I just checked in on the Serval Project <http://www.servalproject.org/>
to see what they've been up to (Serval provides telecom-independent mesh
networking support between mobile devices, beginning on Android; here's
their recently refined mission statement and priorities
<http://www.servalproject.org/archives/922>).  The very alpha Serval
Maps <https://github.com/servalproject/ServalMaps> project caught my
attention as something for PLOTS to keep an eye on.  Here's the fellow's
thesis <http://bytechxplorer.com/studies/honours-thesis/> where he
explored the challenge of providing "collaborative mapping services on
mobile devices in an infrastructure independent manner," building out a
prototype Android application that was recently integrated into the
Serval project <http://www.servalproject.org/archives/921>.  Here's a
report on an exercise of Serval Maps and Rhizome by the New Zealand Red
Cross:
http://servalpaul.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/at-kiwiex-2012-part-1.html

I mainly wanted to ensure the Serval project is in your awareness, as I
have some ideas about its usefulness for PLOTS but I suspect y'all will
have clearer vision.  A strong use case I can present would be in a
protest mapping context where we've deployed Serval-enabled Android
devices in the air participating in a local mesh with ground observers.  
The Serval Rhizome mesh file distribution system could then be used to
replicate generated imagery amongst observers, increasing data
redundancy and opening up options for near-real-time broadcast.  Worth
noting there are likely some upper bounds on the amount of data that can
be efficiently shuttled around a serval mesh; also worth noting they
support a store-and-forward protocol for asynchronous routing,
supporting digitally divided and disaster contexts.

Dr. Paul Gardner-Stephen appears to be the primary motive force behind
the project.
http://twitter.com/servalpaul
http://servalpaul.blogspot.com.au/

gf

--
Gregory Foster || gfos...@entersection.org
@gregoryfoster<>  http://entersection.com/