Using Blockchains for IoT
Why is everyone so interested in blockchain, and what does that interest mean for the Internet of Things? Blockchain is beginning to play a major part in the Internet of Things by enhancing security, enabling inclusion of low-value devices to be increasingly viable and making managing a device easier for decades to come.
Blockchain builds trust with accountability and transparency
Blockchain is a peer to peer distributed ledger technology for a new generation of transactional applications which maintains a continuously growing list of cryptographically secured data records hardened against tampering and revision. It can help establish trust, accountability and transparency while streamlining business processes.
With blockchain, we can reimagine the world’s most fundamental business interactions and open the door to invent new styles of digital interactions. This technology has the potential to vastly reduce the cost and complexity of operating businesses. The distributed ledger makes it easier to create cost-efficient business networks where virtually anything of value can be tracked and traded, without requiring a central point of control. The application of this emerging technology is showing great promise in the enterprise.
The next generation of transaction systems
IBM sees blockchain as the next generation of transaction systems. IBM Watson IoT blockchain offerings enables IoT devices to participate in transactions. Leveraging the Watson IoT Platform, we’re making it possible for information from devices such as RFID-based locations, barcode-scan events, or device-reported data to be used with IBM Blockchain. Devices will be able to communicate to blockchain-based ledgers to update or validate smart contracts. For example, as an IoT-connected package moves along multiple distribution points, the package location and temperature information could be updated on a blockchain. This allows all parties to share information and status of the package as it moves among multiple parties to ensure the terms of a contract are met.
There are 3 major value propositions for enterprises to take advantage of:
- Build trust – between the people and parties that transact together. Watson IoT blockchain enables devices to participate in transactions as a trusted party. While Person A may not know device B and may not trust it implicitly, the indelible record of transactions and data from devices stored on the blockchain provide proof and command the necessary trust for businesses and people to cooperate.
- Reduce costs – enable participants to reduce monetary and time commitment costs by ultimately removing the ‘middle man’ from the process. Transactions and device data are now exhibited on a peer to peer basis, removing most legal or contractual costs.
- Accelerate transactions – enable more transactions overall because the ‘middle man’ is removed from the process. Smart contracts allow for organizations to reduce time needed for completing legal or contractual commitments.
Blockchain for IoT can transform the way business transactions are conducted globally through a trustworthy environment to automate and encode business transactions while preserving enterprise level privacy and security for all parties in the transaction. IBM Watson IoT blockchain service offerings utilize smart contracts and enables information from IoT devices to be used in IBM Blockchain transactions. This allows IoT devices to be used in building solutions to help organizations improve operational efficiency, transform customer experience, and adopt new business models in a secure, private, and decentralized manner, so all participating organizations gain value.
