Project Summary
[…] invent and launch “moonshot” technologies that aim to make the world a radically better place. A moonshot is defined […] as the intersection of a big problem, a radical solution, and breakthrough technology. (from Wikipedia)
- Install a chip on a wristband which does the same thing as a “Covid App”
(remember who you have met, compare with list of infections) - Make it affordable, easy to use, data privacy save (no mobile required)
- Make it a solution for 2nd / 3rd countries and for children / the elderly
- Run Proof-of-Concept Rollout with open-source community (teachers?)
- Find “partner” NGO / company to do the global “rollout” afterwards
Value Propositions and Target Groups
- For all of mankind, we want to seize this opportunity to overcome infectious diseases like COVID (in Phase 3 and until forever)
- To the under-priviliged, poor, elderly, children, handycapped (no matter if 1st / 2nd / 3rd world) we want to offer (in Phase 3) a “CovidApp” which is cheap (less than $3) and easy-to-use (one light, three colors) and which does not require a mobile.
- For teachers, parents, makers, hackers and builders in the 1st / 2nd world, we offer (in Phase 2) the possibility to learn how platforms like “CovidApp” work (be enabled to teach others) and the option to build an own, data-privacy-compliant, hardware “CovidApp” – for themselves, for learning (for their classes?) and some as a donation for others.
- For a handfull of motivated specialists this can be your ultimate one chance in a lifetime, to change the world for good, forever.
Project Phases
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Phase 0 (right now) Get “Buy-In” from “core team”
get everyone involved and setup, agree on mission / timeline / location / values. -
Phase 1 (week 31?) “Preparation” with “core team”
build and document prototypes and kick off community platform for documentation and engagement -
Phase 2 (August 2020?) “Proof of Concept” with “maker community”
engage with community for creating and rolling out thousands of devices within a few weeks
(current assumption: German Schools / teachers seem to “check all the boxes”?) -
Phase 3 (Q3 2020) “Global Rollout” by “partner organization” (currently unknown)
build and rollout devices on industrial, global scale, reduce costs, increase efficiency, etc.
Interfaces and Dependencies
- in Phase 1 and 2, we use some assets from the “German Corona-App”:
- in Phase 3, this needs to be adapted for countries other than Germany
- make instances of German App architecture available for other countries?
- create separate branch of project to interface local backends?
- in Phase 2, the local “community workshops” need some prerequisites
- if done in public locations (schools?) check-list (Hygienekonzept) etc.
- stable and good internet for access to community documentation
- webpage to order “batches” of components via template
- (lots more – do be defined and “solved” in Phase 1
Revenue Streams
- Assuming many entrepreneurs are searching for COVID solutions right now, we will not “own” a “product” solution in this cost segment for long (there will be counterfeits soon)
- Assuming many “global” players on the (medical) technology market(s) have all the skills and resources for a “global rollout”, but they lack the innovation capabilities
- Our goal to show that a state-of-the-art technical solution can be implemented as “open source” – hoping that many (local) companies setup their business / value added services / revenue streams by using that idea
- We want to use a Wikipedia-like approach (Open-Source community / NGO platform for others to build upon)
Cost Range(s)
- for Phase 1 and coordination of Phase 2, we ASSUME a budget of €30 K (for Berlin) or €50 K (for Munich) as “run” costs (for office / internet / SPEZI / etc.)
- for Phase 2, we ASSUME an accumulated costs for material / components of €2 Mio – requires a smart crowd-sourcing approach (make money available for communities without involvement on our side)
- for Phase 2, we FEAR we need ca €2 Mio “war chest” as backup / insurance for “worst case” scenarios (e.g. accident at community event) cover this with guarantees from beneficiaries?
- for Phase 1 and Phase 2, we PLAN to use only volunteers / community collaboration (no labor costs – thereby reducing 90% of organizational overhead and drag)
- for Phase 2, we ASSUME one device will be ca $8 (ESP board $6, 3D printed case $1, wrist band $1) targeting recyclable / non-plastic materials where possible
- for Phase 3, we ASSUME device costs can be reduces to $2 (by industrialization / scale effects – to be done by a correspondingly experienced organization)
Alpha Build
La perfection est atteinte, non pas lorsqu’il n’y a plus rien à ajouter, mais lorsqu’il n’y a plus rien à retirer. (Antoine de Saint Exupéry)
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Development Boards in Phase 1
(only required once for code prototyping and test)- Raspberry Pi recommended (for emulating backends / fake BLE contacts)
- one choice of BLE board like this:
- $20 TinyPico for fast prototyping (2x240MHz) and wifi (micro python)
- $25 Playground BLE if buttons / sound output is required (circuit python)
- $55 PyCom GPy if GPS / logging to SD is required (micro python)
(this NOT the final version – to be done in Phase 1)
- one choice of BLE board like this:
- $9 ESP32 WiFi-BT-BLE MCU Module LX6 with WiFi and BLE
- $9 nRF52832 BLE Module M4F and nRF52832 with BLE
- $8 nRF51822 BLE Module M0 and nRF51822 with BLE
- one color LED for status (if NOT on board)
- one small LiPo battery (size requirements?)
- adapter for USB plug / charging
- 3D printed case for board and battery
- 3D printed wristband OR velcro strip
- Micro/Circuit Python implementation / code