Posted by Eric ShangKuan, Developer Relations Program Supervisor, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Asia Frontier.
Preventing Counterfeit Forex in Northern Pakistan with Expertise
Counterfeit foreign money stays a major subject 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 into 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 pretend is of equal or higher worth than the actual factor.
When Ahsan’s mom obtained a pretend 5,000 Rupee observe from a shopkeeper, Ahsan determined there should be a technical strategy to deal with the issue. Ahsan believed a cellular software might supply a means for atypical individuals who can’t afford the subtle authentication expertise banks use.
“It was clear that frequent individuals didn’t have the means to confirm or differentiate between actual and pretend notes,” says Ahsan. “This made me marvel if right now’s expertise might be employed to deal with this drawback.”
With the assist from his GDSC mentors primarily based in Islamabad and his native GDSC chapter, Ahsan launched into a venture to construct an android software that aimed to establish counterfeit foreign money. Ahsan’s Android cellular software, 5Hazar, supplies a proof of idea for a counterfeit detection cellular software that might allow customers to scan foreign money notes and establish counterfeit cash.
GDSC and Technical Ability Constructing
The applying makes use of digital picture processing made potential by Google Teachable Machine. Ahsan additionally repurposed a lens as an reasonably priced {hardware} element–customers can connect the lens to a cellphone digital camera, open the applying, and take an image of a financial institution observe. Inside ten seconds, the machine studying algorithm can detect whether or not the observe is actual or a pretend.
A technical strategy results in new alternatives
“I really feel actually proud as a result of not solely do individuals see worth within the software I constructed, however I additionally acquired to pitch my thought at a number of hackathons as a Google Developer Scholar Membership lead,” says Ahsan.
“By these alternatives, I acquired invited to work with a number one startup incubation middle, and now I’ve a devoted staff working to enhance and scale this concept. I’ve examined the applying with over 200 prospects and shopkeepers, and I’m very excited to see that the suggestions is constructive and inspiring.”
Ahsan says he’s having fun with his journey of studying new expertise, constructing a software to deal with an issue in his neighborhood, and now scaling it extensively.
The Highway Forward
“I strongly consider that at the same time as scholar programmers, we’ve the chance and privilege to enhance the lives of individuals round us with the expertise we construct,” Ahsan says. “I encourage each scholar to seek out and participate in such alternatives the place you possibly can study, join, and develop.”
Google Developer Scholar Golf equipment (GDSC) are neighborhood teams for school and college college students like Ahsan who’re fascinated about 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. Should you’re a scholar and wish to be part of a Google Developer Scholar Membership neighborhood, 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.
