The Auger Network

seach for data
data sets
data submission
data overview

Inspiration

We are designing a future where providers of digital information within the SDG market are paid, resulting in a stronger middle class than ever before. Where the providers of raw materials ‘digital information’ are the new middle class at the back of a micropayment system, the futuristic economics. An ‘information age accounting’ that is complete and honest, ensuring that as much information as possible is valued in economic terms. The people who input the data used to improve predictions of how much electricity we need are anonymous and off the books. The act of cloud computing is shrinking the economy by pretending these people do not exist.

What it does

The Auger Network is a data marketplace to sell, buy and curate quality data, built on decentralized blockchain technology. The platform will enable people who contributed, even minutely to a database that allows, say, an electricity demand prediction algorithm, to perform a task, then a nano-payment, proportional both to the degree of contribution and the resultant value, will be due to the person. It brings all the capabilities of data sharing in a Web3 native architecture that makes it easier for people to publish, auto-price, and sell their data. So you might just engage in a virtual workplace, set up some sensors for your vertical farm, upload your DNA, all this information will end-up fuelling some algorithm because of your existence. And the list can go on across all SDG's and not just limited to energy used as an example. It also extends to all other exponential technologies as they converge with AI somehow in addressing the SDG's.

How we built it

The Data Marketplace was built with a suite of four technical tools, mainly; Ocean Protocol Commons Marketplace, Web3, NodeJs, Typescript and ReactJS. Our communications were primarily through Telegram.

Challenges we ran into

Exploring the API and ensuring that data is displaying elegantly and securely. Inconsistent energy availability during rainy summer days in Africa.
There were also issues regarding successful transactions through MetaMask and the Ocean Protocol Network leading to initial trouble in publishing and accessing datasets.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Working in building a future world of abundance, where everyone will be motivated to be open and generous with their data and get paid for it is incredible, I could not have asked for a better job. Doing that in alignment with the SDG's is like a cherry on top. “Skating where the puck’s going, not where it’s been” is super cool!!.

What we learned

On the technical side, we gained more experience with React Native and Typescript for building the front-end of the application and using the Commons Marketplace as a starting point. Generally, we have learned that if you put your heart into doing something and with the right team, you eventually succeed, as we were able to build this application by communicating entirely on the Internet. That "the future is faster than you think!" what we had on paper a few months ago, is coming alive like a blink!.

What's next for The Auger Network

We have only just begun, we are a long way out to reaching our vision. The team will commence further development of the platform and of course leverage off the Ocean family for other functionalities and tools. The project is also an incredible nudge for, fuelling the prevalent data question and starting rapid experimentation on how this new business model "post free service for data" will work.