Photos: Low-cost tech aids basic needs
Solar panels power the LED bulbs in StarSight's streetlights, which are more efficient and less polluting than sodium halide lamps or compact fluorescents, and only need to be changed about once a decade. In addition, hardware added to the lamps can serve free Internet access to a village or neighborhood via municipal wireless mesh networks reaching up to 400 metres.
Theft of streetlamp cables and poles is common in regions with thriving markets for scrap metals. But StarSight's lighting can incorporate closed-circuit camera systems, employing local people to watch connected monitors in a small, nearby office.
StarSight has installed its product in Istanbul, where a connected communications system could be used during earthquakes. The company is exploring markets in Africa, and CEO Yannick Gaillac plans to talk with officials in New Orleans in hopes of installing its product there. The setup costs a city between $4,000 (£2,000) and $24,000 (£12,000).
Credit: StarSight
