DePIN: Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks
DePIN projects aim to deliver real utility to cryptocurrencies, yet many fail to address actual problems or present viable business models. An exception is Wingbits, a flight-tracking network that leverages Web3 incentives to solve a Web2 issue. Users of flight tracker sites—like FlightAware—benefit from enhanced data and incentives.
Wingbits flight tracking map
Source: Wingbits - Transforming Flight Tracking.
Flight-tracking firms profit from selling data related to aviation operations, yet they depend primarily on volunteers who set up receivers. Unfortunately, these enthusiasts lack incentives for optimal coverage, often leading to gaps in service, particularly in less populated areas.
Traditional ADS-B receiver vs. Wingbits miner
Source: Wingbits - Transforming Flight Tracking.
Wingbits addresses these issues by encouraging users to strategically establish stations for optimal data collection, resulting in superior network quality and efficiency at a fraction of the traditional costs.
Crypto x AI
The relationship between AI and available computing resources is a fluctuating one. Exo Labs pioneers a method that employs consumer devices for computational tasks, preserving data control while sidestepping issues associated with traditional cloud solutions.
Exo Labs model
Source: Transparent Benchmarks - 12 Days of EXO, EXO Labs.
This novel method enhances privacy and reduces data processing risks. Another innovation, Bagel AI, is focused on achieving privacy in models through ZKLoRA, ensuring secure data usage across sensitive sectors without compromising confidentiality.
With challenges like the AI hallucination issue, Blocksense develops zkSchellingCoin consensus to ascertain the accuracy of AI-generated information, providing additional verification layers to bolster trust in these systems.
The evolution from hype to reality in DePIN and AI reveals that meaningful innovations emerge when they solve real-world issues, as demonstrated by projects like Wingbits and Exo Labs.
