WayPoint
Xiao Yin Redmond
National College of Art and Design Dublin
WayPoint is a communication device and power bank that enables rural communities to stay connected during prolonged telecommunications outages following severe storms. After being distributed to households on a free, rental basis by the national post service following a storm, WayPoint pairs with users’ phones and uses decentralized radio communication to connect with nearby devices, creating a backup messaging network for neighbourhoods. In doing this, WayPoint relieves the struggles faced by rural households during prolonged outages by allowing them to share information, coordinate resources, and support each other in their communities in the absence of mobile and broadband coverage.