OLPC Chicago/Archive
Summer projects: Definite
These projects should get their own project pages as soon as possible, and the information on this page should move out there and be replaced by a simple link to the project page and a short description. The {{{Template:Project}}} template may help.
Off-grid power generation
Prototyping chargers with the intent of turning out not just some finished designs, but a reference that others can start from for making their own completely different charger designs (basic electronics, specs, materials sources, etc - an off-grid-power cookbook that encourages experimentation.)
Who's doing it =
- Chris Carrick: full-time summer staff, mechanical engineer specializing in appropriate technology, taking this on as his primary project
- IMSA (probably - details need working out)
- Want to help? Sign up and contact the people above.
Who else should do it
- Local engineers with power generation experience
- People looking for ways to improve their basic mechanical fabrication skills (FIRST robotics students have the perfect kind of experience for some of this)
Discuss
XO accessibility
Develop peripherals and software so that kids with special needs can use the XO more effectively, focusing on creating adaptations for specific young users by working alongside special needs children and their teachers and parents to design a solution that works for them. Example projects could include an illuminated audio notifier, (improved) screen reader, head tracker mouse, etc - but also exploring possible uses of existing equipment for this purpose - for example, Write being collaborative might mean a deaf child can have his friends help him take lecture notes in class, a game based on Record where children dance in front of the camera to "hit" virtual objects on the screen with a colored sheet of paper could be used for physical therapy by a girl with cerebral palsy, etc. As part of this project, a generic USB peripheral development kit will probably be created. This project dovetails quite closely in places with existing Health efforts, and we'll communicate heavily with that group.
Who's doing it
- Mel Chua: full-time summer staff, electrical and computer enginer and programmer, hearing impaired, taking this on as a half-time project.
- Want to help? Sign up and contact the people above.
Who else should do it
- Local hospitals?
- Local associations for disabled children?
- Special ed teachers?
- Physical therapists?
- Kids (or former kids) with "special needs"?
Discuss
Pilot datasharing gear-up
The question of "what happens when you put these in a school?" needs to be seriously tackled at an education research level; what sort of questions/projects/people/infrastructure need to be put in place to get a good local meta-understanding of what's happening in your classrooms, and how can we prototype processes that make it easy for pilots to share this data with each other and external researchers, and for everyone to work with and use the data that's given?
Who's doing it
- Mel Chua would like to work on this, but probably doesn't have the time or expertise to do so. Any takers?
OLPC Health Application
Create a program that can allow users to self diagnose illness based on preset information. Would hopefully include a graphical interface with a human body which the user can interact with.
Who is doing it?
Arjun Nayini (IMSA Chapter Member) - I only have basic experience and would need some more experienced programmers to help if possible.
Projects, Under consideration
Add your proposals here!
Repair Centers In A Box
A hardware/software/entrepreneurship/resource kit that will need as little translation as possible (non-linguistic design - heavy use of pictures and simple vocabulary to communicate possibly complex topics).
Who's doing it
- Proposed by Mel Chua, who is willing to help refine the proposal and test the finish product, but doesn't have time to do it
Who else should do it
- MVCC?
- Other repair center groups in the area?
- In conjunction with Support gang and Adam Holt?
Discuss
School servers
This has three parts.
- WAN school server accessible to Chicago area XO users. Probably remote admin access to those who are interested in seeing how this end of things works and looks. no local mesh antennas needed.
- School server for the Lab-In-A-Van. Full mesh.
- School servers for seed labs. Single mesh antenna.
Now that there's an off the shelf spec for a XSX school server (http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XSX_Server_Implementation), it should be practical to roll our own. The spec notes an Athenatech 600 Series Mid-Tower case. The first samples have a really boring silver and black one. The same internals are available in jazzier externals with color, all at about the same price. How about #605 cases with XO green trim? http://www.athenatech.us/ -- click on 'A600 (MidTower)', scroll down to A605.
The Active antennas also look like they should be getting easier to obtain.
Who is involved
- Bob Myers: I'd be willing to help assemble and load the servers.
- Mark Romz: I have a couple PCs that I am decommissioning. Perhaps one of these could be used as a school server? (Sorry I haven't had time to review the required specs on the wiki). If the hardware is compatible and someone is willing to perform the configuration, you're welcome to it. If we keep it in my office, I could put it on the WAN (low priority bandwidth, but I'm assuming that it does not need much?)
Who should be involved
Discuss
Name of project
Description goes here
Who's doing it
- Original proposer, add your name here
Who else should do it
Discuss
People looking for projects
Nikki Lee
Full-time summer staff, electrical and computer engineer, artist, experienced University chapter organizer and Support gang member running the first prototype Repair center and coordinating the Art community
What should I do?
- Repair center in a box
- Information design
- Cultivate local art community
- Open FirmWare (OFW)
- Wireless mesh testing
- Sensors & peripherals
- Screen Reader/Accessibility
- add your suggestions
Your name here
- Am called Kayiwa Fred and am university Student In Uganda East Africa
What should I do?
- I have noticed that although OLPC is for the developing countries,Uganda has not recgonised this opportunity
and my suggestion is that we should have the Government of Uganda and Schools get to know about OLPC