GenV Campaigns

A Construction Set for Civilization – Tech4BtrWorld

Posted on 17. May, 2011 by Rob in Technology

Today’s post was written by campaign volunteer Clem Auyeung [@clemauyeung]

Did you enjoy playing with your Tonka trucks when you were little? Are you addicted to Farmville? Now you can become the real life Bob the Builder with the Global Village Construction Set!

The brainchild of Polish-born Marcin Jakubowski, the Global Village Construction Set is composed of 50 machines that Jakubowski thought were essential for sustaining a civilization – like ovens and tractors.

This PhD in fusion physics came up the idea while he took up farming in the middle of America. He wondered why he couldn’t “open-source” hardware technologies such as tractors like we have done with software like Linux.

Jakubowski and a community of enthusiasts set out to prototype the 50 machines deemed essential for every society. And he is sharing his blueprints and plans through his Open Source Ecology site with the hope that, eventually, anyone can “jumpstart” a civilization anywhere in the world.

Jakubowski’s big idea is that we, as a society, have the potential to move beyond our consumer culture and begin creating things we need for survival in an environmentally-friendly way. With starter-kit machines made from recyclable materials, we could germinate a modern civilization wherever we want!

If you want to cultivate your solution, apply to the Technology for a Better World Campaign by May 9th! We’ll help you get the tools and training you need to make your solution a reality.

Here’s a two minute video of some machines in action! Now beat that, Farmville and Sid Meier.