[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.
The future of web3 will entail direct interaction with biometrics, especially in the age of AI, where proof of humanness is essential. The brain is the most complex organ and is arguably the signature of humanness. This project aims to do necessary R&D on the brain to allow it to be plugged into web3. <u>Neuralprint is a broader project, and this proposal specifically is for the necessary R&D to fulfill certain functionalities at this stage</u>. The bottom of this section details the kinds of datasets that are anticipated to be analysed for establishing key Neuralprint functionalities. This R&D will enable the web3 authentication mechanisms to work in various scenarios.
This proposals comes on the heels of three previous successful and closed-out Catalyst proposals (1 in F7, 2 in F8), all executed by the proposer. The present proposal builds upon previous work.
Neuralprint
Next Generation Biometric Identity, Authentication, Permissioning, And Security
<< Neuralprint technology is Patent-pending >>
Company Purpose:
- To Revolutionize Identity, Authentication And Security Using State Of Mind Technology (Static vs. Dynamic).
- Bringing The Mind To The Forefront Of Engaging With Technology.
The Problem:
Security Solutions Today Are Expensive, Clunky, Hard To Implement, And Aren’t As Secure As Advertised. They Also Suffer From A Lack Of Nuance.
The Solution:
Neuralprint’s System Is Unique, Fast, Easily Measurable, Inexpensive, And Easy To Install
Why Now?
Existing Systems Aren’t As Secure As Advertised. Ours Is. Static Today; Dynamic Learning System Tomorrow That Enables Greater Functionality.
Market Size:
The Global Cyber Security Market (TAM) Is $249 Billion.
By 2027, 50% of large enterprise CISOs will adopt human-centric security design practices. Cybersecurity threats are changing.
Product:
Neuralprint Is A Brain Wave Reader System. Slim form-factor EEG interface + Cloud Data. (Patent-pending)
Team:
- Dr. Gabriel Axel Montes: CEO, Founder. SingularityNET. Neuroscientist, Consciousness expert. Ethical AI. History of successful Cardano Catalyst engagement.
- David Harding: Advisor. CTO, SVP Engineering, Renown Security, Identity, Cloud Expert. Private Equity.
- Dan Mapes, PhD: Advisor. Co-designer of the Spatial Wb IEEE Protocol. President, VERSES.ai & The Spatial Web Foundation.
- Edward Brennan: founding CFo & Advisor. Venture Capitalist, Board Member, Advisor to Several StartX & Y-Combinator Companies.
Anticipated R&D areas for determining the neural correlates of states of mind relevant to Neuralprint:
- Distinguishing music categories/genres, and identifying the emotions experienced during music listening, and distinguishing between familiar vs unfamiliar auditory stimuli;
- Monitoring attention to auditory stimuli, e.g. music and speech;
- Distinguishing movement synchronised vs. non-synchronised with ambient stimuli in the environment;
- Ad-tech: responses to key design elements ("primitives") used in branding and advertising;
- Signatures of exalted non-ordinary states of consciousness (benchmarked using EEG data of DMT psychedelic trip)
- Cognitive mental load;
- Operating under a state of fear;
- Sleep signatures.
<u>Risk mitigation</u>:
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Risk (1): Immediate hiring need. Our team is actively searching for a machine learning now. Due to global demand for AI talent and in order to attract suitable talent in a timely manner, we are offering (in the budget) an above-average salary. This will also help to increase the chances of keeping a strong engineer beyond the scope of this proposal.
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Risk (2): Challenges in appropriate marketing reach.
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We have budgeted for a social media in this proposal in order to begin building toward this goal from the beginning.
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The proposer is a veteran member of and leader in the SingularityNET ecosystem, which has multiple projects with existing and expanding user bases that could be marketed to and leveraged.
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Risk (3): EEG brainwave biometric development, like much of any hardware development, can take time, typically more than software development. To mitigate, the proposed project is focusing primarily and largely on already available (collected) datasets, which removes the logistics barrier associated with recruiting participants, etc.
[IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?
R&D enables functionality to arise naturally .This is a cutting-edge, first of its kind, project – and it is being developed for Cardano.
The proposed project brings a novel technology to Cardano, making Cardano a first-mover chain in the space. This proposal poises Cardano to be used in a key technology in the world. It also builds on and adds functionality to existing products (successful, closed-out proposals from F7, F8).
This proposal thereby fulfills criteria of the Challenge, including the following metrics:
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Increasing the number products available for the community to use that help to enrich the ecosystem with new use cases.
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Increase the number of integrations that bring existing solutions together for a more seamless and connected experience between different products.
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Increased quality of existing products & integrations through improvements and new functionality.
