LDLN: An Open Platform for Off-Grid Communications

Modern off-grid communications.

At LDLN (pronounced 'Landline'), we provide the framework & technology for individuals and organizations to instantly communicate rich data without the need for Internet, cell service, satellites, or phone lines.

LDLN System.

Who We Work With

Providing faster communication of critical
information without relying on infrastructure.

We Provide Services To:

  • International NGO/IGO's
  • Community-based NGO's
  • Office of Emergency Management
  • Government Agencies

Traditional mesh networks and clipboard-based data collection methods introduce risks and challenges in data entry, storage, and integrity. LDLN is there to ensure that the benefits of modern communication are not lost for relief organizations.

Medical Emergencies

Medical Emergencies

Missing Persons

Missing Persons

Damaged Infrastructure

Damaged Infrastructure

Volunteer Management

Volunteer Management

Resource Allocation

Resource Allocation

Distribution of Alerts

Distribution of Alerts

Drones!

Flight Path Communication Network for UAVs

Alternative Transportation Routes

Alternative Transportation Routes

How It Works

Low cost and portable,
simple to deploy and use.

Base Station

Installed at critical communication points, the LDLN Base Station is the backbone of the network, providing a basis for a suite of data and rich media synchronization services. On a technical level, it combines all the benefits of a traditional decentralized mesh network, while maintaining the reliability, security, and storage capabilities of a traditional web server. Registered users can access the services and decrypt the private data either through a LDLN-powered mobile app or directly access the web interface over WiFi.

LDLN Base Station
 

Mobile Apps

LDLN apps provide the ease of a modern mobile experience, but without reliance on traditional centralized networks like cell towers and the Internet. Using complex p2p and web socket technology, the apps shuttle critical data across the private network's chain of Base Stations and mobile devices. Forms for collecting data can be customized in the admin interface on the Base Station, and will automagically update on LDLN mobile apps after a quick sync.

LDLN on Smart Phones #1       

Syncing

Synchronization is accomplished through a process that involves complicated-sounding technologies like "hashing" and "diffing." Simply put though, apps and Base Stations make each other aware of what information they are each missing, without exposing exactly the details of the information to nefarious parties. To this end, data on the LDLN network remains encrypted by default, and lightning fast connections are used to transfer massive amounts of information in a short period of time.

Sync Between Agents

Don't have a Base Station yet? No problem! Our apps have built-in peer-to-peer tech that allows two mobile devices to connect directly to each other to exchange information. Send messages, sensitive records, and documents directly from one device to another, without compromising the contents of the data.

 

Back Online HQ

Looking to customize the types of data allowed on the network? Need to add another user? Want to run reports on the information on the network? The easy-to-use administrative interface can be accessed in a browser by connecting a wifi-enabled device (phone, tablet, laptop) to the Base Station and accessing the portal. Reports can be filtered for quick insights, or exported to various file formats for more intensive analysis.

Base Station Desktop View

Our Team

Social Innovators, Technologists, and Relief Specialists

Our team comes with years of experience living and working within disaster affected communities. From the savannah of Eastern Africa to the front lines of Superstorm Sandy in New York City, members of LDLN have seen the good and bad of disaster responses.

Consulting with officials from FEMA, Department of Homeland Security, Google, Field Innovation Team, and the Red Cross, LDLN has tailored our product to the needs and restrictions of disaster relief agencies.

LDLN's security methodologies are created by the same people that created industry standard payment card networks. Our user interface designers have created products that are used by millions of people daily. Our field team has years of collective experience in a wide variety of high intensity and high sensitivity situations.

Matt Grasser

Matt Grasser

CEO

Chris Guess

Chris Guess

COO

Nick Ihm

Nick Ihm

CTO

Emily ! Duong

Emily ! Duong

Art Director

Kristine Austria Sanchez

Kristine Sanchez

Visual Designer

Sam Krueckeberg

Sam Krueckeberg

Senior Developer

Joyce De Vera

Joyce De Vera

Marketing Coordinator

Ryan Letada

Ryan Letada

Advisor

Frank Sanborn

Frank Sanborn

Advisor

Desi Matel-Anderson

Desi Matel-Anderson

Advisor

Hans Kullberg

Hans Kullberg

Advisor

GovLab

The GovLab

Research Institute

NextDayBetter

NextDayBetter

Culture Platform

Geeks Without Bounds

GWOB

Tech Accelerator

Case Studies

Places we've been, faces we've seen

The Feast

The Feast

After an inspiring visit to IDEO Digital Labs in Palo Alto, CA, we returned to NYC ready to hit the ground running for The Feast 2014 and the associated Hardware Hackathon. We met with attendees from FEMA, DHS, Intel, and many others to discuss opportunities for LDLN. During the hackathon we worked to make our Base Stations location-aware, and to increase the range of communication by leveraging wireless technologies beyond pure WiFi. More information is available on the White House OSTP blog's recap of the event.

