The planet is covered with people. People that wear common clothing items. I propose we turn a tiny fraction of the population into computer network nodes or repeaters. But rather than looking at traditional technology vendors like Cisco, we look to clothing companies that already have global "coverage" (pun intended)
Nike is in an excellent position to develop the Nike Network Shoe and offer lifetime incentives to those that choose to wear them. NikeNet.
Hanes is another potential sponsor. The "Hanes Network Waistband" (excellent loop antenna potential). Or the "Hanes Cross-Your-Heart Broadband Repeater" (sorry).-- timbuktu11, Apr 02 2003 Personal Area Networks (PANs) http://users.ox.ac....omm533/PAN-SHEE.htm [phoenix, Oct 04 2004] Personal Area Networks - A Review of the Technology and Possible Applications http://faculty.wash...deep/future/PAN.docMS Word document [phoenix, Oct 04 2004] Personal Area Networks http://www.wireless.../features/pans.html"Say It And You Are Connected!" [phoenix, Oct 04 2004] Mobile Adhoc Networking http://www.mitre.or...ransfer/mobilemesh/ [phoenix, Oct 04 2004] Mobile Ad-hoc Networks http://www.ietf.org.../manet-charter.htmlIEEE working group [phoenix, Oct 04 2004] A Blog with a number of links http://www.dynamico...rchives/001758.html [phoenix, Oct 04 2004] Mitsubishi's MOTERAN http://www.russellb...0030302.html#162306 [phoenix, Oct 04 2004] "broad" band! Ha! Ha!-- ato_de, Apr 02 2003 On the train the guys with laptops will be clustered around the girl in "net" stockings.-- lurch, Apr 02 2003 It. ... ... I don't seem to be connected. Now where's a broad?-- galukalock, Apr 02 2003 I'm not sure Personal Area Networks are really what the writer is after here, phoenix. I think he's trying to create a global "mesh" wireless network, using people as the nodes. As WiFi (802.11) hotspots seem to be the "in" thing right now, I think this is a neat idea that could potentially extend their range. Each person acts as a repeater to get your signal to the nearest Internet-connected hotspot. Routes reconform themselves automatically as people move around, thereby achieving ubiquitous coverage much more cheaply.-- krelnik, Apr 02 2003 Why thank you [krelnik]. Very much something like that.-- timbuktu11, Apr 02 2003 So there's a significant difference between using the person and using the person's clothing (which, I assume is in the general vicinity of the person at all times)? And there's a significant difference between using one of the above and a person's watch/PDA/brain implant?
My point is that the concept is well established. All [timbuktu11] has done is suggest a new location for the antenna(e).-- phoenix, Apr 02 2003 Good point [phoenix] It is indeed a marketing opportunity. Nike and Hanes already own the customer for life.-- timbuktu11, Apr 02 2003 i love the sneakernet throwback. cheers, dr curry, i was thinking the same thing.
here's a thought... power the sneakerbound nodes with energy derived from walking. surely there must be some way to convert the impact of a footfall to electrical energy...-- urbanmatador, Apr 02 2003 You could rip-off SUN's logo: 'the network IS the population'
So, how many nodes are there between my elf and Kevin Bacon's underoos?-- RayfordSteele, Apr 02 2003 Hehe! Sneakernet – first thing I thought of. (+) <aside> Thought the IETF did a cut and paste job on the protocols. </aside>
//how many nodes are there between my elf and Kevin Bacon's underoos?// Hop count reads zero.-- Shz, Apr 03 2003 Some sorta [arguable] brand loyalty thing. I do tend to stick with my Hanes undies from Target, so I'd be a candidate for freebies for life.-- timbuktu11, Apr 03 2003 random, halfbakery