[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?
The success of the project will be determined by completed R&D on brain and biometric functions and use-cases, and by compatibility/integration with EEG hardware. Benefits include those mentioned in the previous section of the proposal.
<u>Risk mitigation strategy</u>:
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Risk (1): Immediate hiring need. Our team is actively searching for an appropriate engineer now. Due to global demand for specialised tech talent and in order to attract suitable talent in a timely manner, we are offering (in the budget) an above-average salary. This will also help to increase the chances of keeping a strong engineer beyond the scope of this proposal.
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Risk (2): Limited social/marketing reach.
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We have budgeted for a social media in this proposal in order to begin building toward this goal from the beginning.
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The proposer is a notable member of and leader in the SingularityNET community and ecosystem, respectively, which has multiple projects with existing and expanding user bases that could be marketed to and leveraged.
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Risk (3): R&D on the brain/biometric/hardware aspect(s) of the project not keeping pace with the software aspect of the project. As with any project that involves hardware, they tend to not move as fast as the software side. To mitigate this, in the R&D, we will use openly available data as much as possible (much of which has already been identified). This shifts the hardware logistics into more of a software matter.
[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?
This project will be shared at a high-level on social media and through follow-on fundraising, though sensitive aspects will not.
[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?
Evidenced by the proposer's handful of past successful and closed out Catalyst proposals, future performance can be expected.
[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?
Feasibility has been confirmed. The goals are to complete research that determines the brain and/or biometric signatures of key use-case activities of users. THis will later allow these to be codified on the blockchain.
[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.
Month 1:
Transposition of larger EEG interface data to slim form-factor analysis
Survey of key brain/biometric states of interest
Month 2:
Transposition of larger EEG interface data to slim form-factor analysis (cont'd)
Research on first 25% of data sets
Month 3:
Transposition of larger EEG interface data to slim form-factor analysis (cont'd)
Research on second 25% of data sets
Month 4:
Transposition of larger EEG interface data to slim form-factor analysis (cont'd)
Research on third 25% of data sets
Month 5:
Transposition of larger EEG interface data to slim form-factor analysis (cont'd)
Research on fourth 25% of data sets
Month 6:
Transposition of larger EEG interface data to slim form-factor analysis (cont'd)
Research completed
[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.
Brief reports on progress related to each of the the milestones.
Month 1:
Transposition of larger EEG interface data to slim form-factor analysis
Survey of key brain/biometric states of interest
Month 2:
Transposition of larger EEG interface data to slim form-factor analysis (cont'd)
Research on first 25% of data sets
Month 3:
Transposition of larger EEG interface data to slim form-factor analysis (cont'd)
Research on second 25% of data sets
Month 4:
Transposition of larger EEG interface data to slim form-factor analysis (cont'd)
Research on third 25% of data sets
Month 5:
Transposition of larger EEG interface data to slim form-factor analysis (cont'd)
Research on fourth 25% of data sets
Month 6:
Transposition of larger EEG interface data to slim form-factor analysis (cont'd)
Research completed
[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.
R&D and Project Management: $40,200 ($6,700 x 6 months)
Engineering: $22,200 ($3,700 x 6 months)
Social media: $10,800 ($1,800 x 6 months)
Biometric equipment: $28,800 (2x slim form-factor EEG interfaces)
Data analysis (cloud time and algorithm use): $18,000
Total: $120,000
An exchange rate of $0.28/ADA (reflecting that of the time of this writing) was used for budget calculation.
[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?
Dr. Gabriel Axel Montes, Ph.D.
Neuroscientist, SingularityNET (Cardano partner) pedigree; founding extended team, Head of People, Music Co-Director and guitarist for in-house touring band with humanoid robot vocalist.
Formerly, VERSES Director of Communications and researcher, building the Spatial Web (realistic metaverse).
Will serve as the project creator, leader, and director, and delegating tasks for execution. Gabriel has a small team of contractors who have track record of delivering on past Catalyst proposals.
Advisors:
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David Harding: Advisor. CTO, SVP Engineering, Renown Security, Identity, Cloud Expert. Private Equity.
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Dan Mapes, PhD: Advisor. Co-designer of the Spatial Wb IEEE Protocol. President, VERSES.ai & The Spatial Web Foundation.
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Edward Brennan: founding CFo & Advisor. Venture Capitalist, Board Member, Advisor to Several StartX & Y-Combinator Companies.
[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?
All costs will be commensurate to majority of wages and capital required to execute. Due to the high value-add R&D and scientific work required of the proposal, costs are above average in order to rapidly secure the human resource talent and equipment needed to conduct the work.
