What Differentiates rLoop
A few thoughts on rLoop and what differentiates it from other projects in the space
In order to be able to succinctly explain the history, concept, and potential impact of rLoop, I started to think about what makes our project unique and distinguishes it from others. Some of those thoughts prompted this post — feedback and comments are always appreciated!
Decentralized Exponential Organization
I’m now using the term Decentralized Exponential Organization (DEO) to describe rLoop, being a merger of the concepts of a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) and an Exponential Organization (ExO). A DAO is defined as a means to coordinate large amorphous groups around shared goals & interests by aligning economic incentives digitally through distribution of risk and reward. An ExO is an organization whose impact or output is disproportionately large — at least 10x larger — compared to its peers because of the use of new organizational techniques that leverage accelerating technologies. rLoop is a mechanism to evaluate, fund and distribute risks and rewards in cross-connected innovative fields of technology, and make them accessible to everyone. A Decentralized Exponential Organization (DEO) in pursuit of radical breakthroughs to benefit humanity.
Compliant-focused Token
A landmark judgement from Judge Raymond Dearie of the U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York ruled that U.S. Securities Laws cover Initial Coin Offering (ICO) sales. In a December 2017 statement, Chairman Jay Clayton underscored that promoters of a cryptocurrency should either: (1) be able to demonstrate that the altcoins are not securities, or (2) comply with the applicable registration or exemption requirements of the federal securities laws, before launching the altcoins. The regulatory treatment of Bitcoin is instructive here, as it has been viewed as a commodity and not a security. The rLoop Token (RLP) is unique among comparable cryptocurrencies in that, following a compliance-focused review from experts in the space, it is distinguishable in important respects from other instruments that have been deemed securities and is itself a commodity cryptocurrency. As the crypto space is shook up by regulatory judgements and fraudulent ICOs, we believe making a stand by providing a safe and compliance-focused token will only increase confidence in our project and protect our community of supporters.
Three Years of Experience
rLoop was established in June of 2015 in response to a challenge from Elon Musk and SpaceX to re-imagine transportation with their Hyperloop concept. Since then, rLoop has grown and nurtured a community of collaborators who are diverse in geography and technical backgrounds. Together the community has developed complex and award winning designs, and produced functional hardware that has achieved numerous firsts in the Hyperloop space. The confluence of technologies that permit this global collaboration model and the processes we have developed to facilitate complex and interdependent work has put rLoop at the forefront of innovation.
Existing Community
rLoop is the largest network of engineers earning compliant-focused tokens for their efforts in the world. More than 1,300 individuals have rallied behind the rLoop concept since its inception. Diversity of age, ethnicity, gender, and perspectives leads to increased creativity and productivity, as well as overcoming confirmation bias. Studies have shown that a diverse group of problem solvers is more likely to outperform a team of experts. Our model aggregates the collective wisdom within the crowd to enable permissionless innovation.
Multiple Existing Projects
While the Hyperloop is our most renowned work, it is but one possible output from the community. Today, there are multiple other projects in development, and others that have been proposed by the community. rBridge is a project to formalize the distributed manufacturing processes we used to create our Hyperloop prototype pod and is ultimately intended to allow the rLoop community, an individual, or an external organization to rapidly progress from idea through to prototype. rFlight is a personal flight device designed to permit the pilot to experience true flight — likened to a motorcycle for the sky. rFlight is in conjunction with a competition being hosted by GoFly and sponsored by Boeing.
Functioning Prototypes
The rLoop community has successfully converted the work of its distributed designers and engineers into functioning prototypes — complex systems that operate in the built environment. The method to do this was similarly distributed, with subsystems and components being manufactured remotely with integration and testing being performed at a separate facility in proximity This is an incredible leap for a distributed team to translate the virtual work into a tangible product, and is an integral aspect of rLoop — to be able to produce functioning hardware.
International Awards
The work that the rLoop community has output has been recognized internationally with awards from SpaceX, the Dubai Future Foundation, ASITE, IndieGoGo and Basware. The team has also been invited to present their research and findings at scientific conferences, to speak about the unique rLoop organizational model at relevant conferences, and demonstrated their functioning Hyperloop pod publicly at Autodesk University to a crowd of over 10,000 people.
Bridge the Digital and Physical Divide
Humanity’s progress has always been driven by scientific and technological innovation. But hardware has lagged significantly behind the digital world, and hardware is what makes the world move at the most fundamental level. As the first engineering organization on the blockchain, rLoop is at the forefront of bridging the digital and physical divide and creating a mechanism to channel knowledge, expertise, and resources into large scale engineering projects.
Limitless Innovation
According to Kurzweil’s Law of Accelerating Returns, the rate of change in a wide variety of evolutionary systems, including but not limited to the growth of technologies, tends to increase exponentially. The fuel for this process is information. Once any technology becomes powered by information flows, its price/performance begins doubling over a set period of time. And once that doubling pattern starts, it doesn’t stop — there’s even exponential growth in the rate of exponential growth. When technologies intersect each other a further multiplier is added to the equation, causing the rate of change to accelerate further. rLoop’s ability to cross-connect innovative fields of technology, and make them accessible to everyone, creates an ecosystem of limitless innovation.
