Project Loon (Google X) Pooja Kumari Jugraj

What is Project Loon Project Loon is a network of balloons that travel in the stratosphere to extend internet connectivity to people in rural and remote areas.

What is Project Loon High speed internet is transmitted up from the telecom partners on the ground to the nearest balloon network in space, then back down to the users on the ground. Connection speed up to 10 Mbps. Pilot experiment done on 16 June 2013 in New Zealand. Fun fact: Was named Project “Loon” since even Google found the idea of providing internet access to remaining 5 billion people to be crazy.

Technical Details Took the most essential components of cell tower and redesigned them to be light and durable enough to be carried up by a balloon 20km from ground. When the balloon is ready to be taken out of service from the stratosphere, the gas that keeps the balloon in sky is released and a parachute is deployed to bring the balloon safely to the ground. Google X launched a balloon into stratosphere over Peru and the balloon stayed for 98 days in the Peruvian airspace.

Navigation System The navigation system can move the balloons only up and down, not forward or back. Balloons either avoid the weather or move along it rather than pushing right through it.

Navigation System Wind data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is used. Uses artificial intelligence rather than jet propulsion system for navigation. In the beginning, balloons were directed with algorithms that responded to a predetermined set of variables like altitude, location, wind speed, etc. The new algorithms make use of machine learning by analyzing huge amount of data. Now they can learn from the present and change their behavior in future based on what has happened in the past.

Navigation System Companies are using deep neural network algorithms based on networks of neurons in the human brain. These algorithms are applied for command recognition in Android phones and face recognition in photos posted on Facebook. Project Loon’s navigation system uses Gaussian process which has the same basic dynamics as neural networks. Google has collected data on over 17 million kilometers of balloon flights. Using Gaussian processes on collected data, the navigation system can predict what course of action needs to be taken. Google used the same artificial intelligence tech that it used to build AlphaGo (the first Go program to beat a professional human player).

Facebook’s version Facebook is also planning to provide internet connectivity to every corner of the plant through its Project Aquila. Unlike the balloons used by Google, Facebook uses solar powered internet drones to achieve this.

Internet connectivity for all With Google’s and Facebook’s initiatives for this cause, billions of people will get online for the very first time (thanks to helium balloons and solar powered drones), bringing widespread economic benefits and social prosperity. This is the way of changing the world for better.

References https://www.solveforx.com/loon/journey/ https://www.wired.com/2016/09/project-loon-google-brings-ai-skies/ https://fossbytes.com/sri-lanka-becomes-first-country-to-get-universal- internet-with-project-google-loon/ http://www.newsgram.com/google-project-loon-to-solve-indian-rural- internet-issues/ http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34660205 https://www.wired.com/2016/07/facebooks-giant-internet-beaming-drone- finally-takes-flight/  https://www.technologyreview.com/s/534986/project-loon/ http://rark.in/facebook-internet-drone-project-aquila/

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