project-nomad/admin/docs/use-cases.md

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.

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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)

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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)

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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 — 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.

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Need Something Specific?

N.O.M.A.D. content is customizable. If you don't see what you need:

1. Check the Wikipedia Selector — Browse and download Wikipedia packages by language and size
2. Browse Content Explorer — Thousands of ZIM files are available
3. Browse Kolibri channels — Educational content for many subjects
4. Upload your own documents — Add files to the Knowledge Base for AI-aware reference
5. Request features — Let us know what content would help you on Discord

Your offline server, your content choices.