How can you get the most out of the network of payment terminals?

Question

Neural networks

Good afternoon!
The task is to optimize the functioning of the network of payment terminals.
There are almost 100 terminals at the entrance, the computing power of which is loaded at a meager percentage most of the time. There is a desire to use free capacities in such a way as to generate additional profit. Cryptocurrency mining, building a computing cloud or building a network for distributed computing are considered as options.
The question comes down to what to sharpen the network for, how to optimally reconfigure everything in order to get the maximum benefit, profit, return?
If anyone has experience with such use of resources, I will be glad for advice, calculations, tips and ideas.
Thank you in advance!

Answer 1

As for technical methods, nothing comes to mind. Giving wide public access to terminals (hosting sites, setting up a VPN or a proxy) is too risky for the security of the terminals themselves. To organize DDOS attacks, a wide channel is needed, which is hardly available to terminals. It is unlikely that Cuda GPUs are installed in the terminals. It will probably also fail to run lotteries and a brutal license is needed.
Is it possible to expand their functionality for the consumer?Sell ​​cryptocurrencies. Allow to buy the same things that people usually buy in their places of installation (cigarettes, groceries) cheaper than in this place. Partner with some local loyalty/discount program. Give people the opportunity to earn or save. To give schoolchildren the opportunity to earn pocket money by delivering products from the store to pensioners home. The terminal here will be able to play the role of an exchange of orders and printing coupons-checks.

Answer 2

Майнить на платежных терминалах - это неявная кража электроэнергии у арендодателя.
Средний доход от майнинга криптовалют уже давно гуляет вокруг 3х себестоимости электроэнергии (а точнее зависит от текущей стоимости спотовых инстансов amazon). Т.е. доход есть но он мизерный.
Железо в платежных терминалах очень и очень слабое, видеокарты нет, процессор целерон или атом, выдаст абстрактные пару попугаев, когда как десктопное железо с видеокартой выдаст пару сотен.
Но самое главное, терминалы не предназначены для продолжительной нагрузки, они будут греться, перегреваться и ломаться.