IoT Micro-Blockchain Fundamentals.

Aristidis G Anagnostakis,Markos G Tsipouras,Nikolaos Giannakeas,Alexandros T Tzallas,Euripidis Glavas

doi:10.3390/s21082784

Aristidis G Anagnostakis, Markos G Tsipouras + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/s21082784

Copy DOI

Abstract

In this paper we investigate the essential minimum functionality of the autonomous blockchain, and the minimum hardware and software required to support it in the micro-scale in the IoT world. The application of deep-blockchain operation in the lower-level activity of the IoT ecosystem, is expected to bring profound clarity and constitutes a unique challenge. Setting up and operating bit-level blockchain mechanisms on minimal IoT elements like smart switches and active sensors, mandates pushing blockchain engineering to the limits. “How deep can blockchain actually go?” “Which is the minimum Thing of the IoT world that can actually deliver autonomous blockchain functionality?” To answer, an experiment based on IoT micro-controllers was set. The “Witness Protocol” was defined to set the minimum essential micro-blockchain functionality. The protocol was developed and installed on a peer, ad-hoc, autonomous network of casual, real-life IoT micro-devices. The setup was tested, benchmarked, and evaluated in terms of computational needs, efficiency, and collective resistance against malicious attacks. The leading considerations are highlighted, and the results of the experiment are presented. Findings are intriguing and prove that fully autonomous, private micro-blockchain networks are absolutely feasible in the smart dust world, utilizing the capacities of the existing low-end IoT devices.

Highlights

The IoT is expanding rapidly, based on billions of low-cost, low-end micro-devices [1].Establishing blockchain operations on every level in the IoT ecosystem is speedily becoming a field of intensive research activity, due to the unique operational clarity and collective immunity it delivers [2].Remarkable works in the field are coming to the light of publicity
Most of these works are presenting comparatively complex blockchain architectures of the “cryptocurrency type” that are built to operate on the “upper-levels” of IoT ecosystem
Our experiment proves in practice that micro-blockchains of basic functionality can be well-run in the micro-controller level on the current IoT devices

Summary

Introduction

The IoT is expanding rapidly, based on billions of low-cost, low-end micro-devices [1].Establishing blockchain operations on every level in the IoT ecosystem is speedily becoming a field of intensive research activity, due to the unique operational clarity and collective immunity it delivers [2].Remarkable works in the field are coming to the light of publicity. The IOTA cryptocurrency framework for sharing value in the IoT world through the Tangle IoT network is introduced in [5], while in [6] a private, domain specific PoS architecture for immune, structured data sharing over the cloud is analyzed Most of these works are presenting comparatively complex blockchain architectures of the “cryptocurrency type” that are built to operate on the “upper-levels” of IoT ecosystem. The majority of the IoT micro-devices are designed and utilized to carry out mostly trivial, automated tasks, such as gathering and sharing data from their environment In many applications they constitute the physical “access points” of the cloud to the real world. Identifying the minimum requirements for blockchain operation on smart dust micro-networks is essential

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion