Developer launches Project NOMAD, a free offline AI system that works without internet

No internet? This 'survival computer' has everything you need offline - including AI

Project NOMAD is an offline info database and AI tool.This platform could come in handy if you can't get online.It can be installed on any Debian-based Linux distro. Imagine that you've landed in some sort of post-apocalyptic, dystopian future. In that future, it's not necessarily the strong that will survive, but rather those with access to information. Information could wind up being the most sought-after commodity, the difference between survival and, well, not. But how do you gain access to information? You might not have a network connection, which means no internet. And that means no search engine or AI. Also: How my portable wind turbine compares to solar panels - 2 years of testing later What do you do? If you have already installed Project NOMAD, which stands for Node for Offline Media, Archives, and Data, and is a self-contained, offline "survival computer", then no need to worry. This project's tag line is "Knowledge That Never Goes Offline." Thanks to this tool, you have access to a knowledge base and offline AI that can keep you informed and empowered. Sounds pretty useful, right? NOMAD isn't just for a potential future dystopia. Imagine you have to travel to parts unknown, where internet connections are iffy, but information is necessary. With Project NOMAD up and running, you have everything you need to keep you informed. First, you have to install Project NOMAD, which can be done on any Debian-based Linux distribution with the command: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y curl && curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Crosstalk-Solutions/project-nomad/refs/heads/main/install/install_nomad.sh -o install_nomad.sh && sudo bash install_nomad.sh Once the packages are installed, you can start, stop, and update N.O.M.A.D with the commands: This backend service works with the help of Docker containers. After spinning up Project NOMAD on Sparky Linux (which is Debian-based), I got curious to see what's behind the curtain, which is how I figured out it used Docker containers. After running the install command, I checked to see if there were Docker containers running with: docker ps -a I was immediately greeted with a permission denied error (more on that in a bit). I then added sudo into the mix and was rewarded with a list of the currently running containers, which were: Thanks to those 6 containers, Project NOMAD is capable of delivering all of its information from within a handy website. Open a browser and point it to http://localhost:8080, and you're ready to educate yourself on whatever you need. Also: This single power station is keeping my off-grid cabin running - here's why I picked it The first thing that caught my attention was the Apps feature. After clicking that button, I was taken to the Apps "Store," where I could install a few handy apps, such as the Information Library, Education Platform, AI Assistant, Notes, and Data Tools. Out of curiosity, I installed the AI platform. When that was completed, I discovered that it didn't work. OK, troubleshooting time. I went back to the home page and clicked Easy Setup. Here, NOMAD made it clear that certain capabilities were installed, but not enabled. I attempted to select AI Assistant, but it refused. I could select the other options just fine, but not AI. Curiosity sent me to the command line to see if Ollama was installed. It was, but that was because I'd installed it for a previous review. I went back to Apps and ran a Force Reinstall. No luck. I decided to try another NOMAD installation, this time on Kubuntu. I figured that maybe the previous Ollama installation was causing problems. Good news: that did the trick. I could now run the easy setup for all of the necessary features. During that setup, I had to select a map region (you can select as many regions as you like), and content such as AI models, Wikipedia, medicine, survival and preparedness, education and reference, DIY & repair, agriculture & food, and computing & technology. Be careful with this section, as every information package you add takes up space. You don't want to run out of internal storage. With everything installed, I started to see the true benefit of Project NOMAD Imagine having some of the tools you normally use, with a network connection, available while you're offline. Also: I stuck this power station in a freezer to test its subzero claims I ran AI queries, looked up medical information, and more. This project is genius, and I hope I never have to use it. If I do... I'll certainly be glad it's there. I will say that some of the information was a bit unexpected (such as "Tongue Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine" and "Wilderness Medicine Course"), but even those handbooks could be useful to some. All in all, Project NOMAD impressed me. I certainly hope the project continues to develop, because it could become quite important in the years to come (read into that what you will).

'When The Internet Goes Away, It All Goes Away,' Developer Says As He Launches Offline AI System

A free open-source offline AI system aims to reduce reliance on cloud-based tools by letting users run knowledge libraries, maps, and AI models directly on their own hardware. "When the internet connection goes away, it all goes away," Chris Sherwood, who developed the system, said on his "CrossTalk Solutions" podcast last week. Sherwood's project, called Project Nomad, targets a core vulnerability in modern software. Many critical tools rely on constant connectivity, limiting access during outages, disasters, or off-grid scenarios, according to tech news site CyberNews. Don't Miss: Project Nomad, short for "node for offline media, archives, and data," is designed to preserve access to essential tools like medical information, navigation, and education when internet connectivity is lost, Sherwood said on "CrossTalk Solutions". Why Offline AI Matters "I wanted something that actually runs serious AI models, not just a chatbot on a Raspberry Pi," Sherwood said. He said Project Nomad is built to run AI locally, with performance that varies depending on the hardware. On higher-end systems, models can respond nearly as fast as cloud-based tools, while larger models may run more slowly. On the "CrossTalk Solutions" podcast, Sherwood said Nomad can run on a standard Linux computer, including older PCs, though performance improves with more powerful hardware, adding that users will want "plenty of RAM as well as a decent GPU." Trending: Skip the Regrets: The Essential Retirement Tips Experts Wish Everyone Knew Earlier. What Project Nomad Does Project Nomad lets users access tools through a web interface on their local network, according to CyberNews. Sherwood said on the podcast that the system supports multiple AI models depending on available hardware. "You can then pick out and download different AI models," he said. "Anything from small, fast models up to 70 billion parameter models if your hardware can handle it." Project Nomad also lets users upload documents, allowing the AI to answer questions based on personal data through retrieval-augmented generation. "All of the information... is accessible from any device on your network through a web browser," Sherwood added. A Fully Offline Knowledge Stack The platform includes downloadable datasets across categories like medicine, computing, survival, and education. "You pick a category... pick a tier... and it downloads straight to your Nomad server," Sherwood said. See Also: Don't risk buyer's remorse -- ask these critical questions every homebuyer should know. The project includes offline versions of Wikipedia, Project Gutenberg books, and other reference materials, along with educational tools and offline maps powered by OpenStreetMap data. "If you're... in an emergency situation, you've now got detailed maps of your area on your local network," he added. Project Nomad is released under an Apache 2.0 license and does not include subscriptions, accounts, or telemetry. "We don't have paid tiers... subscriptions... accounts... there's no telemetry," Sherwood said on the podcast The project has gained traction in the self-hosting community, with more than 17,000 stars and over 1,700 forks on GitHub, according to the project's repository. Cost And Setup Sherwood said existing offline systems can cost between $150 and $700 for preloaded hardware, while Nomad can run on existing devices. He added that users can run the system on existing devices, with setup taking about 10 to 15 minutes, excluding content downloads. Read Next: Thinking about ETFs? See what investment risks you should be aware of before you buy. Image: Shutterstock Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.