Rural Digital Projects
Bridging Bytes and Barns—Open Tech for Rural Futures
Rural Hackers doesn’t just dream about better futures for the countryside—we code them. That’s why we develop all our rural digital projects. This is where lines of logic meet the unyielding grit of rural life. On this page, you’ll find tools, platforms, and open-source systems forged in collaboration with farmers, small-town innovators, and communities often overlooked by Silicon Valley’s glare. These projects are our answer to isolation, aging infrastructure, and the quiet crisis of rural depopulation.
From apps that turn local harvests into shared economies to sensor networks monitoring forest health, every project here is built to be hacked, adapted, and owned by the people it serves. No black-box algorithms, no corporate middlemen—just technology that’s as rugged, resourceful, and rooted as the landscapes it supports. Dive in, remix what you find, or spark a new collaboration. The countryside is listening.
A Fuchiqueira
A Fuchiqueira is an afternoon filled with creativity, innovation, and exploration. We started by 2023. It’s a time for intergenerational knowledge sharing through a variety of workshops from traditional knowledge to Tech one. This event embodies the spirit of invention and natural exploration, encouraging participants to engage in trial and error in a supportive environment.
Anceu Maker Space
Our “atelier” has been transformed into a maker space where we can work with art, creativity, and machines. We blend technology and art like true rural hackers! Thanks to the collaboration of our community and the valuable assistance of our neighbors from the village, we have carried out a series of significant improvements. We have learned how to change a roof, apply whitewash, and sand walls. With the help of AI, we have created an interior design prototype. More about the experience here.
Curiositech and Do Action Hackathon
Talking about rural digital projects, Do Action Hackathons are one of our favourites. Over nine days, 32 participants from seven countries gathered at Anceu Coliving to engage in a web development workshop using WordPress, producing four websites for local NGOs. This effort strengthened community ties between neighbors and youths.
The websites developed include “El Mercado de la Tía Ni,” which transforms local resident Nieves’s cultural activities into a digital marketplace. “Casas Indianas,” in collaboration with architect Teresa Taboas, features the region’s notable Indian houses. Additionally, the “Casa Do Pobo de Anceu” website promotes this local social hub. More info here.
Robotics for kids
Thanks to Ivan, our robotics genius, we have been able to enjoy robotics classes in the Casa do Pobo of Anceu. The children, apart from having fun, have learned a lot about robots and their small but complex mechanism.
ReFrame Cam project
Our resident Ovi Hentea from Romania, developped the project ReFrame Cam sponsored by Siteground. In this residency, we installed capture points equipped with 3D-printed mobile phone holders. People from the village can take photos and upload them to a server we’ve configured using QR codes very easily. This way, we can record and monitor changes in nature, such as the growth of our beloved deciduous trees, fires, invasive species, path restoration, and the impact of the different projects we develop with the community.
Pegadas do Recordo project is born
This initiative aims to blend audiovisual elements with the forgotten stories and traditions of the village, ensuring they are remembered and cherished for generations to come.
Working closely with the villagers, participants recorded a wide array of fascinating stories, such as the submerged village of Eiras, memories of playing football, and the history of the water mills. In a truly collaborative effort, they formed teams with the villagers, making sure that at least one local resident played a central role in each video.
All these videos are included in signs all over the village with NFC and QR codes. You can see more info of the project here.
Anceu Monsters
We created a new attraction in the town square of Anceu: “Anceu Monsters”! It’s an augmented reality game where you can search for virtual monsters throughout the square. It was created by Aksel and Adeleine Lefebvre, two software developers who came to the coliving this last summer from France as part of Rural Hackers residency programme.
Ana and Carla, Agus’s nieces, made the explanatory video about it. Here more info.
We love that young people can discover new technologies by gamifying their village, combining fun with the enjoyment of nature
Do Action Hackaton at WordCamp Pontevedra
We participated in the DO_Action event by WordPress Pontevedra where volunteers come together to help NGOs create or enhance their websites in just one day. This time, we had the pleasure of collaborating with Epa Association, an association that promotes social and cultural well-being through education, art, and civic participation in rural areas.
TecnoArranxo
Our team member Iván launched an initiative called TecnoArranxo, dedicated to giving a second life to computer equipment by repairing and configuring them, and then donating them to those in need of a computer at home.
We are also immensely grateful to Revertia, who generously donated 10 laptops to support our cause and has become a key collaborator in this project. Additionally, we must thank Cangas local government, which from day one has supported this initiative providing facilities for a collection point and promoting this project.
Vinyl cutter machine and tools for the maker space
We acquired our first vinyl cutter machine, which has significantly enhanced our ability to create custom signage. Specifically, we’ve improved the signs along our paths for our Pegadas do Recordo project.
We’ve expanded our equipment collection. We now have a heat press machine, inspired by the Precious Plastic project, which allows us to create new materials from recycled plastics. We’ve also acquired a pin-making machine, adding a fun and creative option for our community to learn and create their own custom pins.
