What is Kage

Kage is a mobile application that powers Chirp’s decentralized data collection network — forming a global layer of connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT). Through Kage, everyday users known as Data Hunters help build a real-world DePIN database that enables low-power, GPS-free geopositioning.

Kage transforms ordinary smartphones into active mapping tools that detect and analyze wireless signals in the environment — such as Wi-Fi, cellular, and BLE. These signals create a constantly evolving dataset that powers Chirp’s positioning and IoT solutions. The result is a living, crowd-sourced infrastructure capable of providing location intelligence in places where GPS is unavailable, unreliable, or inefficient. Since its launch, Kage has achieved remarkable global adoption. in 8 months starting February of of 2025, the community has scanned over 4 billion networks worldwide — a milestone that took traditional Web2 wardriving projects more than 20 years to reach. This exponential growth showcases the strength of Chirp’s DePIN model, where people collectively build real infrastructure, faster and more efficiently than any centralized effort.

How Data Hunters Contribute

Every Kage user, or Data Hunter, plays a crucial role in building the Chirp Network. By scanning wireless environments and discovering beacons in Wings of Chronos (WoC) missions, Data Hunters contribute to the creation of a real-world, decentralized positioning grid.

This grid forms the backbone of Chirp’s DePIN infrastructure, which allows devices and sensors to determine their location without the need for satellite GPS. Each scan or beacon discovery strengthens the global map, expanding Chirp’s network coverage and improving accuracy across millions of devices worldwide.

The gamified beacon hunt is not for entertainment — it’s a mechanism for engagement and contribution. Every discovery enriches the IoT ecosystem and supports a collective technological mission.

Kage and the Chirp Ecosystem

Kage is part of the broader Chirp Ecosystem, a technology stack that brings decentralized geopositioning to the Internet of Things. The data collected through Kage feeds directly into Chirp’s signal intelligence and positioning APIs, which businesses, developers, and organizations use to power real-world applications.

Key Applications

1. Indoor Geopositioning Without Infrastructure Traditional indoor positioning requires dedicated sensors, routers, or beacons. Chirp’s technology eliminates this need by leveraging existing wireless signals captured by Kage. This makes it possible to locate assets, people, or devices inside buildings, warehouses, or industrial facilities without installing any additional hardware.

2. Low-Power IoT and Battery-Sensitive Devices GPS consumes significant energy, making it inefficient for low-power applications such as LoRaWAN or MIOTY trackers, smart sensors, or long-life asset monitors. By using Chirp’s APIs — powered by Kage data — devices can determine their position with minimal power consumption, drastically extending battery life while maintaining accuracy.

3. Resilient Positioning in GPS-Denied Environments In rare but critical cases, such as war zones or areas where GPS signals are blocked or jammed, Chirp provides a reliable alternative for geopositioning. Kage’s signal-based mapping allows for navigation and tracking even when satellite access is compromised — offering resilience where it matters most.

Gamification as Engagement, Not Entertainment

Kage uses game design principles to make participation more engaging and rewarding — not to create a game. The Wings of Chronos (WoC) experience turns real-world data collection into an immersive treasure hunt, where the act of searching for beacons is the work itself.

While Data Hunters explore and search for Bronze or Golden Beacons, their devices continuously scan and map surrounding wireless environments — performing the core function of expanding Chirp’s global IoT network. The beacon discoveries are rewards for this valuable work, recognizing contributors for strengthening and validating the decentralized infrastructure.

At the foundation of this design is the DePIN principle: people do the real-world work of building and maintaining physical network infrastructure, and the network rewards them for it.

Each mission, beacon, or achievement represents meaningful contribution to a global IoT infrastructure. This approach blends motivation with purpose — where the excitement of discovery directly fuels the growth of a decentralized network powering the future of connectivity.