Apply for FLOTO Devices

We welcome proposals from researchers and organizations focused on broadband research and policy to receive FLOTO devices to deploy for their projects. Please review the following information carefully and submit the form below to apply for devices.

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What to know about deploying FLOTO devices

Please review our Acceptable Use Policy carefully before applying for FLOTO devices.

Our devices are small Raspberry Pi 4 single-board computers. All devices are managed through a central backend and accessible through our online portal. Devices come with a case, an Ethernet cord, and a power cord. Our research team has pre-installed all software needed to start collecting broadband measurements, so there is no need to worry about fussing with the technical details. You will also receive access to the portal to manage your devices, deploy new applications on them, and monitor device status.

Devices can be deployed at any site with Internet service and gateway equipment (like a router or modem/router combo), including a residential household, a commercial building, or even university campus buildings. We publish instructions online that you can use to help guide individuals through the device installation process.

FLOTO also offers a basic data collection application that you can easily deploy on your devices through the portal and configure to send data wherever you need.

Finally, our Getting Started Guide offers a comprehensive, basic walkthrough to familiarize yourself to FLOTO.

And, of course, our team is here to provide technical support and offer guidance on deployment best practices. If you have other questions, we encourage you to contact us through our contact form or at contact@floto.science.

Apply

To get started, review our Acceptable Use Policy and submit the request form below with all required details. We review and respond to all requests within 3 business days using the email you include in your request.

Upon Acceptance

If your request for devices is approved, you will receive a notification and a member of our project team will contact you via email to coordinate device delivery.

Devices and necessary components (Ethernet cable, power supply) are shipped in bulk to an address of your choosing. Please note that we cannot provide additional packaging and shipping supplies for additional distribution. All devices and components are shipped in one box.

Return

When you have finished using the devices or when your project terminates, you will be responsible for returning all devices to the project team at the University of Chicago. Please review the “Costs and Financial Responsibilities” section in our Acceptable Use Policy for more details.

All devices should be returned by mail to or arranged for drop off at the University of Chicago’s Main Campus.

Mailing Address:

John Crerar Library
Marc Richardson
5730 S Ellis Ave
Room 279
Chicago, IL 60605

Device Request Form

If you would only like to receive a handful of devices (1-5 devices) to explore FLOTO and demo our features, please mention this in your request form. You can use our Getting Started guide to demo core FLOTO features. The guide walks you through how to set up a device and deploy a broadband application to collect data.

Device Application
An application for devices must include a description of the research, education, or policy project to be performed using the devices and the type of resources needed. It should address the following questions: What are the research challenges or educational/policy objectives of the project? How are they relevant to broadband research? Why are they important? What types of experiments or activities will be carried out? How long are you planning to deploy devices? What applications are you planning to deploy on the devices? Do you want to allow other researchers to deploy other applications on your devices? Please, make sure that the abstract is self-contained.
Is this project supported by a funding source, e.g. NSF grant?
Note: Shipping costs can range from $30 to $60+ per device per deployment location (delivery and return), depending on your exact deployment plans.
For example: NSF Award #12345, Departmental Grant, etc.
Will you use the funding source(s) listed to cover all deployment costs?
Please outline the logistics for your deployment above. Be sure to address the following: How will you distribute the devices to your participants (e.g., mail, in-person pickup)? What is the estimated time each device will be deployed in the field? What is your plan for communicating with participants to retrieve the devices once the deployment ends? How will the devices be physically returned to the FLOTO project?
Are you willing to publish the data you collect during your deployment?
Not including private and confidential data (e.g., IP addresses, participant information, etc)
Shipping Address (where we will send the devices)
Shipping Address (where we will send the devices)
City
State/Province
Zip/Postal
[✓] By checking this box, I acknowledge and agree to the terms FLOTO Acceptable Use Policy:
Read the Acceptable Use Policy at https://floto.cs.uchicago.edu/acceptable-use-policy/.

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