Revolutionising Addressing with Proto: Building the Foundational Layer for On-Chain Map-Data
In an era where digital transformation is reshaping industries, Proto stands at the forefront of revolutionising how we handle map data.
Proto is set to address significant challenges in various regions and industries by building the foundational layer for on-chain map data.
This blog post delves into the transformative potential of Proto, focusing on addressing issues in India and how Proto's innovative solutions can bring about a paradigm shift.
The Addressing Problem in India
With its rapid urbanisation and sprawling cities, India faces a unique challenge in address resolution.
The traditional addressing system is often inadequate, leading to inefficiencies in deliveries, services, and access to essential amenities.
According to Dr Shantanu Bhattacharya, poor addresses cost India $10–14 billion annually.
This economic loss stems from failed deliveries, misrouted services, and the inability to accurately locate places, which impacts sectors ranging from e-commerce to healthcare.
Quantitatively, the problem is staggering:
- Economic Loss: $10–14 billion annually.
- Digital Transactions: Over 20% of private consumption transactions are digital, each requiring precise address resolution.
- Impact on Services: Inefficient address resolution affects last-mile deliveries, healthcare access, disaster relief, and banking services.
Qualitatively, the issue manifests in everyday inconveniences:
- Non-standard Addresses: Addresses like "Roop Nagar, Prem Galli, Kholi № 420, Opp Hanuman Mandir" are familiar, making geocoding difficult.
- Errors and Inconsistencies: Spelling errors, non-standard formats, and incomplete addresses lead to failed geocoding attempts.
- Human Dependency: People often rely on landmarks and verbal directions, which are not always reliable or efficient.
How Proto and Localcode Can Solve This Problem
Proto's innovative approach, mainly through its Localcode infrastructure, offers a comprehensive solution to these addressing challenges.
Localcodes are private, secure, human-readable codes that simplify address sharing and management.
Here’s how Proto and Localcode can address and solve the problem:
1. Precision Mapping: Proto's technology provides more precise and adaptable mapping solutions, especially in hard-to-map regions. This ensures accurate delivery addresses, reducing the likelihood of failed delivery attempts.
2. Interoperability: Unlike other solutions like Google Plus Codes or What3Words, Localcodes are fully interoperable with any platform or product.
This flexibility makes them universally applicable and easy to implement.
3. Human-Friendly and Customizable: Localcodes are assigned to individuals, allowing users to create personalised and memorable codes for their addresses.
For example, Shankar’s home address could be "Shankar.home.proto," making it easy to remember and share.
4. On-Chain Data Management: By storing location data on-chain, Proto ensures that all spatial relationships and master locations are maintained and available via public APIs.
This decentralised approach enhances data security and accessibility.
5. Economic Efficiency: Accurate address resolution can significantly reduce economic losses by improving the efficiency of deliveries and services.
This has a direct positive impact on businesses and consumers alike.
Why This Problem Needs a Solution and Why Proto is Uniquely Positioned
The need for a solution to the problem in India is evident from the substantial economic losses and the inefficiencies in service delivery.
Proto is uniquely positioned to enable this solution due to several factors:
- Community-Driven Data: Proto has developed a strong community of mappers who have built a comprehensive and accurate database of millions of Points of Interest (PoIs) in major Indian cities. This community-driven approach ensures the data is up-to-date and reliable.
- Innovative Technology: Proto's use of blockchain technology to store and manage location data provides a secure and scalable solution.
The Localcode infrastructure leverages this technology to offer precise and customisable addressing options.
- Market Potential: Proto opens up opportunities for new markets to emerge by creating a new foundational layer for map-data.
This includes map-data products, location-based services, and other related innovations.
- Global Applicability: While the focus here is on India, Proto's solutions are globally applicable. The challenges of non-standard addressing and inefficient geocoding are not unique to India, making Proto's technology relevant worldwide.
Conclusion
Proto's vision of building the foundational layer for on-chain map-data is not just a technological advancement but a necessary evolution in managing and utilising address data.
Proto and Localcode offer a scalable, secure, and efficient solution that can transform industries and improve everyday life by addressing the significant challenges in India's addressing system.
Proto's innovative approach will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the future of map-data and location-based services as we move towards a more interconnected and digital world.
For more insights and to participate in Proto's initiatives, visit Proto's Medium- https://proto-geo.medium.com/localcodes-the-92e15a00bf9e and explore the ONDC Landscape in India- https://www.antler.co/blog/ondc-landscape
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