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Computer Aid is aiming to bring offline access to educational websites to areas with limited internet access. Right now, it’s turning recycled Raspberry Pi boards into portable internet hotspots.
“It’s for offline students and teachers across the world,” said Nicola Gampell, E-Learning and Marketing Officer for Computer Aid International.
As a result, Connect will “bring them a local internet full of educational resources, ranging from scientific simulations to Wikipedia articles,” Nicola told us.
An internet for all, anywhere. Computer Aid Connect
Computer Aid’s ‘Connect’ device provides offline classrooms with a wealth of educational resources.
Computer Aid: recycling Raspberry Pis into remote routers
Inside the Connect is software based on RACHEL-Pi by World Possible.
“All too often we’re reminded of this reality,” wrote Jeremy Schwartz, Executive Director of World Possible. “There are places where young people aren’t given the resources they need to learn. For many, the internet has become a small equalising force, but for more, that equaliser does not exist.”
“In 2017, we’re going to test RACHEL against as many different use cases as we can,” said Jeremy. “We’ll be formalising our own testing through our social entrepreneurs, and intimately supporting a narrower group of other organisations”.
As a result, Computer Aid “currently has twenty units about to arrive at a project in Ethiopia and one in Mauritania,” said Nicola. “So hopefully we’ll be getting to see it in action soon.”
The Computer Aid Connect turns a Raspberry Pi into a router pre-packed with many websites
“The Raspberry Pi is a key component of the device, especially due to its low power usage and low cost,” said Nicola.
Also inside is a “UPS PIco Uninterruptible Power Supply,” said Nicola. As a result, Connect is “sustainable and stable during power outages.”
The Raspberry Pi is placed alongside a 64GB SD card and a Wireless N150 High-Power USB Adapter.
“The version of the Raspberry Pi changes between the Model 2 and the old A,” she explains. After all, “we receive donations of old Raspberry Pi devices.”
Visit the Computer Aid website if you’d like to donate a Raspberry Pi board to the project.
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