Photo Credit: The Feast

White House Disaster Innovation and Demo Day

White House Disaster Innovation and Demo Day

In late July, we were invited to attend the exclusive White House Innovation and Demo Day in Washington, D.C. We met with with various major players in the private sector as well as local and Federal departments and agencies about the myriad ways they are leveraging technology to improve disaster response and recovery. We also consulted on the manner in which to best present data to technologists on the now-newly-launched Data.gov. For more info, check out the official White House blog and Fact Sheet

Photo Credit: Glyn Lowe

Seattle OEM

Seattle Office of Emergency Management

We were introduced to the Seattle OEM by our advisor, Frank Sanborn (a former Microsoft software engineer, White House Innovation Fellow, and expert in post-disaster communications) in early 2014. In May of that year, we performed a live field demonstration to show off the capabilities of the LDLN infrastructure. Base Stations were connected to the Internet and synchronized with a central cloud-based server, which was a first for us at that time. We continue to maintain a great relationship and are working to collaborate on several fronts.

Photo Credit: Bryce Edwards

Hack Red Hook

Hack Red Hook at Pioneer Works

In a return to our roots, LDLN attended Hack Red Hook to spend a weekend dedicated to trading sleep for the greater good. In the end, we walked away with the "Best Coastal Awareness Hack" and a much more robust and feature-rich set of LDLN-powered tools. We also had the privilege of working with some folks from the Red Hook Initiative's youth coding program, trading knowledge and skills with each other over the course of the weekend.

Photo Credit: Amanda Hirsch

Salt Lake City

Field Innovation Team Boot Camp

Our team was well-represented in Heber City, Utah at the Field Innovation Team's Boot Camp exercise in early March of 2014. We were honored to give one of the keynote presentations followed by a couple days of demonstrations. At one point there were 20 LDLN-powered mobile devices syncing data between 3 LDLN-powered nodes, and everything was working quite seamlessly. It was a great step forward in our team's relatively short history at that point, and an awesome networking opportunity to sit down with former government leaders, world-class designers, and innovators from nearly every industry.

Photo Credit: Garrett

Next Day Better: Hackathon for Typhoon Haiyan

Next Day Better: Hackathon for Typhoon Haiyan

In response to Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the Philippines on Nov 8 with devastating consequences, over 50 software developers, designers, and strategists gathered at the Projective Space in New York City, on Nov 7, to hack for a good cause. As the winners of the hackathon, LDLN was presented with a six-month incubation and mentorship program with Geeks Without Bounds, and also started a strong partnership with NextDayBetter which continues to grow even until today. See the Rappler and Asian Journal coverage for more details.

Photo Credit: International Labour Organization

Press

Read what they're saying about us

Preparing for the Pacific Northwest Earthquake and Its Aftermath

PSFK

Passion, instinct: Joining the NextDayBetter movement

Rappler

How Disaster "Mesh" Networks Provide Critical Value in Disasters [A Primer]

DisasterNet

Data and Info Sharing with No Power or Internet? - Meet LDLN

DisasterNet

Hardware Hacking for Disaster Response in Red Hook, Brooklyn

White House: Office of Science & Technology Blog

Scenes from the 2014 Civic Hardware Hackathon for Disaster Preparedness

PSFK

Hacking Hardware to Prototype Resilience at the Feast

Microsoft

NextDayBetter’s NYC Event: Great Food. Great People. Great Ideas.

Pilipino American Unity for Progress

The Disaster Mesh

PandoDaily

Hack Red Hook: 5 winning projects from this Red Hook hackathon

Technical.ly

#NextDayBetter offers a platform for big thinkers and doers

Asian Journal

Request A Demo

We're always looking for new partners!

 

Are you an individual or organization looking for a modern communication and document-sharing tool free from phone and power lines? Are you a top-notch developer excited to contribute to our code base? Do you have a question not answered here? We'd love to hear from you!

 
 
 
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4-col: Who We Work With, Our Team (Blurb)
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