NFCare

NFCare is a seamless solution for managing and verifying real-world assistance at large-scale events like hackathons and conferences. By leveraging NFC technology and blockchain, NFCare streamlines the process of help requests and reputation tracking. Here's how it works:

NFC Technology: Attendees use NFC tags or wristbands, which serve as their unique digital identities. When help is needed, users tap their NFC tag on a reader at their table, broadcasting their request.

Help Notifications: The tapped NFC triggers an automated request, notifying mentors or helpers assigned to specific tables. Mentors receive real-time data such as the attendee’s name, seating location, and social handles (e.g., Telegram) to directly engage.

Proof of Help: Once assistance is provided, attendees tap their mentor's NFC tag to rate their experience. This action generates a unique digital signature (Proof of Help), attested on-chain using the Sign Protocol, associating the request ID, signature, and Ethereum address.

Reputation System: Ratings collected build a verifiable, immutable reputation score for mentors. These scores are stored on the blockchain, enabling event organizers to incentivize mentors based on their proven contributions.

Consensus Redefined: NFCare introduces a new type of consensus — Proof of Help, which validates meaningful, real-world actions on the blockchain, moving beyond traditional energy-intensive models like Proof of Work.

1. NFC Hardware & Firmware RC522 NFC Reader: Detects NFC tags or wristbands when tapped, acting as the gateway for user actions. ESP8266 Wi-Fi Module: Facilitates real-time communication with the backend by broadcasting NFC events. NFC Tags/Wristbands: Each attendee and mentor receives an NFC tag embedded with a unique identifier and Ethereum address. Firmware: The hardware is programmed using Arduino IDE (C++) to handle NFC reading, Wi-Fi communication, and data transfer to the server.
2. Backend Infrastructure Node.js: Acts as the central hub for handling requests, notifications, and processing ratings. Built using Express.js for robust and scalable endpoints. MongoDB Atlas: Stores all event data, including mentor profiles, attendee requests, and ratings. It's designed to handle real-time updates with minimal latency. REST APIs: Help Request API: Collects NFC tap data (table number, user details) and broadcasts help requests to relevant mentors. Rate Mentor API: Processes ratings and generates the Proof of Help signature. Leaderboard API: Computes mentor reputation scores dynamically based on non-null ratings.
3. Blockchain Integration Sign Protocol: The core of the system, enabling on-chain attestation of the Proof of Help. It securely binds: Request Number: Tracks each help session. Signature: A cryptographic representation of the event. Ethereum Address: Links the mentor's wallet for future incentives. Ethereum Blockchain: Stores attestation records, ensuring they are immutable and globally verifiable. Hacky Win: Using the attestation, we’ve created a “Proof of Help” consensus — a novel mechanism proving human effort instead of computational work.
4. Frontend Interface HTML + JavaScript: Provides an intuitive interface for attendees to rate mentors and mentors to view their stats. Live Progress UI: Displays NFC scans, request statuses, and mentor information in real-time to keep users engaged.
5. Real-Time Notifications Telegram Bot: Mentors receive real-time notifications of attendee help requests, including seating location and social handles for direct communication. Built with the node-telegram-bot-api, it ensures seamless mentor-attendee interaction without relying on external apps.