Geekcorps Mali’s LMI Blog

Since Monday the team has been working to tie up many of the loose logistical and administrative details we needed to accomplish before progressing any further. The highlight of the week was getting most of the equipment we need to the preliminary phase ordered and shipped.

The following are some of the more noteworthy items ordered:

• Nokia 770
• InFocus LP120 Projector
• Zoombox projector
• T-amp

On that same note, Renaud is making huge strides in building the overall Cyber-tigi interface. The team was fortunate to get him on-board. He’s a great addition to the Geekcorps, Mali team and we’re all looking forward to seeing what he develops in the coming months.

Fred has also been exceptional, as always. From designing the Wi-Fi relay to working on the solar powered sources to working with Renaud on the interface, Fred is demonstrating his talents across all areas of the project. His breath and depth of the technical aspects of the project is staggering. To say the project is fortunate to have him would be a gross understatement. What is truly impressive is that this is merely one of the many projects Fred is involved in, each equally demanding. As we say in Mali, “i ni baara, Fred”.

We are all eagerly anticipating the arrival of these components. The LCD projector is one of the items we spent a great deal of time researching and are keen to see how it performs. The projector will be used in kiosk sites and villages along the way to deliver public service announcements, NGO multimedia, short films in the local language, and so forth. It will be a way for us to build awareness of the Cyber-tigi project while also delivering worthwhile content to these communities.

Using an LCD projector in villages is very appealing to us. It is a way to bypass the cultural hurdle of introducing new products by delivering a service indirectly linked to our Cyber-tigi project. It builds our brand. Also, in the villages we plan on using it in there is little activity in the evenings. Some homes use a television run off a car battery and always draw large crowds every time to watch the nation channel ORTM. In many instances members of the community watch it solely for the visual aspect and don’t catch much of the French being spoken. Remember that Mali is officially Francophone, but the majority of people living in the countryside speak a local language, predominantly Bambara in our part of the country. A fair portion of the materials available to us are in Bambara, something previously nearly unavailable to most.

We are not your standard product testers. Our environment is more harsh and our demands are greater. For this reason you might often find hardware listed here that you otherwise wouldn’t consider for other projects. Point in case: the Hasbro Zoombox listed above. Yes, we bought a child’s toy. Why? Because it seems like just the right fit for our needs. Our communities will be pitch black at night, negating the need for high-brightness lamps; we need portability, and the Zoombox weighs fewer than 6lbs/2.7Kg; we need a lamp that is affordable enough for Malians to be easily replaceable - the Zoombox’s cost roughly $7USD; we need something inexpensive and flexible - the Zoombox meets those criteria; we understand its limitations, but for use as the mobile-projector we believe it will meet our needs sufficiently.

We also chose the InFocus LP120 for the more demanding applications and for delivering messages from our partners in the larger communities hosting permanent kiosks. These communities are always larger than the hamlets and have more demand for larger, crisper projections. We narrowed our choices down to 3 main: the InFocus LP120, the Epson PowerLlite S3, and the Epson PowerLite S1+. Our reasons for choosing the InFocus LP120 are many, but some stand out more than others: the operating temperature on the LP120 is 40C, the others only 35C - major factor here; its power consumption - remember, we’re using solar systems and batteries; the size and weight of the unit; the clarity of the image; where the vents and hot-spots are and how we can build an external casing to reduce the unit’s temperature; and access to the unit to be able to clean it out. There are other considerations, but these were some that stood out on the LP120.

Arguably the most impressive item among our order are the T-amps. For those who don’t know, T-Amps are integrated amplifiers which are causing an enormous stir among audiophiles. They deliver heretofore unmatched audio quality at seemingly impossibly low prices. Reviews abound describing how the inexpensive $30USD amps are outpacing systems 100X more costly, They are portable, inexpensive, pack a punch, battery powered, of the highest quality, innovative, and just the right thing for our project. We are eagerly awaiting their arrival.

So that’s the hardware wrap up for the week. The orders are in and we are waiting. We are looking to go out to Ouelessebougou and Faraba next week to begin the formal protocols necessary before beginning any projects. Look back late next week for more pictures from the sites.

-BC