A physical device operated by an individual or organization that contributes capacity to a DePIN network in exchange for token rewards.
Hardware nodes are the supply side of a DePIN network. Their form varies wildly: a Helium hotspot provides LoRaWAN or 5G coverage, a Render node runs GPU rendering jobs, and a Storj node stores encrypted file shards. The operator bears the capital cost of hardware and the operating cost of power and connectivity, and is compensated through periodic token emissions and, as network adoption grows, direct service-buyer fees.
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