Oluwatobi Oyinlola breaks Guinness Record for creating the smallest GPS tracking device in the world

Photo credit: husband

Template “Tobi“” Bear Just made history! The researcher born in Nigerian at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (with) was officially recognized by Guinness World Records to create the smallest GPS tracking device (prototype) in the world.

The device with only 22.93 mm x 11.92 mm (0.90 x 0.46 inches) is smaller than a thumbprint and opens up a world of possibilities in all industries.

Tobi was driven by a simple but powerful problem: Most GPS devices on the market were far too bulky for the tiny systems that he had imagined. They consumed too much electricity and added unnecessary weight.

“I realized that we had to reduce the technology dramatically if we wanted to integrate GPS functionality into state-of-the-art wearables, medical equipment or tiny sensors,” he said.

His solution was a prototype that is so compact that it could be embedded in almost everything, from Wildlife trackers that do not affect the natural movements of the animal to personal safety equipment, medical devices and even everyday technology.

“I was inspired by the endless possibilities that a tiny GPS unit could unlock,” he said. “My goal was to develop such a compact tracker that it could be embedded in almost every object or device without affecting the functionality.”

The device was developed in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and has a custom printed circuit board, a embedded antenna and the possibility of receiving GPS signals, logging log data and streaming it via Bluetooth. The prototype was checked by two independent engineers and an architect to check his performance.

The feat, including Nigeria, has drawn admiration from all over the world.

president Ball Ahmed Tinubu applauded Tobis innovation and describes it as proof that “Nigerian youth can”. He wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Congratulations, Oluwatobi, on this achievement. You have just shown the world that Nigerian young people can!”

The Nigerian Minister for Communication, Innovation and Digital Business, Dr. Bosun Tijani, repeated the praise and described the performance as a powerful reflection of what is possible when young heads are maintained and supported.

“I celebrate Oluwatobi Oyinlola to achieve a remarkable milestone. Since we enable more young innovators to break obstacles and lead in state -of -the -art technologies, we secure Nigeria's legitimate place on the global innovation card,” he said.

For Tobi, the journey started in the secondary school. When he grew up in Nigeria, he discovered his passion for technology at the age of 13 when his school received a donation from an alumnus, engineer and now Oyo State governor. Sey Mraddeso that you are equipped with a fully functional computer laboratory.

This curiosity led him from a school laboratory in Nigeria to the halls of the MIT and now to the pages of the Guinness World Records.

“To be honest, it feels incredible and a bit surreal,” he said. “I am very proud of the performance and was very honored to have recognized my work. It is what you dream as a child.”