CUWiN Noted In US Government Village Infrastructure in a Kit-Alpha (VIKA) Project

With the goal of this project to provide basic needs to groups for low cost, CUWiN was initially highlighted for its open source mesh solution that supports low cost consumer to high grade enterprise devices in unlicensed and licensed frequencies. The authors also say that CUWiN's "redundant system of routers sharing access, utilizing cheaply available licensed WiFi hardware" would be an ideal option suited for densely populated urban areas. The report goes on to recommend CUWiN in it's list of potential collaborators for the project.

From Sarah Mussoni, Program Administrator:
Last spring semester, the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) Global Innovation and Strategy Center (GISC) hired college interns from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Creighton University to conceptualize a Village Infrastructure in a Kit-Alpha (VIKA) for underserved populaces of 500-1,000 people. The premise behind a VIKA was that it would contain available and sustainable technologies for energy generation, water production and/or purification, and telecommunications, all of which can be linked to increased development and stability.

The authors deserve praise for dedicating research time toward Open Source technologies, recommending use of low cost licence free radios, and highlighting other innovative and Open Source projects like One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) and NComputing. However, there was a large tilt toward WiMAX throughout the document leading readers to believe it is a more holistic solution than it currently is.

For more information please read the attached VIKA Executive Summary and VIKA Final Report.