A Deep Dive into NATIX

Last week, we announced that the NATIX Token Launch is now live on CoinList and will remain open until May 23, 2024, at 17:00 UTC.

NATIX is a geospatial intelligence network with a “drive to earn” model that incentivizes users to map their surroundings in exchange for various crypto rewards.

We recently spoke with the NATIX team to discuss the future of the geospatial data market, how NATIX differs from other mapping solutions, their growth strategy, and the future of Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks.

Let’s dive in.

1. What is NATIX?

Since 2020, Natix has been working on computer vision artificial intelligence, developing patent-pending AI technology that enhances camera intelligence while ensuring 100% privacy-compliance. By integrating NATIX’s proprietary AI technology with the world’s 45 billion existing smart cameras (found in smartphones, drones, cars, and IP cameras), NATIX is building the world’s largest geospatial intelligence network.

Drive&, NATIX Network’s flagship product, is a revolutionary AI-based driver assistant application operating in a decentralized space. It empowers users by automatically rewarding them for capturing events in their surroundings while driving, making each journey safer, more engaging, and financially rewarding. With over 100K registered drivers and over 35 million KM covered in only one year, NATIX is one of the fastest-growing DePIN networks globally (according to Messari’s state of DePIN report).

2. What problems and opportunities does it address?

1/ Geospatial data monopolies gatekeeping the market – Data monopolies such as Google, Apple, and Uber invest millions to collect and store user-generated geospatial data. This control over essential data hampers the full potential of the geospatial data market, causing several issues:

• Data silos prevent billions of dollars worth of new services – The UK government estimated that open geospatial data sharing has the potential to generate between $7-$14 billion in additional revenue from new products and services in the UK market.
• High-cost burdens on businesses – Tech giants like Google are exploiting their stronghold on geospatial data, with Google Maps pricing increasing by over 1000% in 2018.
• Unfair compensation for user data – Analysts indicate that, on average, people lose about $500 annually by voluntarily providing personal data to tech companies. This financial loss is expected to surge to $20,000 by 2034 as data increases in diversity and value.

Open data sharing could potentially generate significant additional value and revenue; however, the high costs of data collection and data privacy barriers prevent individuals and organizations from gathering and generating rich geospatial data.

2/ The Challenge and Opportunity of Cameras: A 'Super Sensor' for Dynamic Maps – The camera is a commonly available sensor, with approximately 45 billion smart cameras (in smartphones, drones, cars, and IP cameras). Combined with AI-accelerated chips and computer vision AI, the cameras turn into “super sensors” capable of mining a wide range of real-time data.

While attempting to tap into the data generated by smart cameras from public spaces sounds attractive, it poses two major challenges:

• Personal data privacy – Citizens do not like being surveilled, and the data privacy laws — e.g., General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and China’s Cybersecurity Law (CSL) — have become ever more stringent. This has led many companies to avoid launching computer vision (camera) projects because of the risks involved in non-compliance fines.
• Camera infrastructure costs – The current tally of more than 1 billion active global CCTV cameras has cost more than $6 trillion to install, operate, and maintain. Hardware or software maintenance often leads to downtime, which results in costly or detrimental data gaps.

NATIX developed the perfect solution to address these issues:

• By combining AI with Edge Computing, the NATIX patent-pending solution automatically anonymizes images, making it the easiest way to make any camera smart and 100% privacy-compliant.
• Intending to create the largest crowdsourced camera network globally, NATIX reduces infrastructure costs to nearly $0 (as the cameras are owned by private individuals).

The NATIX technology was implemented successfully at international organizations such as E.ON, City of the Hague, and Deutsche Telekom. Powering the Drive& app, it is now available to every driver in the world.

3. How does NATIX differentiate itself from other mapping solutions?

NATIX’s AI-based solution taps into smartphone cameras to crowdsource real-time (10-100X higher update frequency) geospatial data and create a digital twin of our world. Unlike its competitors, NATIX has several advantages:

• No need to buy dedicated HW – Users can join the network via their smartphones.
• Fully privacy-compliant – NATIX’s patent-pending Edge computing + proprietary AI technology has the highest grade of privacy compliance in the market.
• Minimal data plan consumption – Thanks to Edge Computing technology (local on-device AI processing), Drive& consumes up to 99% less data than its competitors.
• Real utility for the drivers – Drive& provides a range of driver assistance features (e.g. dashcam, navigation, parking, etc.). Imagine being rewarded for using Waze or Google Maps. Drivers will keep using Drive& and contributing to the network regardless of the token price and market condition. With the data generated by drivers, NATIX can provide better driver-assistant applications to users, which means drivers serve as both the supply and demand of the data, creating a more sustainable token economy.
• Crypto and non-crypto rewards – Since most drivers (e.g. uber, taxi, truck, etc.) are non-crypto natives, NATIX offers a wide range of non-crypto rewards through the Drive& Marketplace. Our app's unique combination of crypto and non-crypto rewards allows us to cater to a broader audience, a crucial step for achieving global adoption and scalability by bridging the gap between traditional and digital economies.

4. How does NATIX ensure data accuracy and relevance, particularly in rapidly changing environments or regions?

At NATIX we are committed to ensuring high data reliability for the data consumers. Hence we tried to design the network to make it costly for actors to perform malicious activities or provide faulty data. As of now, we are aiming to use 3 main data validation mechanisms, i.e. Proof of Location, Proof of Live Stream, and Proof of Computation. These are based on zero-knowledge techniques with each targeting a fundamental issue of an open data generation platform. More information on NATIX’s data validation mechanisms can be found here.

