CUNY All Access

NFTinWallet
GIF
Final

Inspiration

With team members across different CUNYs, we tried to see some problems that were prevalent among us all. It seemed most of us had an experience of not being able to swipe our physical IDs across the turnstiles properly and having to awkwardly create a line of students trying to make it to class. Additionally, we know some of our peers who have lost their physical IDs and still do not bother to get a new one because of the price tag to replace it. Even though one could technically gain access to campus resources like the library or the gym through one’s last 4 digits of social security number along with their CUNY EMPL ID, both of these data are highly sensitive.

Additionally with CUNY campuses being diverse and having as many 25 campuses we can have one commonality and increase campus culture. Also, by providing perks like free events, merchandise etc to all members across CUNY.

What it does

It acts as a physical ID card without the risk of theft and loss of data like EMPLYID by being attached to only the user's wallets. Additionally, it provides a way to distinguish between CUNY members to be able to provide fast registration to events, internship opportunities etc.

How we built it

We built this using a variety of softwares and technologies. NFTexport.io was the foundation of the entire workflow where JSON files and metadata were created. IPFS desktop was used to turn the 3D artwork into a file stored on a decentralized file system. Javascript and Terminal were used hand in hand to finalize the NFT metadata. Perawallet.app enabled us to connect to the Algorand TestNet and mint the NFTs on the TestNet. Echo3D was used to create the 3D moving artwork and cartoonize.net was for visual effects on the original image.

Challenges we ran into

At first, we were having a hard time trying to decide which design to use to encompass all of CUNYs. We had multiple drafts with one containing all CUNY college logos but we ended up deciding to choose one which highlighted the students as it showed campus diversity and inclusion.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of picking up the project after failing the first version. Building an actual deployable NFT for the community and learning about the technology involved in building one.

What we learned

We learned to assign tasks and utilize online tools, such as Echo3D, Algorand TestNet, and NFTexport.io. The steps in making a technology product with multiple individuals and skillsets.

What's next for CUNY All Access

The next step for CUNY All Access is to discover more advanced authentication methods that implement the NFT into the CUNY system. Additionally, more research into current trends across industries like NFT tickets.