YOER Pi solves common challenges to digital learning often faced in developing countries. This presentation was given at the Internet2 Global Summit in April 2015. Learn more: http://openmi.ch/yoer-pi.

1. © 2015 The Regents of the University of Michigan
YOER Pi: A portable,
adaptable local area
network even in restricted
Internet and power
Bob Riddle – April 2015

2. Common Challenges to Digital Learning in
Developing Countries
• High technology cost
• Limited technology availability
(equipment, understaffed dept.)
• Unpredictable infrastructure

3. The “last mile” on
the Internet is often
challenging …

4. What if you could…
• provide a local wireless network …
• provide content via web browser …
• provide content via file or app server …
• do this with or without the Internet …
• do it with or without an electrical outlet …
• buy the supplies from
Amazon.com for less than
$200 …

5. Hardware - Raspberry Pi and
accessories
• An ARM GNU/Linux box
(Model B): ……………… $35
• Plastic case: …………… $10
• WiFi adapter: ………….. $10
• USB 128GB thumb drive:$60
• USB 1TB external drive:
$80
• USB ultra-mini hub: …….
$10
• Rechargeable Battery Pack:

6. You can use any
micro-USB power source:
rechargeable battery,
laptop, or wall chargers.
If you use one of the
rechargeable batteries
shown, it can act as an
uninterruptible power
supply.

7. What about lack of available techies?
• Just plug it in … or unplug it when done
• Wireless network name: YOERBPI
• Server name: www.yoerbpi.net
• If you want to be a “techie”
•User name: pi
•Password: <……….>
•ssh address: 198.168.42.1 OR
www.yoerbpi.net

8. How it compares to “other” things
i.e. Librarybox, egranary, Rachel, GLOWM
Similarities with YOER PI:
• provide digital content over local wireless network capability in areas
• Can connect to rechargable battery pack for backup power source
• Connect the USB storage device and the content is available to users in
range of the wireless “neighborhood”
Differences:
• Others are read only for users, while YOER Pi can be configured to be
either read-only or read-write
• YOER Pi content is easily modified, non-techie can add/delete/modify
content
• YOER Pi has a full Linux operating system, which allows full applications
and more customization of services (e.g. Dropbox, Moodle), and user
interface.
• The pre-packaged content either has copyright or technical restrictions that
limit adaptation.

9. If you happen to be in Africa …
• Ethiopia
–St. Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College
• Kenya
–Bishop Lawi Imathiu Secondary School
–School of Public Health (University of Nairobi)
• Ghana
• Malawi
• Liberia

10. Try it!
• Wireless UMMSPI
http://www.yoerbpi.net/rasppi/
http://www.yoerbpi.net/histology/
http://www.yoerbpi.net/eyes/
• It will provide an uplink, if an ethernet with
that capability is plugged into the Raspberry
Pi
• What do you think?
https://wiki.umms.med.umich.edu/display/ET/Raspberry+Pi

11. Image Attributions
• “Electricity” by Phillip Martin is under a Creative Commons
license CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0.
• “Network” by Vis.js is Public Domain Ineligible.
• “SixHardDriveFormFactors” by Paul R. Potts is under a
Creative Commons license CC BY-SA 3.0.
• “Coder” by ousia is in the Public Domain.
• “25 Feb 2011 River Road" by Schwede66 - Own work.
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• “Surprised Face” is under a Creative Commons license CC0
Public Domain
• “Raspberry Pi – Model B” http://de.wikipedia.org is under a
Creative Commons license CC-BY-SA 4.0

12. © 2015 The Regents of the University of Michigan
Thank you!
Presenter: Bob Riddle bdr@umich.edu
Visionary: Kathleen Ludewig Omollo
kludewig@umich.edu