The dictionary defines “loon” as, “A silly or foolish person”. However, everyone who ever invented anything revolutionary was called silly at one point or another. This brings us to Google’s Project Loon, a dubious, but extremely promising, project. What is it? Keep reading!
I dare you to read the following words without smiling: Balloon-powered internet! Couldn’t do it, could you? Well, that was my first reaction as well. However, as I continued reading, the sheer brilliance of the project slowly convinced me. It’s so simple, and yet so revolutionary.
This is how Google sums it up: “Many of us think of the Internet as a global community. But two-thirds of the world’s population does not yet have Internet access. Project Loon is a network of balloons traveling on the edge of space, designed to connect people in rural and remote areas, help fill coverage gaps, and bring people back online after disasters.”
So, how does Project Loon work?
“Project Loon balloons float in the stratosphere, twice as high as airplanes and the weather. They are carried around the Earth by winds and they can be steered by rising or descending to an altitude with winds moving in the desired direction. People connect to the balloon network using a special Internet antenna attached to their building. The signal bounces from balloon to balloon, then to the global Internet back on Earth.”
Watch this video for detailed information:
That’s all good and fine, but what does all this have to do with Nepal?
This project seems perfect for Nepal, especially because there are many “rural and remote areas” in Nepal devoid of basic amenities, let alone internet access. This can really bring a revolution in the way people in these areas communicate with the rest of the world, and receive education.
This is the age of technology, and if it is implemented, this project has the capability of bringing about a huge leap in Nepal’s technological development. Due to a difficult geography, it has always been a bit problematic to connect the rural areas of Nepal to the internet. Perhaps when Google finishes developing and refining this technology, it will make the task easier. For now, we can only speculate and be optimistic.
For more details about this project, please visit:
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