• Locha Mesh has proposed to create a device that allows to perform Bitcoin transactions without electricity or internet.
• The project will benefit countries that are going through a crisis or have poor Internet access.

As CNF reported, demand for Bitcoin is growing in countries in economic crisis. It is a response from citizens seeking to protect their money, evade government control measures or for those seeking fast payment methods without the need for intervention by local banks.

Venezuela is a case in point. The economic crisis that has affected the Latin American country since 2014, according to government figures, has caused citizens to resort to more convenient means to use their money. The cryptocurrencies and the adoption of Bitcoin have increased with the crisis and, at this moment, Venezuela is one of the countries that has adopted Bitcoin the most to make transactions. In this scenario, the Locha Mesh project arises.

Bitcoin in times of crisis

The project was born in the darkness of the blackouts that affected the country during March of this year. At that time, in addition to power failures, citizens had great problems acquiring food and other supplies. Project leader Randy Brito recognized the need for a means to allow people to stay connected and conduct transactions in adverse conditions. According to his page in Github:

It is born with a clear objective, to allow a low-cost, secure and non-censurable way of communication, through autonomous devices capable of interacting with each other, organizing and cooperating to create a network layer on which users can communicate and send/receive Bitcoin transactions.

Undoubtedly, the project follows one of the fundamental principles of cryptocurrencies and, above all, of Bitcoin. Even in times of crisis, it will be possible to keep connected and carry out transactions securely without external intervention. In the words of the project leader, Randy Brito (freely translated):

The use of Bitcoin on anonymous, censorship-resistant mesh networks is the ultimate expression of freedom without permission.

How Locha Mesh Works

The Locha Mesh team has managed to create two devices: the Turpial and the Harpy. The software of the devices is open source and can be consulted by anyone. It operates under a mesh communication system that interconnects nodes. In order to make transactions, at least one of the nodes must have access to the Internet. However, the devices have a range of between 4 to 10 kilometers. Currently, the team is working to increase the range.

The project was presented by Randy Brito at the Lightning Conference in Berlin and promises to be a solution that benefits areas where natural disasters, blackouts or Internet failures have occurred.