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Pedal Powered Wireless Networked Computer?
Friends of Jhai asks: "An NGO called Jhai Foundation, which is building Internet learning Centers in Laos has enlisted Computer Hall-of-Famer Lee Felsenstein to build a cheap, locally assembled, wirlelessly networked PC and communications system. The current details of the machine are here and the application is here. They are looking for similar systems under way that they might work with or which might be ready for deployment. Anyone have any URL's we can check out?" Great! Now you can get your computing and exercising done at the same time! What other types of technology have people managed to adapt to man-power as opposed to boring ol' AC outlets?
.. just to pedal fast enough to get up to 55 FPS in quake3
Live web cams
http://www.pedalpower.org, see Projects->Maya Pedal
The link provided shows these energy drains:
Computer: 5.5 Watts
Display 13 Watts
Printer (idle) 12 Watts (with inverter)
Printer (printing) 48Watts (with inverter)
Now, is this just a typo, or does a printer standing idly by truly drain twice the power consumed by the operating computer.
I'm guessing the former. I looked quickly for a link webmaster of the site but in my minute of searching found nothing.
That's a dot-matrix printer, probably driven by stepping motors. Stepping motors consume power even when stationary.
The real masters of man-powered accessories were definitely the red flag guys. I've seen and touched at least gems like
-hand-powered flashlight: you squeeze the handle to generate light. Works, but takes a superhuman to keep the light bright enough to be useful. Good if you only need a flashlight 2 seconds at a time once a day.
-wind-up shaver: turn a handle for a good five minutes to get 30 seconds of buzzing. Wouldn't try if it really works.
Both very recommended items for generating lively discussions at parties. Available in second hand stores throughout the baltic countries.
Imagine that all those over weight geeks (*cough* cowboy neal) who would be slim if they had to pedal to play on the computer. All those stats that america is getting fatter, etc. Make those gaming kids have to pedal to play PS/2, or Gamecube, or PC games...... It could be a great thing.
It's either on the beat or off the beat, it's that easy.
I moderate therefore I rule!
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check it out here (.mpg file)
I believe that the existence of women is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy
A man in Laos suffered a sudden heart attack when the computer he was powering by pedal received a massive DOS attack and quadrupled its power needs.
Local authorities beleive the DOS attack was caused after a neighbour, whom he has had many problems with, posted the address of the pedal powered computer to a popular web site.
Sparks:Gadget:Beer Maker
Actually, there's some good wind-up stuff available now. A couple years back, I bought a wind-up AM/FM radio, which also has DC and solar capability. The solar doesn't work too well... if you're even the slightest bit in the shade, it kicks out, and even in the sun, it has problems. However, I wind it for about 45 seconds, and at a decent level of volume, it stays on for 15 minutes... If I turn the volume down so just I listen to it, it's more like 35 minutes.
Same company advertises a wind-up flashlight... haven't got around to buying it yet, I might someday, but how do I find it in the dark?
If you've got a computer that an ordinary mortal could pedal power, would adding Lance Armstrong overclock it?
The next Cmdr Taco duplicate will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush and see it early!
I have some alternative suggestions for low-power, easily self-manufactured products that will be appropriate for this project. For the most common needs, users will be satisfied by the Portable Engineering, Numeric Computation, & Illustration Recorder, and the storage medium referred to as the Portable Accumulative Permanent Encoding Recorder. The P.E.N.C.I.L and P.A.P.E.R. system requires no power to operate and can be manufactured in any low-tech country with local materials.
This story reminds me of what happened when someone first tried to bring the internet to Nepal. They tried to find a local English-speaker for a contact person, they could only find one or two, and they were not interested in the project. They said they were far too busy working with foreign countries that were helping install sewers and electricity.
All this project is going to do is make poor countries even poorer. They can make all the pedal-power systems they want, but still have to buy computer hardware from abroad, using hard currency. I urge people to stop and think about whether this computer stuff is what third-world countries really NEED. Maybe someone should ASK them what they need, instead of suggesting projects based on what WE think they should need. I betcha they'd ask for things like Vitamin A tablets and refrigerators and AM radios.
The first reported death due to the slashdot effect.
- Slashdot : Crank Up Your Webserver (18jun2001)
- Two days ago : Slashdot : First Wind-up Phone Charger Review (25jul2002)
- mini FAQ on bicycle lights (dynamo=3W)
- How to construct a permanent magnet alternator (this one is for windpower, ~180 watts)
- other homebuilt alternators (~100 watts) (again windpower. ?efficiency)
I did not find URLs for hand-powered military transmitters (but would be interested to get one). ? See also 'human powered flight' (Gossamer Condor), there are also submarines I thinkDon't exercice too much, keep some blood for the brains.
