In a remarkable fusion of technology and environmental concern, a vast network of 35,000 smartphone sound sensors has been harnessed via the Peaq Network blockchain ecosystem to address the pervasive issue of global noise pollution.
The Silencio Network, as it’s aptly named, employs these 35,000 smartphones as distributed noise sensors, all seamlessly integrated into the Peaq Network blockchain ecosystem. The overarching goal is to gather highly localized noise pollution data for the greater good.
Silencio has proudly announced its partnership with Peaq, marking a significant expansion in its mission to amass more noise sensor devices. These devices are strategically distributed across an impressive 176 countries. Even more ambitious, Silencio has its sights set on incorporating one million such devices into its network by the year 2024.
At its core, Silencio is pioneering what it calls “Web3 citizen science.” In this innovative approach, community members are incentivized with tokenized rewards for contributing invaluable hyper-local noise pollution data.
The co-founders of Silencio, Thomas and Theo Messerer, shed light on the inspiration behind tokenizing sound data. For them, the concept was seeded more than two decades ago. Growing up with a hearing-impaired parent naturally sensitized them to the pervasive issue of noise pollution in various environments. Their journey, which led to deploying Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePINs) across Europe, served as a crucial precursor to Silencio.
Silencio’s ingenious solution to combat noise pollution exemplifies a broader trend in the Web3 space. It involves leveraging physical objects, such as smartphones, charging stations, or vehicles, to enhance efficiency and bridge the divide between the physical and digital realms. These initiatives represent an exciting frontier in the evolving landscape of blockchain-powered innovations.