Blockchain-hosted data access agreements for remote condition monitoring in rail

Advances in sensor technologies, remote authentication, and high bandwidth data networks mean that Remote Condition Monitoring (RCM) systems are now an essential 'Internet of Things' (IoT) resource for the efficient operation of railway infrastructure. However, the full potential of the big data generated by these systems has yet to be realized. RCM data within the industry is typically collected and used in silos, with limited possibility of exploitation across system boundaries. In 2013, the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), on behalf of the GB Rail industry, established a cross-industry research program, T1010, which aimed to build stronger cooperation between stakeholders and enable sharing of RCM data. Building on the outputs of T1010, this work explores the use of blockchains and smart contracts in the automation, in an auditable and tamper-proof way, of commercial agreements for RCM data transfers in rail. By removing the limitations of paper-based agreements, we aim to enable innovation in shared business processes and stimulate the market for RCM data in rail. Leveraging existing smart contract-based schemes for trading and sharing IoT data over blockchain networks, we identify suitable methods for the enforcement of agreements, and ensure fair cost attribution between stakeholders, without a Trusted Third Party. The outline of a blockchain-based RCM data audit framework is presented, appropriate data access agreements and accounting models are specified in detail, and three permissioned blockchain platforms (Hyperledger Fabric, Sawtooth, and Iroha) have been analysed for their suitability for implementation. Finally, the paper outlines planned future work around validation of the tools based on two industrial use cases: monitoring systems for unattended overhead line equipment and axle bearings

Ensuring Logistics Integrity: An Ethereum Framework

In this study, we examine the potential benefits and difficulties of integrating blockchain technology based on Ethereum into logistics management systems. Our goal is to offer a thorough grasp of this technology's influence on the logistics sector by looking at its theoretical underpinnings and real-world implementations. Significant outcomes from our research include greater logistic transparency, real-time updates, increased security, and automation of contractual duties. These findings underscore the need to embrace innovation and create a legislative framework that facilitates the implementation of blockchain technology, with broad ramifications for logistics firms and legislators. Our study adds to the expanding corpus of information on the application of blockchain technology in logistics, offering insightful information to scholars, policymakers, and business professionals

Blockchain technology to secure data for digital twins throughout smart buildings’ life cycle in the context of the circular economy

Blockchain technology (BCT) can be leveraged for digital twins (DT) to enhance data security, collaboration, efficiency, and sustainability in the construction industry (CI) 4.0. This study aims to develop a novel technological framework and software architecture using BCT for DT throughout the lifecycle of smart building projects in the context of the circular economy (CE). The study identifies key challenges and technological factors affecting BCT adoption. It also identifies which project data types can benefit from BCT and the key factors and non-functional requirements (NFRs) necessary for the adoption of blockchain based digital twins (BCDT) in CI 4.0. The study finally proposes a software architecture and smart contract framework for BCDT decentralized applications (DApps) throughout the lifecycle of smart infrastructure projects. The study offers a technological framework – the decentralized digital twin cycle (DDTC) – with BCT to enhance trust, security, decentralization, efficiency, traceability, and transparency of information. The study found that the key data from the project lifecycle relevant for BCDTs relate to the BIM dimensions (3D, 4D, 5D, 6D, 7D, and 8D) and a novel contractual dimension (cD) is also proposed. Additionally, BCDT maturity Level 4 is proposed, leveraging BCT to enhance collaboration, process automation, and data sharing within a decentralized data value chain. The main NFRs for BCDTs are security, privacy, interoperability, data ownership, data integrity, and the decentralization and scalability of data storage. A five layered software architecture and a smart contracts framework using Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are offered to address key industry use cases and their functional and non-functional requirements. The framework narrows the gaps identified around network governance, scalability, decentralization, interoperability, energy efficiency, computational requirements, and the integration of BCT with IoT, BIM, and DT. A cost analysis permitted developing criteria to evaluate the suitability of blockchain networks for BCDT applications in CI 4.0 based on key blockchain properties (security, decentralization, scalability, and interoperability). The study provides an industry-specific analysis and technological approach for BCDT adoption to address key challenges and improve sustainability for the CI 4.0. The findings provide key building blocks for industry practitioners to adopt and develop BCDT DApps further. The framework enables a paradigm shift towards decentralized ecosystems of united BCDTs where trust, collaboration, data sharing, information security, efficiency, and sustainability are improved throughout the lifecycle of smart infrastructure projects within a decentralized CE (DCE)

On the Convergence of Blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) Technologies

The Internet of Things (IoT) technology will soon become an integral part of our daily lives to facilitate the control and monitoring of processes and objects and revolutionize the ways that human interacts with the physical world. For all features of IoT to become fully functional in practice, there are several obstacles on the way to be surmounted and critical challenges to be addressed. These include, but are not limited to cybersecurity, data privacy, energy consumption, and scalability. The Blockchain decentralized nature and its multi-faceted procedures offer a useful mechanism to tackle several of these IoT challenges. However, applying the Blockchain protocols to IoT without considering their tremendous computational loads, delays, and bandwidth overhead can let to a new set of problems. This review evaluates some of the main challenges we face in the integration of Blockchain and IoT technologies and provides insights and high-level solutions that can potentially handle the shortcomings and constraints of both IoT and Blockchain technologies.Comment: Includes 11 Pages, 3 Figures, To publish in Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability for issue JSIS 14(1

A Model For Improving Ethics In Construction Materials And Products Supply Chain Using Blockchain

