NOTHING PMIC Tracker

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Inspiration

Phone theft is a devastating crisis in Nigeria, where 70% of smartphone users live in fear, losing not just devices but money, memories, and even lives. I’m Anas Mannir Sanusi, and this project stems from personal pain. Last year, I lost two smart phones, wiping out thousands in cryptocurrency, valuable documents and cherished family photos. As a tech guy, I was heartbroken, unable to help myself despite others seeking my support when they lost their devices. The tragedy deepened when a friend’s uncle was killed in a violent Jos phone theft. This anguish drives our mission to develop the NOTHING PMIC Tracker, a revolutionary chip to make phones unstealable and restore security across Africa.

What it does

The NOTHING PMIC Tracker is a groundbreaking chip designed to end phone theft in Nigeria and beyond. Disguised as a standard phone component, it enables tracking of stolen devices anywhere, even when powered off or reset, for days. Integrated seamlessly into smartphones by manufacturers like Transsion, it uses advanced connectivity and a secure, tamper-proof system to deter thieves. For a one-time activation fee, users access a user-friendly dashboard to locate their phone instantly, offering peace of mind in a country where 70% fear theft. Built for low-power, offline environments, it addresses Africa’s resource constraints while delivering a revolutionary anti-theft solution.

How we built it

Our chip, disguised as a standard phone component, will use cutting-edge connectivity and security to track devices anywhere for days, even when off or reset. We’ve built a robust software tracker, powering a user-friendly dashboard for real-time location updates. Now, we’re developing the hardware, partnering with hardware engineers, firmware experts, and packaging specialists to create a low-cost, tamper-proof chip. AI tools optimize our design, targeting a low production cost. With Transsion’s 20-million-unit market, we’re ensuring OEMs can integrate it seamlessly, making phones theft-proof for a low activation fee.

Challenges we ran into

With the software complete, our biggest hurdle is funding hardware production. Nigeria’s limited semiconductor ecosystem pushes us to balance overseas fabrication with local assembly for cost and impact. Convincing OEMs to adopt our chip requires trust, but their buy-in grows with Nigeria’s $300 million anti-theft market. We need financisl support to produce 100,000 chips, fund marketing, and scale with Transsion, turning our vision into a life-saving reality.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re thrilled to have completed a robust software tracker, powering a real-time dashboard that delivers precise location data for stolen phones. Our six-year software team leveraged AI tools to optimize the system, ensuring it works offline with minimal power. Partnering with hardware engineers and firmware experts has validated our chip’s design. Most proudly, we’ve turned personal pain—losing two phones, thousands in cryptocurrency, and a friend’s uncle to theft—into a solution that could protect millions, earning recognition as a semi-finalist contender in this challenge.

What we learned

Building the NOTHING PMIC Tracker has taught us to innovate within Nigeria’s constraints. We’ve learned that combating theft requires a low-power, offline solution that tracks phones even when powered off. Our software tracker, now complete, leverages advanced connectivity for seamless tracking. Exploring hardware, we’ve studied energy-efficient and secure technologies to deter thieves. Collaborating with OEMs like Transsion revealed the need for easy integration. Using AI tools has streamlined our design process, and we’ve learned that personal heartbreak can fuel a solution for millions.

What's next for NOTHING PMIC Tracker

Our next step is securing to fund hardware production, producing 100,000 chips to integrate into Transsion’s smartphones. We’ll finalize the chip’s hardware, incorporating energy-efficient and secure technologies, and partner with cost-effective manufacturers while assembling locally in Nigeria to create jobs. A marketing push—X campaigns, retail training, and Lagos market demos—will drive 90% adoption in Nigeria’s $300 million anti-theft market. We’re refining our prototype, submission, using a development board to showcase tracking and security. With legal protections to safeguard our IP, we aim to scale to 1 million units, making phones unstealable across Africa and saving lives.

Built With

• amazon-web-services
• css
• google-maps
• html
• html:-for-a-responsive
• iot
• javascript
• mysql
• mysql:-scalable-backend-and-secure-database-for-tracking-data.-stripe-api:-secure-payment-processing-for-?5
• neurotechnology-verifinger-sdk
• offline-mqtt-communication
• optimized-for-nigeria?s-unreliable-networks.-ai-driven-design-tools:-represents-synopsys-dso.ai-(not-named)-for-hardware-optimization
• php
• stripe
• suitable-for-mobile-integration.-aws-iot-core:-best-cloud-service-for-low-power
• user-friendly-dashboard.-php
• widely-used-in-nigeria.-google-maps-api:-reliable-geolocation-visualization-for-user-trust.-neurotechnology-verifinger-sdk:-biometric-authentication-(fingerprint)-for-secure-access