5. In what ways does NATIX leverage emerging technologies such as AI and machine learning to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of its mapping algorithms, and what are some ongoing research areas or developments in this regard?

NATIX uses computer vision, a field of AI that uses machine learning and neural networks, to teach computers and systems to derive meaningful information from digital images, videos, and other visual inputs. Computer vision is used in several fields, including autonomous driving.

For example,  Tesla collects data from its fleet of Tesla Vision systems, a set of 8 cameras fused to capture the vehicle’s surroundings, and trains its Autopilot system using the data collected (an oversimplification of a much more rigorous process).

NATIX has a unique patent-pending AI technology that makes any camera smart and 100% privacy-compliant. The patent makes it impossible to collect personal info like faces or number plates. NATIX uses this AI stack in combination with smartphone cameras to detect dynamic map content such as potholes, traffic congestion, traffic accidents, or available parking spots.

Additionally, NATIX takes Computer Vision AI technology a step further by combining it with Edge (on-device) Computing. You’ve probably heard of cloud solutions, but at NATIX, we've always known that the future of real-time applications like autonomous driving isn't in the cloud—it's on the edge.

“Edge Computing” is the concept of processing data closer to where it is generated. Simply put, it’s a mini-brain at the source of data, which processes info where it's generated, reducing latency and enabling real-time applications — and in industries like autonomous driving where low latency is a MUST. Cloud architecture simply can't keep up.

NATIX leverages the smartphone’s AI chip for local processing, event detection, and real-time data, catering to low-latency apps. We're not a traditional mapping company - we are in the business of real-time geospatial intelligence, enabling new use cases such as autonomous driving, real-time mobility apps (e.g. on-street parking), and others. In the DePIN world, NATIX is more than just a mapping company.

6. DePIN is one of the fastest-growing sectors within crypto. With DePIN’s adoption by retail and real-world use cases, how do you envision DePIN affecting the future of humanity?

Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) are the latest trend in decentralized innovations. Messari defines DePIN as “Networks that use crypto-incentives to efficiently coordinate the buildout & operation of critical infrastructure.” Network users actively contribute to better infrastructure operations, like fixing roads, monitoring pollution, and more.

In short, when we have physical or digital infrastructure (i.e. storage, computation, connectivity, or sensor networks), crowdsourcing and tokenizing enable us to bootstrap the network 10-100x faster and cheaper compared to traditional approaches.

The adoption of DePIN by retail and real-world use cases (e.g. mapping, computing or connectivity networks) holds the potential to transform many aspects of daily life, making infrastructure more efficient, transparent, and inclusive. By decentralizing the ownership and management of physical networks, DePIN can drive innovation, promote sustainability, and empower communities worldwide.

DePIN embodies a "by the people, for the people" ethos, revolutionizing infrastructure by empowering individuals to collectively own, manage, and benefit from essential networks, ensuring a more equitable and inclusive future for all.

7. What strategies do you have in place for governance and community-led growth, development, and self-sustainability?

Token holders can participate in protocol governance decisions by staking their tokens. Only users with staked NATIX Tokens will have governance power to ensure that only long-term token holders aligned with NATIX will be able to vote. To foster an engaged community, the longer users stake their tokens, the greater their voting power will be. Active participation in governance is incentivized with NATIX tokens. The NATIX Network Governance will be implemented in three phases:

• Phase 1 : Limited Governance – Proposals can be posted by the core contributors to the vote of the token holders on key issues such as protocol fees and major parameter changes
• Phase 2 : Increased Governance – Proposals can be posted by token stakers with a minimum amount of tokens for the vote of the token holders. These proposals can change protocol fees and other major parameters.
• Phase 3: Full Decentralization – Proposals can be posted by token holders with a substantial amount of tokens and change any aspect of the protocol.

NATIX’s staking and governance platform is expected to launch approximately 4-6 weeks after the TGE.

8. While many DePIN projects sell hardware to users who want to participate, NATIX relies on its smartphone strategy. Can you explain why?

It's time to recognize that your smartphone is no ordinary gadget. It's not just for selfies and social media; it's a powerhouse of potential with over 1.5 billion smartphones worldwide equipped with AI-accelerated chips (and GPS, camera, LIDAR, Gyroscope, etc).

Building hardware with equal AI and computing capabilities is possible but that results in an expensive device, and especially with the current chip shortage, it's more challenging than one might think. Hardware-based solutions are often bottlenecked by supply chain and logistic challenges.

When it comes to network growth, you simply can’t compete with the potential of the smartphone. Building a mobile app drastically increases scalability, completely nullifies initial onboarding costs, and even the hurdles are overcome when employing the latest technological innovations.

From machine learning algorithms to advanced image processing, your smartphone is our secret weapon. That is why we ditched fancy hardware and embraced smartphones that are already in the hands of billions worldwide. We’re bringing Web3 innovation to everyone. It's easy, it's entirely free, it’s greener, and it's changing the game. No need for expensive hardware or complicated setups, just grab your smartphone and join the revolution.

9. What is the best way to become involved in the NATIX community?

Drivers can download the NATIX Drive& app from the App Store or Play Store to start mapping and earning rewards. For those who don’t drive around in a frenzy, NATIX Network is on Galxe, a social community platform where users complete social quests to climb the leaderboard and earn rewards through our Network Laps airdrop program.

Of course, users can catch NATIX on our Website, Twitter, Discord, and Telegram.

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