Grey-Box: Enabling Equitable Internet Access with Project Cybercafe Project Nature: The project is primarily software-based, focusing on the development of a smart hotspot application for Android devices. Students may also need to understand embedded systems and low-level subsystems on rooted Android devices. Grey-Box is a social innovation startup that is working on providing free Wi-Fi access to educational content in areas where internet and electricity access is problematic. Project Cybercafe is our latest initiative aimed at providing affordable and manageable internet access in underserved areas. Project Cybercafe is a smart hotspot that enables Android devices to share their internet connectivity with other Wi-Fi devices while adding rules per user such as time limits, speed limits, and total download limits. [More about the company here: https://www.grey-box.ca/] The Challenge: Around 50% of the world lives offline, having not connected to the internet in the last three months. In Africa, the average cost for 1GB of data is 7% of the average monthly salary. Even in North America, 50% of rural Canada does not have access to the minimum internet speed. Project Cybercafe addresses this by developing a solution that allows for the management of internet access, making it affordable and efficient for users in low-connectivity areas.

Students will be responsible for delivering the following artifacts by the end of the two-semester sequence: -Improved UX of the Android Application: Enhance the user interface to make it more user-friendly for field workers and students. -Bandwidth Management Features: Implement features to prioritize important devices, prevent network congestion, and customize settings for different types of activities. -Duration Control: Develop features to set usage time limits, automatic disconnection, and daily or weekly limits for connected devices. -Usage Limits: Implement features to set data limits, ensure fair distribution, and monitor and adjust real-time data usage. -User Management: Add functionalities for user management, allowing administrators to set rules and manage connected devices. -Alert/Notification Systems: Develop systems to alert users and administrators about usage limits and other relevant notifications. -Documentation: Comprehensive documentation of the application, including installation and usage guidelines. -Research Findings: A report detailing the research findings, model evaluations, and future recommendations.