delightful off grid open tech 
A curated list of technology, Open hardware and Open Source software resources for use off-grid, for power outages and other emergency situations.
Be sure to check out other Delightful Lists.
Contents
Lists
Many people are dealing with power losses and others issues after hurricanes, tornadoes and local natural disasters. It would be great to have Open solutions for common off-the-grid problems that can arise. So, in honor of Hardware Freedom Day, a yearly worldwide event which encourages sharing information about and use of Open Hardware, I decided to put this list together.
Open-hardware
| Project | Summary |
|---|---|
| Askotec | A mobile Open Tech laboratory in a box. |
| Hyrac box | A mobile server. Upt to 25 devices can connect via wifi and surf resources and apps offline without the Internet. Built on Internet-in-a-Box technology. |
| Libre Solar | Building blocks for DC energy systems. |
| OpenNanoGrid | This research project deals with the development, implementation and experimental testing of a decentralized DC low-voltage home supply system based on OpenHardware as part of the SolarBox project. |
| SolarBox | The SolarBox deals with the basics of independent battery management for photovoltaic power supply and storage using LiFePo4 batteries. |
Open-source-software
| Program | Summary |
|---|---|
| CTM | Code through mail is a way to share code over email. It can make use of intermittent SMTP which may not be as impacted during outages as other methods of code sharing (such as popular version control systems). |
| DEC112 | Modern, standardised and barrier-free emergency call services. Text based emergency calling app. Useful for situations where hearing may be impaired. Currently used in Austria. |
| Free and Open Source CAD and 3D Printing Software | My list of FLOSS CAD and 3D printing programs. |
| httrack | With the decline of encyclopedias (in a physical book format) and many reference materials going digital, I've seen some emergency preparation shows recommend downloading Creative Commons and public domain resources from the Internet for use when their access to the Internet may be down. Surprisingly, I did not notice anyone mention httrack. It is a great tool for downloading a web site so it can be read offline. There are variations of this tool that include command line and GUI based versions. |
| Internet-in-a-Box maps | (IIAB) Maps are like Google Maps but better, for schools especially, as they work offline (including satellite photos) and avoid all the advertising. |
| Linux Foundation Energy Projects | The Linux Foundation's list of energy related projects. |
| Meshtastic | Open Source, off-grid, decentralized, mesh network built to run on affordable, low-power devices (LoRa). It provides a way for users to communicate over long distances even if they do not have a reliable internet connection. |
| Navit | Navit is a open source (GPL) car navigation system with routing engine. Mainly C based code with GTK+ and SDL user interfaces options. The SDL option makes it highly portable a variety of platforms. |
| Network UPS Tools | The Network UPS Tools (NUT) project provides support for Power Devices such as Uninterruptible Power Supplies, Power Distribution Units, Automatic Transfer Switches, Power Supply Units and Solar Controllers. NUT offers a common protocol and set of tools to monitor and manage such devices and to consistently name equivalent features and data points across a vast range of vendor-specific protocols and connection media types. |
| OpenStreetMap | Provides map data for thousands of websites, mobile apps and hardware devices. OpenStreetMap is open data, licensed under the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL) by the OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF). |
| Open Sustainable Technology | A directory of the Open Source ecosystem in the areas of climate change, sustainable energy, biodiversity and natural resources. |
| Photovoltaic_Performance_Simulator | An Open Source tool that helps compare various PV materials, making it easier to identify the best options for agrivoltaics. The tool uses geographical data and realistic simulations of how different PV materials perform. |
| Routing Kit | RoutingKit is a C++ library that provides advanced route planning functionality. |
Open-seeds
The Open Source Seed Initiative is attempting to extend the Free and Open Source, Open Hardware and Creative Commons paradigms to seeds. Plants can be an important resource in off-grid situations.
I'll list some interesting historical uses for plants. Should you decide to try growing, working with or using these or other plants, please be mindful of allergic reactions and intolerances. What's safe for one person may not be safe or healthy for another. Some people have allergic reactions when they come in contact with a plant. Please use caution when dealing with any kind of new plant, herb or food substance. Find out as much as you can about it and use your common sense.
| Plants | Summary |
|---|---|
| Allium sativum | Garlic has many uses. I wrote an article on lore and history of garlic with the help of members of the Greater Fort Worth Herb Society. |
| Calendula officinalis | Calendula is also known as a marigold (not be confused with marigolds of the tagetes genus often found in gardens). Historically, it's been considered to be soothing to the skin (externally) and the petals and leaves were said to edible. |
| Malpighia emarginata | One Barbados cherry from a Barbados cherry tree (aka acerola) is said to contain a full RDA of vitamin C. |
| Moringa oleifera | Most of the moringa plant is edible and it is considered a good source of nutrients. Some people use the bark in a process to purify water. |
| Salix alba | The salicin from white willow tree bark was the inspiration for some modern medications. Historically, white willow bark extracts have been used for pain relief. (Note: Some people are allergic to or intolerant of salicylates.) |
| Saponaria officinalis | Soapwort contains saponins. Historically, it's been used to make shampoo and soap. |
| Stachys byzantina | Lamb's ear was used at one point in history as a bandage before the standard band-aids were created. |
| Symphytum officinale | Comfrey is not safe to consume. It's not an edible plant. Historically, it's been used topically to help during healing of bruises and broken bones. |
| Synsepalum dulcificum | Miracle fruit is said to make other foods taste sweet for short periods of time after consumption. |
Maintainers
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Contributors
With delight we present you some of our delightful contributors (please add yourself if you are missing).
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