Blockchain For Africa (Part 1)—Ammbr—Autonomous Blockchain WIFI Infrastructure For Africa
We begin our collaboration series—Blockchain For Africa, with a highlight of the Ammbr project. Although, underrated and not surrounded with the usual level of hype in the blockchain space, Ammbr is one of the most innovative AND working products to be built, with the prospect of using a DLT based infrastructure for networks and communications.
We began to cover the Ammbr token on our old wordpress site, as a promising ICO, but as the ICO was halted, due to an announcement that the company would no longer be running the ICO. This was disappointing, however as the ICO had not started yet, so, no inherent cause for alarm. Subscribers we’re updated with an announcement that the project had in fact been, wholly, privately funded from outside investors. They also notified early subscribers that they will be rewarded with Ammbr tokens for expressing early interest, along with bounty rewards. We felt at that stage to pull the piece covering Ammbr, as it was from the perspective of an ICO review, rather than coverage of the entire project. We expected further announcements, for which we watched and waited eagerly.
Eventually we were contacted by the team at Ammbr in September confirming the project would be going ahead…with even further details and announcements.
Ammbr is a decentralized autonomous solution to WIFI networks.We’ve been waiting to cover this project for sometime, so without further ado…r is a decentralized autonomous solution to WIFI networks. Utilizing their own patent mesh network technology, built on the blockchain and amazing mesh WIFI routers. Ammbr is bringing connectivity and blockchain together.
Whilst many of us are excited at some of the projects we’ve seen on blockchain’s, Ammbr have concentrated on giving people the ability to actually access the internet to get to the blockchain—using a blockchain. Genius! Maybe…Let’s take a more in depth look…
Ammbr MeshNet
‘Ammbr is a wireless mesh network built on blockchain technology, with the intent of bandwidth being traded in an autonomous market.’—Ammbr Team
The topology of wireless mesh networks (meshnets) were originally used in radio networks, developed for military applications. Working in the respect that node could find purpose as a dynamic router for every other node. With this method, in the event of nodes failing, the remaining nodes have the ability to continue communication between them. In this event they could also serve as up-links for the other nodes, if necessary. Sounds very much like how a blockchain works, no?!
Did we mention, that with this comes the possibility of sharing bandwidth on said network? No?! We’ll revisit that thought later…
Far from being the only company to employ WIFI on a mesh network, the Ammbr team are the first to apply the topology to a blockchain powered, multi-bandwidth, multi-connection, crypto rewarding application,device and infrastructure. Try saying that without moving your lips. Ha!
Ammbr have gone out of their way to employ legacy hardware and network engineering team members, with longstanding proven track records in technological breakthroughs.
The project patent applications list, along with their idea to target countries and areas who have no benefit of communications infrastructure,via cable nor radio/WIFI seems a sure winner. Starting with African countries, Ammbr aims to connect the people of the world through a network they ‘own’. The Ammbr network has already started trialing in some African countries and as recently as March 2018 announced a partnership, with the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) to provide R&D for economic and governance models, within the network.
Ammbr Mesh Router
The Ammbr mesh device, is intended to perform all the tasks of a router, mesh node and more. Starting with the fact that Ammbr have stated that the device is capable of lossless transmission over a range of 150ft, with the capability to extend over ‘several kilometers’. The unit itself is composed of the main unit and a series of optional hardware modules.
The device features IEEE 802.11 fully compliant WIFI support, 2.4GHz, 3.5Ghz, 5GHz, 5.5GHz and 6GHz transmission bands, dependent on the selected modules, so is well equipped to handle both current and emerging technology in WIFI radio communications.
A GPS receiver, full Bluetooth support and low-frequency module are all parts of a fully assembled setup, along with RJ45, external antenna and USB-C ports included on the unit, adding to the number of connection types and potential applications.
The envisaged fully assembled product also includes a ‘Blockchain Computing Resource Module’ and ‘Mobility Module’. These are described in the Ammbr whitepaper as;-
Blockchain computing resource module
Processor, Memory & Hard Drive for smart contracts, cloud storage and network cache scheme
Mobility module
Lithiumion battery, solar panel, allweather enclosure for mobile usage or installation where power supply fluctuates
Judging from the description, it seems that the device will be more than capable of handling computer intensive blockchain tasks, which will no doubt ease the memory intensive processes normally completed inside blockchain connected devices. The Mobility module, is obviously aimed at allowing users to carry they’re network wherever they go AND in all weather conditions. It’s safe to say the device probably sounds like the coolest router on the planet to say the least at this point!
It would be good to see the outcome of some early trials and network penetration testing, to see how secure the device an network really is, given the nature of WIFI signals being thrown around everywhere. We suppose, with the use of the blockchain, bad actors could be potentially spotted and blocked from interacting with the network automatically. Judging from the current described security protocols and technologies embedded in the router, it is likely to be immensely hard, if not damn near impossible to spoof a device on the Ammbr network.