Secondly, this is Laos, it may be tropical but in the monsoon there ain't much sun. Also, maybe a few turns of the crank is how someone who can't read or write, even in Lao, pays for the message to be written and sent, then read back.
Third. A lot of the communication will be between local communities and their members who have left for work in other places and send home some money or want to buy approriate gifts for local cultural events. eCommerce is not necessarily about selling ethic items to rich people. Have a look at the figures for Grameen Phone and Ethiogift.
... last (southern) summer when I spent a couple of weeks on vacation at an unpowered camp ground beyond reach of even cellular coverage.
It soon got to the point where it would have detracted from my holiday less if I had been able to write more freely that my iBook batteries allowed.
But even for the rest of the year, there is some appeal in the idea of being able to do something for cardiovascular fitness while we work.
So there really might be a market amongst relatively affluent nerds for early implementations of pedal powered computing, though maybe sans printer.
Then if the third world continues to see wisdom in leaping straight into the information age as a tactic for improving the rest of their lives the technology might be got to the point needed to make economic sense.
A lifetime ago, the lives of settlers in the Australian outback were improved by the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the School of the Air, both of which were made effective by Alfred Traegar's development of the pedal wireless and a morse code keyboard.
-- Our systemic servants do not good masters make.
I read about this inventor who created a wind up radio that is apparently pretty effecient. Worldlink has this story about him. And I believe that I read in Wired that he was now trying to create a pair of shoes that would generate enough electricity to power a cell phone.
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Yo, A.C.: You're right, as long as you look at it from a "PC in every hut" perspective.
You are correct in prioritizing drinking water, sanitation, and medicine among the Laotians greatest needs. This computing and communications initiative should be purposed as a tool for community support. Wireless communications relayed from ridgetop to ridgetop by will give these remote communities access to information resources in larger, urban areas that can enhance the communities ability to sustain it's own needs.
Some of the populated areas in Laos are similar to terrains in the Americas that we call "damn-near innaccessible". Parts cannot just be fed-exed for reparing water pumps and filtration systems. The Laotians need solutions based as much as possible on sustainable technology that they can maintain and repair without unneccessary external logistics. And when thing really get FUBAR, they need access to expert information on how to proceed with repairs, or arrange for ordering and transport of replacement parts... even plan for community growth. The system can be used to receive informational materials to train locals in the basic use and repair of infrastructure.
There is no "minor medical emergency center" down the block in these areas. When medical needs go beyond first aid, these people could benefit from even the most basic access to the advice of a physician. After reporting symtoms, recommendations for treatment can be made, and logistics arranged to re-stock community medical supplies, transport a medical professional to the site, or arrange for emergency transport of a patient to a hospital in a larger community.
If you want to permanently raise the standard of living, then EDUCATE. If you combine this computing/communications system with a handful of shared units like the SimPuter (or similar PDA, though hopefully powered rechargeable batteries charged with renewable energy sources), then you can read manuals and read/compose email offline, and download educational courseware to bootstrap classrooms in even the most remote region. Again, the wireless link provides access to expert advice from professional teachers located in more settled areas. I'd like to point out that the SimPuter includes a GUI that supports iconic systems, and a text-to-speech engine that works for Hindi... Laotian can't be that much more of a stretch, so ultimately, even the illiterate can benefit from this.
And since the Jhai system runs on storage batteries charged by pedal generators, there are less issues with this power source than you think. It is possible to charge a large storage battery over a period of time, so that the computer can be run long enough to load and send/receive your communications for the day, and download it to PDAs for access offline. This is a tool for importation of useless trivia, it a way of connecting remote villages to knowledge they need to achieve the standard of living that you (and I) wish for them.
Dull tools are useless. Sharp tools are dangerous. Never use the sharp end as the handle.
Wouldn't it be interesting to see what an agrarian society comes up with when given information technology? They might go through industrialization to a service-based economy. They might do something we've never seen before.
Libertarianism is rich wolves and poor sheep playing gambler's ruin for dinner.
The poor guy who was pedaling the webserver had a heart attack and died, due to so many requests to his server. He had no chance to rest...
Error 404: Cyclist redundancy check failed.
Whoever stated that signature sizes should be limited to one hundred and twenty characters can just go ahead and kiss my
I always thought it would be a good idea to put a generator on all the workout machines in the cardio room at my local gym. You could probably recapture alot of the spent energy in a gym this way and put it back into the electrical grid.
-ted