Toys that build Wi-Fi in disaster areas?

It is said that it has succeeded by conducting an experiment in Puerto Rico to provide emergency Wi-Fi to areas affected by natural disasters. Called Project Owl, the project uses a device inspired by a rubber duck toy to create a network that can be accessed by people in disaster-affected areas.

It is a project supported by IBM and won the IBM Call for Code Challenge last year and won a prize of $200,000. The project team has developed a small device called DuckLink that supports waterproofing with rubber. Deploying them will establish a Wi-Fi network and send emergency alerts instructing all mobile devices within range to connect to an emergency response portal. Papa Duck, a cloud service connected to Ducklink, allows you to check the location of all users who have connected to the network.

Project Owl co-founder Brian Knouse says one of the points of the project is being simple and creative, without the need to use advanced military skills to perfect the solution. That said, it is important to quickly set up an Internet network at an affordable price and get it working.

In March, Project Owl conducted a system experiment in Puerto Rico, which was affected by Hurricane Maria in 2017. The project team succeeded in establishing a network in the area by attaching the device to the side of trees, dunes, cars and balloons.

Project Owl’s next experiment will take place in Houston, Texas, which was devastated by the flood. The team is trying to prepare a system that will work during hurricane times on the east coast of the United States. It is said that seven hurricanes are expected to arrive in the United States at this time this year. Related information can be found here .