There are countless materials and products that make up a building, including cladding, glazing, roofing, floors, ceilings, systems, etc., and the hidden and fragmented structure of the supply chain makes it highly vulnerable to several forms of ethical breaches at different tiers. Consumers also are increasingly concerned about where the products they are buying come from, highlighting important areas of concern that include the ethical, environmental, and social issues. Whereas current research identifies digitalization as a key part of providing transparency and increasing fairness in supply chains, and blockchain technology is lauded as having the potential to deliver this. However, while there has been a growing emphasis on ethics in construction in recent years, and an increase in studies around blockchain, there remains a paucity of studies related to how blockchain may help to improve the environmental and social dimensions of ethics in construction supply chains. A gap that this study fills through a holistic triple bottom line (TBL) approach. To achieve this, the study aims to develop and validate a model for improving ethics in construction materials and products supply chains (CMPSC) following the TBL construct using blockchain technology. The study also explores the current state of ethics in the CMPSC and the implementations of blockchain for ethics and applies the learnings to develop a conceptual model to improve environmental, social and business ethics in the CMPSC using blockchain. The model was then refined and validated via a dual-phase validation protocol consisting of expert interviews and focus group discussions. A total of 30 participants participated in this study, this comprised of 16 construction industry supply chain professionals, 10 professionals in the ethics/ sustainability in construction and 4 blockchain technology experts. NVivo 12 was utilised to thematically analyse both the interviews and the focus group data. This approach was utilised to investigate the data from both a data-driven perspective (a perspective based on coding in an inductive way); and from the research question perspective (to check if the data is consistent with the research questions and if it provides sufficient information). The 30 interviews resulted in 4 high-level themes, 15 mid-level themes and 28 low-level themes, with the total number of codes within the themes being 721. The analysis of the focus group data resulted in 3 high-level themes and 10 mid-level themes, bringing the total number of codes within all themes to 74. Results from this study revealed that the effectiveness of current ethical measures in the CMPSC has been limited due to weak implementation and compliance, the inability of the government to play its role, and the outright denial of unethical practises within supply chains. Results also show that even though greater emphasis is placed on the business component of ethics while the environmental or social component may only receive as much attention if it can be monetised or if it is demanded; nonetheless, the current state of ethics in the CMPSC remains weak across the three dimensions examined. Further results show that while blockchain may help improve ethics in the CMPSC, in addition to the transparency and digitization that technology provides, the need for education and the upholding of personal ethical values by supply chain players are key to the success of both current and new ethical supply chain initiatives. Individuals must first be made ethically aware in order to act ethically; only then may the implementation of a technological tool prosper. The main contribution of this study to knowledge is the development of a model for improving ethics in the CMPSC within the TBL construct through blockchain technology. The model developed in this study provides practical clarity on how blockchain may be implemented within fragmented supply chains and a significant understanding of a socio-technical approach to addressing the issue of ethics within construction supply chains. It also has a vital role in helping the intended users and actors improve their knowledge of the technology and how blockchain can help to improve ethics in the CMPSC and also understand their roles and responsibilities on the network, thereby providing a framework and prerequisite guidance for the Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) providers in the development of the computer model (blockchain network). The findings of this thesis demonstrate new insights and contribute to the existing body of knowledge by further advancing the discussion on the role of the blockchain in the construction industry

Distributed Space Traffic Management Solutions with Emerging New Space Industry

Day-to-day services, from weather forecast to logistics, rely on space-based infrastructures whose integrity is crucial to stakeholders and end-users worldwide. Current trends point towards congestion of the near-Earth space environment increasing at a rate greater than existing systems support, and thus demand novel cost-efficient approaches to traffic detection, characterization, tracking, and management to ensure space remains a safe, integral part of societies and economies worldwide. Whereas machine-learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) have been extensively proposed to address congestion and alleviate big-data problems of the future, little has been done so far to tackle the need for transnational coordination and conflict-resolution in the context of space traffic management (STM). In STM, there is an ever-growing need for distributing information and coordinating actions (e.g., avoidance manoeuvres) to reduce the operational costs borne by individual entities and to decrease the latencies of actionable responses taken upon the detection of hazardous conditions by one-to-two orders of magnitude. However, these needs are not exclusive to STM, as evidenced by the widespread adoption of solutions to distributing, coordinating, and automating actions in other industries such as air traffic management (ATM), where a short-range airborne collision avoidance system (ACAS) automatically coordinates evasive manoeuvres whenever a conjunction is detected. Within this context, this paper aims at establishing a roadmap of promising technologies (e.g., blockchain), protocols and processes that could be adapted from different domains (railway, automotive, aerial, and maritime) to build an integrated traffic coordination and communication architecture to simplify and harmonise stakeholders’ satellite operations. This paper is organised into seven sections. First, Section 1 introduces the problem of STM, highlighting its complexity. Following this introduction, Section 2 discusses needs and requirements of various stakeholders such as commercial operators, space situational awareness (SSA) service providers, launch-service providers, satellite and constellation owners, governmental agencies, regulators, and insurance companies. Then, Section 3 addresses existing gaps and challenges in STM, focusing on globally coordinated approaches. Next, Section 4 reviews technologies for distributed, secure, and persistent communications, and proposed solutions to address some of these challenges from non-space sectors. Thereafter, Section 5 briefly covers the history of STM proposals and presents the state-of-the-art solution being proposed for modern STM. Following this review, Section 6 devises a step-by-step plan for exploiting and deploying some of the identified technologies within a five-to-ten-year timeline to close several existing gaps. Finally, Section 7 concludes the paper