BRCK is a rugged, battery-powered Internet hub from Kenya

Jacob Zuma once said that the problems Africa faces are unique. “We need an African solution to an African problem.” And to a certain extent he’s right – what applies in the western world and what works for those countries doesn’t always apply here. Our psychologies are different, the environments are different and our internet connection is very, very sad. Enter the BRCK (pronounced “brick”).

Ushahidi’s BRCK

BRCK is a product that is designed by Ushahidi, a non-profit tech company based in Kenya that aims to use open-source software for information distribution, weather tracking, empowering citizens and interactive mapping. The company says they realised that very often your connection to the internet is pretty terrible and switching from one connection to the other wastes time and can occasionally cause you to lose any saved work you’ve just put online.

They created a Kickstarter with an initial goal of $125,000 ($64,917 of which has been pledged so far) to build and distribute BRCK, a wireless, battery-powered internet hub that can switch between open WiFi, 3G and 4G and Ethernet network connections without breaking your existing connection to the net. We’ve seen similar devices before but none of them are actually rugged, which is what BRCK is designed for.

BRCK can run on backup power anywhere.

Says Ushahidi:

“The idea behind BRCK is that all kinds of jobs require steady connectivity, even when infrastructure is spotty due to wireless connections that come and go, intermittent power, or devices that can’t share connections. Seeing this, we set out to redesign connectivity for the world we live in – Africa. As we laid out what such a device would look like — physically robust, able to connect to multiple networks, a hub for all local devices, enough backup power to survive a blackout — we realized that the way the entire world is connecting to the web is changing. We no longer only get online via desktops in our office, we have multiple devices, and we are all constantly on the move. So we designed the BRCK for the changing way we connect to the web around the world, from cafe-hoppers in San Francisco to struggling coders in Nairobi.”

The hardware specs of BRCK aren’t readily available but some information can be gleaned from their Kickstarter information – namely a built-in, rechargeable battery which is user-replaceable, 802.11n WiFi, a host of capabilities assigned to routers like NAT and they call it a “software-infused” device so that can only mean one thing – it may very well run on OpenWRT, an open-source OS for routers that has capabilities far beyond the software in your average D-Link ADSL modem.

Kickstarter backers get a number of goodies when pledging money to the project, including a trip to Nairobi, Kenya to be part of product testing and receive a ton of free stuff. Pledging $200 gets you one of the production-ready BRCK devices once it’s released.

BRCK highest pledge nets all buyers a Raspberry Pi optional add-on.

Further from the initial goal, the company has extended goals which seem very ambitious. At $250k they hope to have BRCK in multiple colours. $300k will ensure the release of a SDK for the device as well as extended development tools. $400k allows the creation of a GPIO port breakout board, allowing you hardware-level access to add on more devices like temperature sensors and wired connections to other BRCK units. A steep $750k fund gives all $300 BRCK devices a Raspberry Pi attached to the device in its own rugged enclosure.

Ushahidi expects BRCK to release in November 2013 and will be shipping the device to anywhere outside the US for $15. MyGaming contacted Ushahidi with some questions and they replied promptly:

MyGaming: When BRCK is released, what price point will you be aiming for?

Ushahisi, via Erik Hersman: We expect the price point to be right around $200 at first, we’ll know more as we get economies of scale on our production run.

MyG: Will distribution be worldwide at launch, or just in neighbouring African countries?

E.H: We’re looking for global distribution partners. At first it’s all direct to everyone who had a Kickstarter pre-order, that really is the best way to get your hands on one at first.

MyG: Is the BRCK easy to open and will the battery be user-replaceable?

E.H: The case is designed with hex bolts on top so that it is specifically designed to make accessibility easier. The BRCK does not have an easily removable battery at present, although with the simple design of the system, someone with a little bit of technical skill could get in there and replace almost any component. We are working on a removable battery pack that will bolt on the BRCK as an add-on.

MyG: If spares for the BRCK are needed, will they be readily available?

E.H: We’ll have an online store for this and possibly for other sensors and add-ons that a lot of people want.