ECDSA-secured blockchain architecture for interoperable healthcare in the Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT)

Abstract

ABSTRACT The ever-growing Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT) in healthcare settings introduces new challenges in securing sensitive patient data. Existing communication networks within IoRT environments are vulnerable to security breaches. This paper proposes an ECDSA-secured blockchain architecture specifically designed to address these challenges. A key innovation is the implementation of a private blockchain network on ZedBoard development boards for access control and data integrity verification. IoT devices collect patient health data, which is then securely transmitted to a Mobius server for storage, minimizing resource impact on ZedBoards. To further strengthen the security framework, the architecture integrates the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) with Radix- 2 w optimizations. These optimizations result in a 28% reduction in CPU usage and an 8.96% reduction in memory usage, significantly enhancing cryptographic performance. Practical implementation validates the effectiveness of the proposed approach, providing a robust solution for securing IoRT networks. This research offers valuable insights for industries reliant on the seamless integration of IoT and robotics and concludes with key findings and future research directions, including exploring energy-efficient cryptographic protocols, enhancing scalability through advanced consensus mechanisms, and developing user-friendly interfaces for managing IoRT networks.