Medical & First Aid
Military and civilian first-aid manuals plus an offline medical encyclopedia.
Signal: none · Ruckbrain: online
If the grid went down tomorrow, Google couldn't help you. Neither could any chatbot that lives in the cloud.
Grid down.
Still answers.
A survival, medical, water, food, repair and map library on a drive, with a private AI that answers from it and shows you the exact page it used. Plug it in and it works. No internet, no account, no subscription.
- Runs 100% offline
- Every answer shows its source
- Maps + comms guide built in
[1] EPA · Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water
Wi-Fi: OFF
AI: local
430K+offline articles
53curated sources (Lite)
0bars of signal needed
$0subscriptions, ever
01 · What's inside
A whole reference shelf.
In your ruck.
Curated from public-domain government manuals and openly licensed encyclopedias and maps. A credits file on the drive lists every source and its license.
Water
Finding, filtering and disinfecting water, from official guidance.
Food & Preserving
Canning, storage, gardening and cooking without power.
Shelter & Fire
Field manuals for shelter, warmth, fire and cold weather.
Repair & Power
Fixing things, basic electrical and off-grid power.
Offline Maps
Zoomable street and terrain maps that load with zero bars.
Grid-Down Comms
bitchat, LoRa mesh, FRS/GMRS and ham basics, with set-it-up-now checklists.
Disaster Prep
Earthquake, fire, flood and outage checklists for the first 72 hours.
02 · See it work
Real screens.
Wi-Fi off.
These are captures of the actual Lite build running on a laptop with no connection. Tap through.
Prototype screens. The app is labeled "Field Library" in this build; final design may change.
03 · How it works
Plug in. Open. Ask.
- 1
Plug it in
Everything lives on the drive: library, maps, search and the AI model. Nothing to download.
- 2
Open the launcher
One launcher starts Ruckbrain in your browser, on your own machine. No account, no sign-in.
- 3
Ask
Plain-word questions, step-by-step answers, numbered citations. Tap a citation to read the original page.
AI can make mistakes. That's why Ruckbrain always shows its sources, and why the library, quick cards and maps work on their own even if your computer is too slow for the AI.
04 · How it compares
Honest comparison.
There are good free and paid options out there. Here's where Ruckbrain fits, and where it doesn't.
RuckbrainFree DIY AI appsFiles-only survival drives
SetupPlug in and open. Everything is already on the drive.Install while online; downloads can take minutes to hoursPlug in
InternetNever neededNeeded to set up, then offlineNot needed
Built-in AIYes, private and localYesUsually no, you browse files
Shows sourcesEvery answer, with the page beside itVaries; some do it wellN/A
Offline mapsIncludedUsually separateVaries
Comms guideIncluded, with bitchat Android installerVariesVaries
PriceOne-time purchase (launch pricing to waitlist)FreeOften $100–$130
Runs onMac today; Windows plannedMac / Windows computersMost computers
Based on public product pages we reviewed in late 2026. Products change; check each one yourself.
05 · Editions
Pick your kit.
No prices yet. Waitlist members get launch pricing and the full contents list before anything goes on sale.
128 GB card / drive
Lite
Launch pricing via waitlist
- Core survival, medical, water and food manuals
- Offline medical encyclopedia
- Regional offline maps
- Fast private AI with citations
- Quick emergency cards + comms guide
512 GB drive
Main
Launch pricing via waitlist
- Everything in Lite
- Full offline encyclopedia with images
- More repair, garden and DIY references
- Larger, smarter AI for capable computers
- Wider map coverage
Android phone + comms
VIP Kit
In development
- Preloaded Android phone: library, maps, on-device AI
- bitchat phone-to-phone mesh messaging
- Planned add-ons: LoRa mesh radio and FRS/GMRS radios
- No computer required
Contents and capacities are being finalized and may change before launch.
⚠ Reference information only, not medical advice. Ruckbrain is an offline library and an AI search assistant. It is not a doctor, medic or emergency service, and it can be wrong, incomplete or out of date. In an emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number). For poisoning, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Never eat any plant or mushroom, or take any medicine, based on Ruckbrain alone. Use at your own risk. See the Terms.
06 · Straight answers
FAQ
Does it really work with no internet?
Yes. The library, maps, search and the AI model are all stored on the drive and run on your computer. Turn Wi-Fi off before you start; it doesn't care.
Can I rely on it for medical decisions?
No. Ruckbrain is a reference library with an AI search assistant, not medical advice or an emergency service, and the AI can make mistakes. That's why every answer shows its source so you can read the original page yourself. In an emergency, call 911. For poisoning, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
Can it tell me if a plant or mushroom is safe to eat?
No. Never eat a wild plant or mushroom based on a photo or an AI answer. Photo lookup shows possible matches and dangerous lookalikes, for learning only.
What computer do I need?
The first editions are built and tested on Macs (Apple Silicon recommended for the AI). The library and maps need far less power than the AI. Windows support is planned; tell us what you use on the waitlist. On a Mac, the first launch may ask you to approve the app once in System Settings.
Where does the content come from?
Public-domain US government publications (Army, FEMA, EPA, USDA, CDC and others) and openly licensed projects like offline encyclopedias and OpenStreetMap. Every source and license is listed on the drive.
Is there a subscription?
No. You buy it once. Optional content refreshes may be offered later; details before launch.
When does it ship, and what does it cost?
We're finishing the first editions now. Waitlist members hear first, with final pricing and the full contents list.
07 · Early access
Get on the list.
Launch pricing, the full contents list and ship dates. No spam, one email per milestone, unsubscribe anytime.