Oracles compliant to metrology standards

Project Description

Although various concepts exist for applying the blockchain technology to “real-world” data, there is a remaining weakness of the starting point, i.e. the question is – how to ensure that data measured by IoT devices is trustworthy, not tampered with, not erroneous, not fake?

To answer this question the proposal (Metroracle) focuses on adopting well-defined metrology standards (e.g.  WELMEC 7.2 Software Guide, WELMEC 7.3 Reference Architecture, OIML D 31 General requirements for software-controlled measuring instruments, and sensor-related standards like IEEE 2700-2017 and IEEE P1451.99) for use in IoT applications supported by blockchain technology. This is enabled by the fact that globally accepted metrology standards are proven pillars of traceability of measurement results and trust in the metrology system in general and present a perfect fit for untrustworthy IoT devices.

Accordingly, Metroracle will include:

• defining the overall system architecture of the proposed solution and the functional specification of each key component and infrastructure
• defining the scope of integration of existing and/or new IoT devices with the proposed system
• deploying smart contracts in the blockchain realm that will identify and verify the level of compliance of IoT devices/oracles with the metrology standards
• defining Metroracle token as an incentive for the community (IoT users, IoT manufacturers, etc.)
• validating the proposed concept by IoT device prototype fully compliant and integrated with the proposed system architecture

The aforementioned approach is in line with the digital transformation of metrology, which is a hot topic nowadays. This is evident from the activities of the most relevant global metrology institutions:

• Joint Statement of Intent “On the digital transformation in the international scientific and quality infrastructure”
• CIPM initiative ”Transforming the International System of Units for a Digital World”:
• IMEKO’s Technical Committee “Digitalization” (TC6)

Decentralized with smart contract and blockchain technology, the proposed trust infrastructure would present a crucial step also toward a fully functional market of offline/measured data, accommodating different levels of trust and value in accordance with the relevant metrology standards.

Goals

Project goals:

• define the overall system architecture of the proposed solution and the functional specification of each key component and infrastructure
• define the scope of integration of existing and/or new IoT devices with the proposed system
• deploy smart contracts in the blockchain realm that will identify and verify the level of compliance of IoT devices/oracles with the metrology standards
• define Metroracle token as an incentive for the community (IoT users, IoT manufacturers, etc.)
• validate the proposed concept by IoT device prototype fully compliant and integrated with the proposed system architecture

Team

Kruno Miličević, Random Red (https://randomred.eu/)
Team lead; Senior researcher (metrology, encryption)

 

Davor Vinko, Random Red (https://randomred.eu/)
Senior researcher (hardware, encryption)

 

Goran Horvat, Base58 (https://www.base58.hr/en/)
Research advisor (blockchain, IoT)

 

Marko Vukobratović, Base58 (https://www.base58.hr/en/)

Research advisor (blockchain, power measurement)

 

Ivica Lukić
Senior researcher (software, blockchain)

 

Mirko Kohler
Senior researcher (software, blockchain)

Blockchain experience

Based on the rich experience of Base58 gained through EU-funded projects (https://www.base58.hr/en/eu-projects/) and on concepts developed and discussed by the whole team in the area of applied blockchain technology:

• Trust Model Concept for IoT Blockchain Applications as Part of the Digital Transformation of Metrology (scientific paper)
• Possible Blockchain Solutions According to a Smart City Digitalization Strategy (scientific paper)
• Application of blockchain in metrology – a look down the pyramid (IEEE lecture, in Croatian)
• Blockchain for the digital transformation of metrology (keynote lecture at an IMEKO conference)

we have identified a synergy between the ongoing process of digital transformation of metrology and blockchain technology as a promising research field with great commercialization potential. Namely, the digital transformation of metrology has specific requests:

• Contain all relevant information for customers to gain trust and confidence in the products and services
• Provide machine-readable information about relevant standards and regulations
• Enable automation of processes
• Secured and validated to provide access to information only to eligible parties

The listed requests are fulfilled through key properties of blockchain technology: transparency, immutability, smart contracts and cryptography.

Boosted by this synergy, after the successful completion of the project, the future goals include:

• up-scaling the developed solution for the level of international systems for trust and traceability of measurement results through national measurement institutes and international metrology associations (OIML, IMEKO, etc.)
• establish a fully functional market of offline/measured data, with different levels of trust (and value), according to the level of MS compliance.