POMI in Practice:

Wind Powered Wireless Mesh

Networks

Creating Global Communities for

Learning and Leadership
&
Providing Just-In-Time Networking
for the Developing World

Dr. Paul Kim, CTO Stanford School of Education

Theresa Johnson, Stanford Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Project Goals
Provide access to network capabilities in
developing world
Emergency network deployment after
disasters
Further innovation in the developing region
Provide STEM education opportunities
Tackle engineering-specific challenges:
Energy-efficient HW & SW, Renewably
powered networking solutions, Disruption-
aware content-exchange
Design Decisions

Where to put a network?

Many nations lack the infrastructure and capability to install
fiber optic cable
Can we utilize air space above instead?

How to power the network?

Lack of electricity to power the network is also a concern
But every nation has wind (solar, etc)!
Concept & Design
40'' helium balloon
Can stay aloft for days
Fishing or Kevlar line
Winch system at ground
Attached servos or crank
Payload Bay for sensors/routers
Powered by Wind energy
Transmitting data to ground
Concept, Design & Feasibility

An energy flow model for self-powered

routers and its application for Energy-Aware
Routing

*University of California Santa Barbara

Concept, Design & Feasibility
Concept, Design & Feasibility

Tegola Tiered Mesh Network Testbed in Rural

Scotland

*University of Edinburgh
Concept, Design & Feasibility
Concept, Design & Feasibility

Analysis and Design of Robust Helium Aerostats

*University of Montreal
Concept, Design & Feasibility
Concept, Design & Feasibility

High Altitude Electrical Power Generation

*University of SouthHampton
Concept, Design & Feasibility
Potential Partnerships:
Makani Power
Start-up company in Alameda, Funded by Google
Harnessing high altitude wind energy using tethered turbine
crafts
Visited test flight this week, tremendous facilities they're
willing to share for academic use

Vision
In 2006, less than two percent of the world's energy consumption was
supplied by renewable sources. One reason for this is the relatively high
cost of producing renewable energy. Makani Power is seeking to harness
high-altitude wind energy to produce energy at an unsubsidized real cost
significantly below that of the least expensive coal-fired power plants, the
current benchmark of the lowest cost source of power.
RoadMap

QCN - Build and Test DBL Curriculum

ESN - Networking/Data Capabilities

Wind Powered Hardware

Universal Wireless
Mesh Networks
 Global Sensing Networks: QCN

Provide better understanding of earthquakes

Give early warning to schools, emergency response
systems, and others
Educational software designed to help teach about
earthquakes and earthquake hazards
USB or Desktop Seismic sensors
Seismic activity collected locally and transmitted over
ethernet
Currently exploring ability to transmit over cellular networks
in Pakistan and El Salvador
Environment Sensing Network: ESN
Environment Sensing Network: ESN
Distribute Sensing Kits Globally for free or
subsidized cost
Kit includes balloons, sensors, payload bay,
tether, power system, hydrogen kit
Users may supply helium where available

Collect atmospheric data via sensors

Transmit data back to server/ground station over

Wi-max, wifi or cellular network

Kalman filter to dampen noise

Wind Power Generation
Educational Outreach:
Sunnyvale, CA
Educational Outreach:
Addis Abeba, Ethiopia
Proof-of-Concept
Immediate Action:
Build data sensing prototype kit
Powered by wind energy
Take abroad for testing by May 2010

In the pipeline:
Use lessons learned from data network to build wind-
powered communications network
 Next Steps: Application Development
Developing mobile apps to run in this type of network
environment e.g. GroundStation App

Sensor data upload

Real time server
Mobile Connectivity
Servos Connectivity
Lifting and lowering
Sensor Control