Pedal Powered Mobile Call Shop - Nicaragua

In Nicaragua people make national and international phone calls every day in call shops using their cell phones as address books instead of cell phones, although this may seem inconvenient to some the savings is worth it to many.

In many towns in the developing world a popular and inexpensive form of reaching people is the bicycle, it is used as a taxi, to move cargo and even to sell ice cream.

We thought it was time to give the bicycle a bit of an upgrade by bringing the cost savings of a call shop to the people using the same familiar bicycle they use for transportation. We call it Llamadas Pedaleadas or Pedaled Phone Calls.

The one essential thing that a cell phone has that a call shop doesn't is a battery, so using parts found in a junk yard we created a constantly recharging battery by pedal power. Electricity is generated as the person is traveling to his destination, if the battery runs low at the destination he can drop the kick stand and start cycling in place. Generating electricity from pedaling allows us to travel to the central park, a remote town or a big festival increasing access to inexpensive telephony anywhere.

Because this bike is built for the developing world we had to use parts that could be easily found. To generate the electricity we used an old car alternator that sends the electricity generated to a car battery. The electricity stored in the battery is accessed by an old computer UPS to convert the electricity to 110V.

Our goal with this bike is to create a ready made business for local entrepreneurs and to increase access to affordable telephony for bottom of the pyramid customers.

For more information you can contact us at info@llamadas.com.ni

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Call
• Shop
• BOP
• Bottom
• of
• the
• Pyramid
• Phone
• Calls
• Pedal
• Power
• Renewable
• Energy
• Mobile
• Entrepreneur

[dslunsford1]

Very interesting idea. Would you also have the option of plugging in to a local electricity source to recharge the batteries if the shop owner no longer felt up to pedaling? What about having a comfortable throne-type seat to allow him to somewhat relax while running his business?

[llamadassa]

Thanks for your feedback, we'll definitely look into the fesability of your ideas! We are currently adding an access point to receive internet off of wifi and use it to make voip calls as well.

[derman077]

Well done ! I'm excited to see this because of a similar project I am working on here in the states. I intend it for many purposes including people in developing worlds who need to charge devices remotely. Keep up the good work.

[WynnonaXandra]

Keep worming Asian girls # lushfmlk.info #

[DeWoodyard]

Wow, awesome idea!! I'm unabashedly on the right in much of my thinking, but that doesn't mean my mind is shut. May you prosper well, and may it buoy those around you...

[tomcatfranks]

That's really inventive!! In America, we haven't even scratched the surface on what a bicycle can really do for us. They're great vehicles that don't get the credit they deserve here. I wish there were more work bikes here. I love to see the many ways people fix up bicycles to get them to do what people need done! :)

[pushka48]

dude that is stupit phone whith no cables how that works hahahha nice very nice

[angelwolf71885]

hi i just saw your creashion on CNN us..

and im just curios how did you make the call center moble?

is it connected to a cell phone system of some kind? and is it propriatary?

any informashion you can give would be appreshated im just curios of what technollagey you used to make this work

[jhonpellas]

MEGAOMG !!!!

[tripleanica]

viva nicaragua!