How to change the world
To make a significant difference in our world, you either have to do something outstanding or have a lot of influence. Or both. And it will need many people to contribute over the course of the project.
So I keep an eye on some of the forums that help people to collaborate in order to facilitate this:
- Solve for X – for posting projects and approaches
- NASA – never seem to have any easy projects
- CERN and the Great Hadron Collider
And I spotted this piece of news that shows a radically different way to deliver remote Internet services.
The project is a classic example of using Big Data to solve a big problem. The project is of course Project Loon and is intended to connect remote or difficult sites to the Internet including disaster recovery scenarios. The challenge is how to do it without wiring or expensive satellite links and the name suggests it is one of those ideas out of left field. The solution being trialled is a series of balloons floating in the upper atmosphere which provide an intermediate link between ground based transceivers. It uses standard ISM frequencies at 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz and so can operate with standard equipment and delivers GSM levels of Internet speed.
The truly brilliant part is taking the winds direction data for the upper stratosphere and using that to control the altitude of the balloons so they stay where they need to be. A fantastic example of gathering and using data on a scale that most of us can barely appreciate.
Project Loon Balloon
So well done to Google for taking on such an ambitious project.
And they are starting with New Zealand Hinterland Internet.
Successful Endeavours specialise in Electronics Design and Embedded Software Development. Ray Keefe has developed market leading electronics products in Australia for nearly 30 years. This post is Copyright © 2013 Successful Endeavours Pty Ltd.
