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'ClusterDuck' is IBM's Rubber Duck-Inspired Wifi System for Emergency Relief
A new concept for providing emergency wifi to areas struck by natural disasters has completed a successful test in Puerto Rico. The system uses rubber duck-inspired devices to create what the developers are calling a "ClusterDuck" network for disaster victims to connect to.
It may sound like quackery, but this is a legitimate project backed by IBM. Project Owl [Organize, Whereabouts, Logistics] received $200,000 after winning IBM's 2018 Call for Code competition.
The Project Owl team has developed small rubber, waterproof, durable devices that, when deployed throughout an area, create a mesh wifi network that sends an emergency alert to all mobile devices in its parameter, instructing people how to connect to an emergency response portal. (The devices vaguely resemble rubber ducks.) The connecting "Papa Duck" software shows the location of everyone logged on to the network.
[...] Bloomberg reports that in March, Project Owl tested the system in areas of Puerto Rico that were hit the hardest during 2017's Hurricane Maria. The team used velcro to put the "DuckLink" devices on trees, sand dunes, cars, and balloons—creating a network that spanned one square mile.
Next, the team plans to test the program in Houston, Texas—another city that has been devastated by extreme weather in recent years.
(Score: 2) by Username on Wednesday May 08 2019, @10:32PM (1 child)
Why not just have software to make a mesh network of phones? Find some dude, install it on his phone. It creates a hotspot with a webserver that contains the install files for android and apple. So on and so forth people connect together. Though, that might be hard since I would think most companies would try and lockdown the cellular 700mhz and etc frequencies, but all cells have this modem by default. Even dumb phones. Seems more like a waste of time and effort. Also, who comes back and removes these ducks?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 08 2019, @10:55PM
Available now as a free download from the NSA website!