This Co-Learning Plan project evaluates whether wireless communication using community anchor-based Low-Power-Wide-Area-Network (LPWAN) models can realistically support intermittent, low-data-rate transmission in under representative rural conditions in Michigan, with the goal of informing planning and investment decisions for low-connectivity communities. Rural Michigan communities face persistent challenges related to limited broadband access in regions where cellular coverage is unreliable or nonexistent. In these settings, limited connectivity constrains the remote delivery of direct care and the ability to connect older adults and agricultural workers to timely support services, increasing reliance on in-person check-ins, and travel-intensive workflows. Using AI-assisted analysis of field-based communication performance, this project will evaluate system feasibility and practical constraints. By providing affordable communication devices to underserved rural areas in Michigan, this project will establish a foundation to improve delivery of direct care services, while creating opportunities for new and expanded employment in healthcare delivery, technical support, and community-based service coordination in rural communities. Through field studies and community engagement, this project will create a pathway for the reliable deployment of affordable care products tailored to the needs of Michiganders. ​

This Regional Economic Innovation (REI) Co-Learning Plan will propose methods for rural communities in Michigan to utilize Community Benefit Agreements and Ordinances. This practice has been used infrequently in Michigan to date, and primarily in urban centers like Detroit. However, rural areas with large, relatively lower priced lands have been targeted for development in recent years, with data centers representing the most publicized example. Michigan’s rural communities may consider Community Benefit Agreements and Ordinances to ensure that large-scale developments that use high amounts of infrastructure and natural resources are balanced by negotiated positive outcomes for the community.