Zero Knowledge Protocols

In this day and age, it is commonplace to spend part of our day on the Internet. Whether to check e-mail, purchase goods, manage a bank account, or merely browse interesting sites, we rely on certain security measures to keep personal information safe from unwanted outsiders. Within the field of cryptography there are many techniques and algorithms that have provided top-notch security for our methods of communication today, yet as technology advances and as loopholes are found, we are constantly looking for novel ways to protect our information. Introduced approximately 25 years ago by Goldwasser, Micali, and Rackoff, zero knowledge protocols seek to do just that. This paper will explore these protocols, their application to NP-complete problems (problems with no efficient way of finding a solution), and their use in modern day cryptosystems

Where's My Bus Stop? Supporting Independence of Blind Transit Riders with StopInfo

ABSTRACT Locating bus stops, particularly in unfamiliar areas, can present challenges to people who are blind or low vision. At the same time, new information technology such as smart phones and mobile devices have enabled them to undertake a much greater range of activities with increased indepen dence. We focus on the intersection of these issues. We developed and deployed StopInfo, a system for public tran sit riders that provides very detailed information about bus stops with the goal of helping riders find and verify bus stop locations. We augmented internal information from a major transit agency in the Seattle area with information entered by the community, primarily as they waited at these stops. Additionally, we conducted a five week field study with six blind and low vision participants to gauge usage patterns and determine values related to independent travel. We found that StopInfo was received positively and is generally usable. Furthermore, the system supports tenets of indepen dence; participants took public transit trips that they might not have attempted otherwise. Lastly, an audit of bus stops in three Seattle neighborhoods found that information from both the transit agency and the community was accurate