Engineer invents ‘grannygram’ machine to print out ‘WhatsApp’ messages for his technophobe grandmother
This article was sourced from: https://inews.co.uk/news/world/engineer-grannygram-machine-whatsapp-grandmother-1422300
The makeshift device built in a strawberry box features a small printer, a tiny computer called a Raspberry Pi the size of a credit card and a SIM card to connect to the internet
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, millions have struggled with technology to communicate with loved ones.
Now a Spanish engineer has come up with a homemade “grannygram” device to send photographs and text messages to his technophobe grandmother who does not have wifi or a mobile phone.
Guido García put together the makeshift WhatsApp with a small printer, a tiny computer called a Raspberry Pi roughly the size of a credit card and a SIM card to connect to the internet.
His 93-year-old grandmother Ludi only has to plug in the strange device – built in a strawberry box – to receive black-and-white photographs and messages.
The pandemic has prevented Mr García, who lives in Valladolid in northern Spain, from seeing Ludi for two Christmasses as she lives in Basauri in the Basque Country around 300 kilometres (186 miles) south.
The images and texts are sent via the messaging site Telegram through a bot – called “grandmabot” – which was programmed by Mr García.
When he tweeted about his invention, thousands reacted. “I was really surprised … it caught me off-guard,” Mr García told Spain’s El Pais newspaper.
Mr García’s €140 (£117) gadget, a message or a photograph is sent to the bot and this gives the machine the order to print it out. The Raspberry Pi has just a gigabyte of RAM – far less than a desktop computer; uses very little energy; makes no noise and does not heat up, said Mr García.
Some Twitter users proposed alternative ideas while others have asked him to make a “WhatsApp” gadget for them.
Mr García said anyone could make a similar device. “There’s been a great response,” he said.
“Anyone with a basic knowledge of electronics and programming can do it.”