How Nigerian Researcher Oluwatobi set World Record for Smallest GPS Tracking Device
It’s the kind of thing you dream about as a kid — Oluwatobi
Oluwatobi “Tobi” Oyinlola has just made history by earning official recognition from Guinness World Records for creating the world’s smallest GPS tracking device prototype. At just 22.93 mm x 11.92 mm (0.90 x 0.46 inches), this remarkable device is smaller than a human thumbprint yet represents a dramatic breakthrough in GPS technology that opens up possibilities across multiple industries.
The Nigerian-born researcher at MIT accomplished this feat through a journey that began with childhood curiosity sparked by a donated computer lab at his secondary school in Nigeria. This is a good example of how providing local educational opportunities and leveraging existing technologies abroad can help shape talents and drive innovations that can inspire and revolutionize industries.
From School Lab to MIT
Understanding how extraordinary this achievement is requires knowing where it all began. Oluwatobi Oyinlola’s journey started in the most humble circumstances at a secondary school in Nigeria. When he was just 13 years old, his school received a life-changing donation from an alumnus later identified as Seyi Makinde, who would eventually serve as a Nigerian state governor. That donation was a fully functional computer lab, and for young Tobi, this opened a door to an entirely new world.
That single experience set him on a path that led from a Nigerian classroom to the prestigious halls of MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and ultimately to international recognition in the Guinness World Records.
Oluwatobi: A Rising Star in Global Tech
Originally from Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, Oyinlola’s rise as a leading figure in tech innovation has been nothing short of inspirational. As a highly skilled embedded systems engineer, Oluwatobi Oyinlola is also recognized as an IoT evangelist, inventor, and tech speaker. With deep expertise in embedded systems design, robotics, IoT, and firmware engineering, Oyinlola continues to break new ground in global tech circles.
His contributions to technology have received international recognition long before his record-breaking GPS achievement. Intel previously named him an “Intel Software Innovator,” spotlighting him as a representative of African innovation on global stages. He is also an active voice within the Internet of Things (IoT) Europe community, where he was featured on World IoT Day for using IoT solutions to address critical African challenges.
Oyinlola’s innovative spirit has taken him to prestigious international competitions. He once represented Africa at a Hackaday competition in San Francisco, USA, where he developed a lightning sensor capable of automatically detecting thunder strikes and logging data remotely. More recently, he has been involved in avionics research with rLoop Incorporated, a forward-thinking company pursuing the development of the Hyperloop—the ambitious transportation concept championed by Elon Musk.
The Problem Behind the Innovation
Fast-forward to his research work at MIT, Tobi identified an engineering challenge in GPS application. GPS devices were either simply too big, too heavy, or consumed too much power for certain applications. He realized that if GPS could be made tinier and more sophisticated, it would help facilitate more beneficial applications.
GPS devices are like maps that help you track your location or other people’s locations easily. Imagine a grandma with heart problems having this miniature GPS in a cutting-edge wearable that could monitor her heart and also send an alert to her doctor if anything goes awry. The GPS can help show exactly where she is, so that an ambulance can find her faster!
“I realized that if we wanted to embed GPS functionality into cutting-edge wearables, medical devices, or tiny sensors, we needed to dramatically shrink the technology,” Tobi explained. It’s the kind of problem that might seem obvious once someone points it out, but recognizing it and actually solving it are two very different things.
Most people would look at existing GPS technology and accept its limitations. Tobi looked at those same limitations and saw an opportunity to completely reimagine how GPS could work. “I was inspired by the endless possibilities a tiny GPS unit could unlock,” he said. “My goal was to develop a tracker so compact that it could be embedded in almost any object or device without compromising functionality.”
A Magic of Engineering?
What Tobi created is genuinely remarkable from an engineering perspective. His prototype features a custom-designed printed circuit board with an embedded antenna system that maintains full GPS functionality despite being smaller than your thumbprint.
But size isn’t the only impressive aspect. The device can receive GPS signals with precision, log comprehensive location data, and stream this information seamlessly via Bluetooth connectivity. To dramatically reduce the physical footprint of the GPS, a lot of sophisticated electronics had to be redesigned, miniaturized, integrated, and optimized.
To back it up, the verification process by Guinness World Records was as thorough as possible. The prototype underwent comprehensive evaluation by two independent engineers and an architect who verified its performance against established criteria.
Applications for the GPS
The potential applications for this breakthrough technology are enormous. In wildlife conservation, researchers have long struggled with tracking devices that interfere with animal behavior. Imagine a GPS tracker so small and lightweight that a bird wouldn’t even notice it, or a device that could track endangered species without affecting their natural movement patterns. That changes the game!
In healthcare, the possibilities are equally exciting. Medical devices could now incorporate GPS functionality without adding bulk that patients would find uncomfortable. Personal safety applications could include integration into jewelry, clothing, or everyday objects, providing location tracking capabilities that are completely invisible to potential threats.
The technology also opens doors for entirely new categories of smart devices and Internet of Things applications that were previously impossible due to size constraints. When GPS functionality can be embedded in almost anything without compromise, it fundamentally changes how we think about location-aware technology.
And in security—just say goodbye to searching for your lost car or pet.
A Nigerian Pride: Thanks to MIT
The achievement has garnered recognition and praise from the highest levels of Nigerian leadership, reflecting genuine national pride in Tobi’s accomplishment. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu celebrated the innovation as powerful evidence of Nigerian youth capability, writing on social media: “Congratulations, Oluwatobi, on this feat. You have just shown the world that Nigerian youth can!”
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, also shared his thoughts on Tobi’s accomplishment. He described it as “a powerful reflection of what is possible when young minds are nurtured and supported.” Dr. Tijani emphasized the broader implications: “As we empower more young innovators to break barriers and lead in cutting-edge technologies, we secure Nigeria’s rightful place on the global innovation map.”
Conclusion
For Tobi personally, the recognition represents something almost surreal. “Honestly, it feels incredible and a bit surreal,” he shared. “I’m extremely proud of the achievement and deeply honored to have my work recognized. It’s the kind of thing you dream about as a kid.”
Stories like Oluwatobi’s don’t come along every day. Indeed, it’s a significant breakthrough—for Nigeria, for MIT, and for the global tech community.
