban areas, close to large, international companies that have great Internet access. "The question is, can you get to it?"

Green Wi-Fi's first full-scale pilot project is scheduled to start at the end of the summer. A Canadian aid organization has asked for Wi-Fi in three schools in Uttar Pradesh, Northern India, where one of the schools has a cable connection. The problem is the lack of reliable power in the region.

The pilot project will require more funding, but Baikie and Pomerleau say they expect help to come from Silicon Valley. "The idea of digital inclusion is very high up on the agenda of socially minded companies, especially in the valley," Pomerleau said.

On the other hand, he is also prepared for skepticism regarding the importance of bringing Internet connectivity to people who might not have enough food and water. "I think that is a very legitimate argument," he said. "But we really don't know anything about creating clean water and supply chains for food, and we do see that we're filling a gap."

Green Wi-Fi hopes to partner with other aid projects--educational groups that create Internet content and teach people how to use the Internet. Even though information is not an end in itself, Baikie noted, it opens those who access it to a world of new thoughts and possibilities.

"Access to the global marketplace can help you raise your standard of living. Indigenous craft makers can sell their products on the Internet," he said. "It creates more opportunity and chances for people to improve their lives and get clean water and food. Without money, it is quite hard to change life in very significant ways."

[startiger]

Signal?

If they can't get reliable electricity, why should you expect that there would be any sort of a reliable wi-fi signal?

It's great that they have put together a solar powered network, wouldn't mind one my self.

This would be more practical to market it to either emergancy responders as a relable network when power is out or to consumers who want a "green" solution for their home or business.

[skeptik]

why not?

Why wouldn't they have a reliable signal? And the point is not to build bullet proof internet access (heck, I don't have that in metro Detroit), but to bring access to places and people who have none. Are they going to benefit from an signal even if it isn't 100% reliable? Of course.

[jabbotts]

No powerlines involved in WiFi

Electricity must be carried by cable unless there's a world changing Tesla device that's not made the news.

WiFi routers running of solar energy are only suseptable to cloudy days beyond the charge of there battery.

WiFi is also not a line of sight signal. You don't have to see from one tower to another as long as the signal can travel through whatever materials are inbetween.

[Paninteas]

digital divide

how about closing the digital divide here, in the USA. I live in Central Illinoise. We have analog digital TV, no broadband modems, they come with Digital Cable. Dial up internet connections, and Satalite. Satalite with its latency is not a whole lot better than dial up for most things. It helps with larger downloads but no help at all with uploads. It seems to me if you give a child in school the knowledge to use the internet it should be available. When he needs to use it for information in the real world and work. If we solve the problems for broad band here, in the USA in such places as Central Illinoise and 90 percent of the rest of the country who have no other options but dial up and satalite. We could solve it in the third world countries too. Living in the very small town I live in has its advantages and disadvantages. The digital divide is here, in America. AT&T has no plans for the little towns and villages because there just isn't enough people to justify it. A remote town of under 15000 has little chance for a connection better than dial up.

[Jackson Cracker]

move to Utah

Move from "Illinoise" to Utah. Small towns there have a fiber system called UTOPIA.

[crossplot]

Satellite Etc

Whilst I can understand the frustration of satellite technology, may I suggest you find another provider that will give you 2 way satellite communication. I used one for a while when I was involved in a wireless community and found download speeds of say a 600 meg file in 2 seconds fast enough. Alright, latency for gaming is a no brainer but 7 milliseconds for web pages to load and email is quick enough for most cases. Uploading at half a meg was quick enough too. There are answers out there you just have to know where to look! You need 2 way satellite communication, I still have my dish on the house no longer in use but evidence I at least had it for a while!...Best of luck if you decide to go with something!

[Max Bulconer]

Thats not the problem

Solar Powered WiFi might seem like a good idea but its not really. Ive lived most of my life in developing countries. The problem is mainly the availability of Internet connections. Most developing countries have no fibre optic links and rely on expensive VSAT links with limited capacities.
Sure, we have wireless long range products such as Alvarion's and Motorola Canopy's but the underlying problem is the initial set up costs for schools as well as the monthly costs.

[lingsun]

Sounds as useful as a solar powered flashlight

Just what they need in developing countries. As if the internet is important in countries with a corrupt military, police force and legal system and without reliable electricity, clean water, proper sanitation and adequate housing. Mostly kids in this country use the internet to find porn, steal music, and instant message each other with bad spelling and bad grammar. The whole idea of wi-fi for the third world shows the incredible ignorance of what those people need. It's also the perfect liberal program: do something that makes you feel good but is absolutely useless.