Transcript Google Project Loon

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-universalinternet-with-project-google-loon/
 http://www.newsgram.com/google-project-loon-to-solve-indian-ruralinternet-issues/
 http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34660205
 https://www.wired.com/2016/07/facebooks-giant-internet-beaming-dronefinally-takes-flight/
 https://www.technologyreview.com/s/534986/project-loon/
 http://rark.in/facebook-internet-drone-project-aquila/
Thank you!