Protocol Village: XProtocol Unveils ‘World’s First Node-Operated DePIN Smartphone’

XProtocol, Built on Base Chain, Unveils XForge as ‘World’s First Node-Operated DePIN Smartphone’

XProtocol, an entertainment-focused blockchain built on the U.S. crypto exchange Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 network, Base, has unveiled what it says is “the world’s first node-operated DePIN smartphone.” According to the team, the Web3 startup’s new Android device, XForge, functions as a fully operational blockchain node. Users can participate in the DePIN network directly from their phone, earning rewards, airdrops and cryptocurrency incentives: “XForge represents the next evolution in mobile devices, combining blockchain power with smartphone convenience.”

XProtocol's new — XProtocol’s new “node-operated blockchain DePIN phone” (XProtocol)

Nomic Brings Bitcoin-Backed ‘NBTC’ to Berachain

Nomic DAO Foundation, supporting the Nomic Network, a blockchain powering a decentralized custody engine for Bitcoin, announced the launch of nBTC, a 1:1 bitcoin-backed token, on Berachain, an Ethereum-compatible layer-1 network. The move follows Nomic’s recent Ethereum upgrade, which made nBTC natively available as an ERC-token on Ethereum, and capable of deployments to EVM-compatible chains, according to the team: “This integration allows users to directly deposit BTC for nBTC, bringing Bitcoin’s substantial liquidity into Berachain’s ecosystem, which operates on a unique proof-of-liquidity consensus model. This will enhance the capabilities of Bitcoin within Berachain’s growing ecosystem, offering developers the ability to integrate nBTC into DeFi protocols and to build BTC-backed applications without relying on centralized intermediaries.”

Example of “reserve script” used to control the disbursement of funds from Nomic’s decentralized custody, on the Bitcoin blockchain (Nomic)

Theta Labs Launches ‘EdgeCloud for Mobile,’ Implements AI Video Detection

Theta Labs, the developer behind the entertainment-focused blockchain project Theta Network, has launched EdgeCloud for Mobile, allowing Android users to contribute spare GPU power to the Theta EdgeCloud network and earn TFUEL tokens. According to the team: “Available on Google Play, the app lets users provide resources during idle times, supporting AI research in media, healthcare and finance. Using a Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN), Theta EdgeCloud cuts GPU-intensive task costs by over 50% compared to traditional cloud providers, offering scalable, decentralized AI model training and inference services.” The blog post reads: “For the first time ever, the Theta team has implemented a video object detection AI model (VOD_AI) that runs on consumer grade Android mobile devices, delivering true computation at the edge and enabling unparalleled scalability and reach. VOD_AI is a computer vision technique that uses AI to analyze video frames to identify objects by scanning video frames, looking for potential objects and drawing bounding boxes around them. This process is similar to how the human visual cortex works.” (THETA)

In the example above, VOD_AI can be used to label objects in a video, such as “cup,” “sandwich,” or “fork and dining table.” (Theta Labs)

Protocol Village is a regular feature of The Protocol, our weekly newsletter exploring the tech behind crypto, one block at a time. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Wednesday. Project teams can submit updates here. For previous versions of Protocol Village, please go here.

Edited by Bradley Keoun.

Disclosure

Please note that our

cookies,

and

do not sell my personal information

has been updated

CoinDesk is an

award-winning

media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a

strict set of editorial policies.

In November 2023

, CoinDesk was acquired

by the Bullish group, owner of

Bullish,

a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by

Block.one; both companies have

interests

in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin.

CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.