Shacktopus, the next step in technomadics

posted Mar 21st 2006 11:00am by Eliot
filed under: wireless hacks

shacktopus

Steve Roberts has been doing technomadics since 1983. You’ll probably remember him from his 580-pound BEHEMOTH bicycle which he was checking his email on in 1991 over satellite. Shacktopus is his latest project. His previous vehicles all had heavily integrated systems, but because of that you couldn’t just grab the communication system and run. Shacktopus is an easy to pack communications platform that contains multiple RF and sensing technology into one device. HF, VHF, UHF, Bluetooth, WiFi, cellular communication are all there plus GPS and environmental sensors. Here’s a block diagram of the device. Now, no matter what vehicle you choose to head off into the wild with you’ll be able to communicate with the rest of the world using one device.

[thanks fbz]
[UPDATE: fixed name]

Read

Comments [2]

2 Responses to Shacktopus, the next step in technomadics

knight_308 says:

March 21, 2006 at 11:27 am

It’s Steve /Roberts/…

Mr. Roberts’ site, http://www.microship.com is well worth perusing. Lots of articles about some hard-core hacking back when people actually used computers from Radio Shack… =)

Reply Report comment

Dennis Wurster says:

March 21, 2006 at 9:16 pm

knight_308′s right, it’s Roberts.

C’mon guys.

Anyway, I recommend his book, ‘Computing Across America’. I read it in college in the late 90′s. The first gift my girlfriend ever got me was when she covertly ordered a copy and got Mr. Roberts to sign it for me.

I’ve often thought about how one might re-create his cross-USA ride these days, what advantages/disadvantages one would have compared to his ride. Would people still be as friendly? Would the tech be easier, or just more fragile? Would the traffic on the roads be more congested or dangerous?

Reply Report comment