Registration opens on 1 July 2025 and will close on 31 July 2025
PlayFair: A Tech Revolution for Artists
The Story:
Zimbabwe's music industry is full of powerful voices — young artists who inspire, energize, and express our collective experience. But behind the catchy hits and viral tracks lies an unfair truth: many of these artists are never paid when their music is played.
Radio stations, streaming platforms, bars, and events play their songs — but there's no proof. No tracking. No data. No justice. What if you, as a student innovator, could change that?
PlayFair challenges you to build a breakthrough. Your mission? Use affordable tech to track airplay and help artists claim what's rightfully theirs. This is more than a hack — it's a movement.
The Challenge:
Build a Raspberry Pi–based device that can:
- Listen to audio (from FM stations or streams)
- Identify songs in real time
- Log every play with timestamps and source
- Store data even offline and sync later
- Send reports to artists, Collective Management Organisations (CMOs), and broadcasters
- Bonus: Alert artists when their track goes live — in real time!
Tools:
- Raspberry Pi 4 / Pico
- Mic/audio interface
- Python or Node.js
- SQLite or flat file logs
- Audio recognition libs (open-source or APIs)
- Local storage + optional cloud sync
Why This Matters:
Music is power. Data is power. This hack bridges both.
You're not just coding a device. You're building the future of copyright protection. You’re creating proof. You’re giving artists a voice in the boardroom, not just the studio.
This is your chance to use your skills to change lives — and help shape a digital economy where creators are respected, protected, and paid.