Stay Informed During the Apocalypse with an Off-Grid Wikipedia Device

Wikipedia is a valuable resource tool in the best of times and could be a priceless one when disaster strikes. The website contains information that can help users build shelters, aid with healthcare, find edible plants, and anything else you could think of during a disaster. It’s useless, though, when the power goes out or if Internet service is disrupted or goes down completely. Thankfully, if the apocalypse happens, California-based designer Kaleb Clark has solved those issues with his Apocalypse Wiki device.

Clark designed his off-grid Wikipedia using a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B and a 128Gb SD card, which packs the open source Kiwix offline reader for online content, in this case, Wikipedia. Viewing the information is done using the official Raspberry Pi 7" touchscreen display. At the same time, power is handled by a 5V trigger relay module, Pi Supply power switch, and a 10000mAh USB high capacity power bank with a 10 to 12-hour runtime.

All the hardware sits in a weatherproof case outfitted with a 3D-printed frame that secures the Raspberry Pi, touchscreen, and other hardware, and uses a temperature sensor and fan to keep the hardware cool when temperatures rise. The Apocalypse Wiki device is also equipped with a pair of buttons, including one to shut down the Raspberry Pi safely, and another for powering on the system.

In essence, the Apocalypse Wiki device acts similar to the Kiwix Hotspot, which allows users to distribute content via a local Wi-Fi network, only, in this case, users can still access content when the wireless connection goes down. Clark has uploaded a walkthrough on his e14 project page, complete with links to the necessary software, files, and BOM to get the system up and running for those who would like to recreate his build.