The Technology Behind ZetoChain
The key to the success of ZetoChain will be the stable and efficient technology on which it is built. We’re in a good position, as our existing tried-and-tested Zeto hardware system and platform will form the foundation of ZetoChain. This means that we have a head-start on other companies who are trying to bring blockchain-based cold chain monitoring to market.
Data from sensors along the cold chain flows to the cloud gateway, and then on to our high performance proprietary data processor, Stream.
Stream uses a batch service to group readings together, then updates the smart contract with a hash of the readings, a URI of their location, and a state variable that indicates whether the product is safe or unsafe.
Stream then checks for unsafe product temperatures or unsafe product environmental factors (e.g. open doors on a delivery vehicle), using the parameters in the cache cluster. If either are found, a message is sent to the alarm services cluster, and the relevant users are alerted via their chosen contact method.
If the unsafe product handling issue is not resolved within the timeframe specified in the smart contract, the contract service marks the smart contract as unsafe, and the relevant users are notified. The product is then disposed of, as the next user in the chain is not able to accept delivery of the product. If the safety issue happens in-store, the point-of-sale system prohibits the sale of the affect products.
The contract service stores the batched readings on the public reading store. A consumer can retrieve these readings when they scan the product before purchasing or consuming the product.
Frontend
We’re developing two mobile apps. Both will be available on Android and iOS. The first will build on the existing Zeto UI and will be available for cold chain participants, for example, those involved in the packaging and distribution of products, and retailers. The second app will be available for consumers of ZetoChain-monitored products. We’ll explain more about these apps in an upcoming blog post.
A note on agnostic delivery
We believe in making the technology that we use (the hardware, data storage, the blockchain platform, etc.) agnostic where possible, to allow for widespread integration and flexible application of ZetoChain. To quickly bring ZetoChain to market, the first release will use the Ethereum blockchain and the data stores that we use with our existing platform. However, in future releases we aim to include support for alternative blockchains, such as NEO, and alternative data stores, such as Fluence and IPFS.
Coming up…
Remember to check back here regularly as we continue to post about ZetoChain, including the two apps that we’re developing for users of ZetoChain.
Originally published at www.zeto.ie on April 24, 2018.
