Posted by Eric ShangKuan, Developer Relations Program Supervisor, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Asia Frontier.
Combating Counterfeit Forex in Northern Pakistan with Expertise
Counterfeit forex stays a big challenge in smaller and distant cities of Pakistan, such because the Gilgit Baltistan area of Northern Pakistan. Ahsan Aman, a Google Developer Scholar Golf equipment (GDSC) Lead at COMSATS Wah College in Islamabad, grew up in a small city within the area and watched residents and shopkeepers turn out to be victims of counterfeiting.
Counterfeiting is outlined because the act of imitating one thing genuine, with the intent to steal, destroy, or substitute the unique, to be used in unlawful transactions, or in any other case with the intent to deceive people into believing that the faux is of equal or higher worth than the true factor.
When Ahsan’s mom acquired a faux 5,000 Rupee word from a shopkeeper, Ahsan determined there have to be a technical method to handle the issue. Ahsan believed a cell software may supply a method for extraordinary individuals who can’t afford the subtle authentication expertise banks use.
“It was clear that frequent folks didn’t have the means to confirm or differentiate between actual and pretend notes,” says Ahsan. “This made me surprise if right now’s expertise could possibly be employed to handle this downside.”
With the assist from his GDSC mentors primarily based in Islamabad and his native GDSC chapter, Ahsan launched into a challenge to construct an android software that aimed to determine counterfeit forex. Ahsan’s Android cell software, 5Hazar, offers a proof of idea for a counterfeit detection cell software that might allow customers to scan forex notes and determine counterfeit cash.
GDSC and Technical Talent Constructing
The applying makes use of digital picture processing made potential by Google Teachable Machine. Ahsan additionally repurposed a lens as an inexpensive {hardware} element–customers can connect the lens to a cellphone digital camera, open the applying, and take an image of a financial institution word. Inside ten seconds, the machine studying algorithm can detect whether or not the word is actual or a faux.
A technical method results in new alternatives
“I really feel actually proud as a result of not solely do folks see worth within the software I constructed, however I additionally obtained to pitch my concept at a number of hackathons as a Google Developer Scholar Membership lead,” says Ahsan.
“Via these alternatives, I obtained invited to work with a number one startup incubation heart, and now I’ve a devoted workforce working to enhance and scale this concept. I’ve examined the applying with over 200 clients and shopkeepers, and I’m very excited to see that the suggestions is optimistic and inspiring.”
Ahsan says he’s having fun with his journey of studying new expertise, constructing a software to handle an issue in his group, and now scaling it broadly.
The Highway Forward
“I strongly consider that at the same time as pupil programmers, we have now the chance and privilege to enhance the lives of individuals round us with the expertise we construct,” Ahsan says. “I encourage each pupil to seek out and participate in such alternatives the place you possibly can study, join, and develop.”
Google Developer Scholar Golf equipment (GDSC) are group teams for faculty and college college students like Ahsan who’re taken with Google developer applied sciences.
With over 1500+ chapters in 113 nations, GDSC goals to empower builders like Ahsan to assist their communities by constructing technical options. If you happen to’re a pupil and wish to be a part of a Google Developer Scholar Membership group, search for a chapter close to you right here, or go to this system web page to study extra about beginning one in your space.
