Your Backup Generator for the Internet
BeckyStrause
In many places in the world steady internet connectivity is hard to come by. Ushahidi has come up with a prototype of a device that would solve that issue. They designed BRCK to redesign connectivity in their world, which happens to be mostly in Africa. Their team also includes individuals in Europe, South America and the U.S.
Ushahidi, according to their website, is a non-profit tech company that specializes in developing free and open source software for information collection, visualization and interactive mapping. They started as a website that was developed to map reports of violence in Kenya in 2008.
The team at Ushahidi is all too familiar with the problems of spotty internet service. So they came up with “BRCK – your backup generator for the internet.” Some of the features of BRCK are:
- Versatility – The BRCK works much the way your cell phone does, intelligently and seamlessly switching between Ethernet, Wifi, and 3G or 4G mobile phone networks.
- Mobility – Power is also redundant; if your AC power fails, BRCK falls back on its 8-hour battery without needing to be told.
- Durability – BRCK’s enclosure is rugged enough to withstand field work in the most complex situations while still attractive enough to bring to the office.
- Accessibility – The BRCK is a software infused device, operating in the cloud with its own website, accessible from anywhere to check how WiFi and electricity are performing, or manage alerts and applications.
Ethan Zuckerman, Director of the MIT Center for Civic Media, described BRCK as, “…the equivalent of a backup generator for the net, a battery wired to an access point, mated to a GSM modem, designed so that your coding session doesn’t have to end when the power goes out.” This seems to be a device people feel they can back, since their Kickstarter campaign already has more than 400 backers and has raised nearly 1/2 of their goal… in just 4 days!
