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Wireless Pedal Power Computing in Laos

Posted by Hemos on from the power-of-the-body dept.

An anonymous reader writes "'An innovative, pedal powered, wireless network provides Internet access to off-grid villages in Laos,' using LINUX-based software which is being localised into the Lao language. The 'Jhai Foundation's makes the Jhari computer, which consists of a single-board PC (the MZ-104 based upon the Mach-Z single-chip computer - equivalent to a 133 MHz 486 system), uses "embedded" circuit boards, the sort that are used in industrial equipment, and is devoid of moving parts such as fans or disc drives, made to operate for long periods of time without service or attention.'"

7 of 140 comments (clear)

  1. This reminds me... by Whelkman · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...of the episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles where Rocksteady and Bebop have to pedal to keep the Technodrome's power running. Yes it does.

    1. Re:This reminds me... by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 3, Funny
      Oyeah...the man with a nickname from an obscure Nintendo game flames the guy who watches children's cartoons.

      Ring, ring...phone's for you. They say the call is regarding pots, kettles, and the color black.

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
  2. Not just pedal power operations by neksys · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I can see other uses for lower power consumption computer devices. The fact of the matter is that computers and their associated equipment suck up a lot of power - people or groups interested in limiting their power usage could utilize these to great benefit. Public schools are always interested in lowering their costs - our local high school, for example, has hundreds of computers running at any given time. The electricity costs to the district as a whole must be astronomical. For basic websurfing and word processing, which is the primary function of most school computers, these would be ideal, and I can imagine that the cost savings in terms of the power bill would quickly pay off the initial investment. *shrug* Just a thought.

  3. Re:why would anyone in a third world country need by Ubi_NL · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Just an american (european) way of thinking that anyone who is not in the US / europe must be living in straw huts and hunt wild animals for a living.

    There are actually educated people in the 'third' world (*wow*). The fact that they come up with a method of running PCs without burning fossile fuels is something we should envy. Especially now with a completely flopped 'sustainable world' congres in south AFRICA.
    I would love to have one of those spring-powered radios but the fact is our 'first world' society is so fixed on CO2 production we can't get them here.

    --

    If an experiment works, something has gone wrong.
  4. This is nothing new... by Polo · · Score: 3, Funny


    This is nothing new...

    Gilligan did this years ago for the Professor.

  5. Re:So does anyone know... by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Oh, for gosh sake...hiring people to do a job is "inhuman"? Much better for the people to be without both internet access and jobs. Sigh...liberals...

    --
    Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
  6. How about an army of mice? by brejc8 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here is how I used a mouse to power an ARM based CPU. I cant see it taking a whole human to power a PC.
    Maybe they should use lower power chips?

    --
    Mouse powered Chips, Open source Processors and Lego