project-nomad/admin/docs/use-cases.md
Chris Sherwood aadaac8169 fix(docs): point Wikipedia Selector refs to /settings/zim/remote-explorer
The Wikipedia Selector lives at Content Explorer
(/settings/zim/remote-explorer), not Content Manager (/settings/zim).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-02-06 14:41:30 -08:00

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Markdown

# What Can You Do With N.O.M.A.D.?
N.O.M.A.D. is designed to be your information lifeline when internet isn't available. Here's how different people use it.
---
## Emergency Preparedness
When disasters strike, internet and cell service often go down first. N.O.M.A.D. keeps critical information at your fingertips.
**What you can do:**
- Look up first aid and emergency medical procedures
- Access survival guides and emergency protocols
- Find information about water purification, food storage, shelter building
- Use offline maps to navigate when GPS services are degraded
- Research plant identification, weather patterns, radio frequencies
- Upload emergency plans and protocols to the Knowledge Base for quick AI-assisted reference
**Recommended content:**
- Medical Library ZIM collection
- Survival/Prepper reference guides
- Maps for your region and evacuation routes
- Wikipedia (searchable for almost any topic)
---
## Homeschooling and Education
Teach your children anywhere, with or without internet. Complete curriculum available offline.
**What you can do:**
- Access Khan Academy's full course library (math, science, reading, history)
- Track progress for multiple students
- Supplement with Wikipedia for research projects
- Use the AI as a patient tutor for any subject
- Access classic literature through Project Gutenberg
- Upload curriculum guides to the Knowledge Base so the AI can help answer curriculum-specific questions
**Recommended content:**
- Khan Academy courses via Kolibri
- Wikipedia for Schools (curated for younger learners)
- Project Gutenberg (classic books)
- Educational ZIM collections
**Tip:** Create separate Kolibri accounts for each child to track their individual progress.
---
## Off-Grid Living
Living away from reliable internet doesn't mean living without information.
**What you can do:**
- Research DIY projects and repairs
- Look up gardening, animal husbandry, food preservation
- Access medical references for remote healthcare
- Learn new skills through educational videos
- Get AI help with planning and problem-solving
**Recommended content:**
- How-to and DIY reference collections
- Medical and first aid guides
- Agricultural and homesteading references
- Maps for your rural area
- Practical skills courses in Kolibri
---
## Remote Work Sites
Construction sites, research stations, ships, and remote facilities often lack reliable internet.
**What you can do:**
- Access technical references and documentation
- Use AI for writing assistance and analysis
- Upload technical manuals and SOPs to the Knowledge Base for document-aware AI responses
- Look up regulations, standards, and procedures
- Provide educational resources for workers
- Maintain communication records with note-taking apps
**Recommended content:**
- Industry-specific technical references
- Relevant Wikipedia categories
- Maps of work areas
- Documentation and compliance guides
---
## Travel and Expeditions
International travel, cruises, camping trips — stay informed anywhere.
**What you can do:**
- Access maps without expensive roaming data
- Research destinations, history, and culture
- Translate concepts with AI assistance
- Identify plants, animals, and geological features
- Access travel health information
**Recommended content:**
- Maps for destination countries/regions
- Wikipedia in relevant languages
- Medical/health references
- Cultural and historical content
---
## Privacy-Conscious Users
Some people simply prefer to keep their searches and questions private.
**What you can do:**
- Search Wikipedia without being tracked
- Ask AI questions that stay on your own hardware
- Upload sensitive documents to the Knowledge Base — they never leave your server
- Learn about sensitive topics privately
- Keep your intellectual curiosity to yourself
**How it works:**
- All data stays on your server
- No search history sent to companies
- No AI conversations leave your network — the AI chat is built into the Command Center
- All Knowledge Base processing happens locally
- You control your own information
---
## Medical Reference
When you can't reach a doctor, having reliable medical information can be critical.
**What you can access:**
- NHS Medicines A-Z (drug information and interactions)
- Medical Library (field medicine, emergency procedures)
- First aid guides
- Anatomy and physiology references
- Disease and symptom information
**Important:** Medical references are for information only. They don't replace professional medical care. In emergencies, always seek professional help when possible.
**Recommended content:**
- Medical Essentials ZIM collection
- NHS Medicines reference
- First aid and emergency medicine guides
---
## Academic Research
Students and researchers can work without depending on university networks.
**What you can do:**
- Access Wikipedia's extensive article database
- Use AI for research assistance and summarization
- Upload research papers to the Knowledge Base for AI-assisted analysis and cross-referencing
- Work on papers and projects offline
- Cross-reference multiple sources
- Take notes with built-in tools
**Recommended content:**
- Full Wikipedia
- Academic and educational references
- Subject-specific ZIM collections
- Note-taking apps (FlatNotes)
---
## Setting Up for Your Use Case
### Step 1: Identify Your Needs
What situations might you face without internet? What information would you need?
### Step 2: Prioritize Content
Storage is limited. Focus on:
1. Critical safety information (medical, emergency)
2. Content matching your primary use case
3. General reference (Wikipedia)
4. Nice-to-have additions
### Step 3: Upload Relevant Documents
Add your own documents to the [Knowledge Base](/knowledge-base) — emergency plans, technical manuals, curriculum guides, or research papers. The AI can reference these when you ask questions.
### Step 4: Download While You Can
Keep your server updated while you have internet. You never know when you'll need to go offline.
### Step 5: Practice
Try using N.O.M.A.D. before you need it. Familiarity with the tools makes them more useful in a crisis.
---
## Need Something Specific?
N.O.M.A.D. content is customizable. If you don't see what you need:
1. **Browse [Content Explorer](/settings/zim/remote-explorer)** — Thousands of ZIM files including Wikipedia packages
2. **Check [Content Manager](/settings/zim)** — Manage your installed content
3. **Browse Kolibri channels** — Educational content for many subjects
4. **Upload your own documents** — Add files to the [Knowledge Base](/knowledge-base) for AI-aware reference
5. **Request features** — Let us know what content would help you on [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/crosstalksolutions)
Your offline server, your content choices.