UNICEF has released information on a cool new communication tool for use in disaster relief. It provides WiFi, SMS, and FM radio for use in the field, provides a satellite uplink to connect to the rest of the world, and runs off of solar power or a car batteries. In situations where infrastructure is destroyed or non-existent, it seems to fill a need that nobody has really addressed. The best part is that it uses off-the-shelf components and open source software so any organization could build one and customize it to fit their own needs without need of any licensing. It's exciting to see these kinds of non-proprietary technology efforts for humanitarian relief. I don't know when the plans/software will be released, but I'm hoping that maybe we can put one together as part of our research on NGO/military coordination. Full story from UNICEF here.
UNICEF video on the "Bee" System:
UNICEF video on the "Bee" System:
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