At the 2012 Lyme Regis Fossil Festival we (The Buckland Club in collaboration with the Lyme Regis Development Trust) finally managed to try out the app with the public, where it was received with enthusiasm (for some of the background to this project as well as some of the technical specifications see Writing a specification for our first Digital Asset).
One of the major issues with deploying a functional app in this environment is the lack of both wireless and 3G access. Even throughout the town there are many black spots where it is impossible to get signal of any kind on a wireless device.
The solution to this was to install a number of long range WiFi links between places in the town that had and were willing to share their internet connection and the places that we wished to test our apps with the public. Working with Victor and Pau from the Quick Mesh Project we managed to create a network of four WiFi nodes, including a battery powered portable node that could be used on the beach between tides.
Pau, Victor and I installing a WiFi node on the roof of the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis.
I will write more about what we have been up to in Lyme Regis soon.
