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Blockchain Technology—a Breakthrough Innovation for Modern Industries

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A special issue of Computers (ISSN 2073-431X). This special issue belongs to the section "Blockchain Infrastructures and Enabled Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2024 | Viewed by 17884

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nino Adamashvili

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Department of Economics, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
Interests: blockchain technology; innovation; agriculture; supply chain; food and beverage; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Caterina Tricase

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Department of Economics, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy
Interests: blockchain technology; innovation; agriculture; economics; business; supply chain; sustainability
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Prof. Dr. Otar Zumburidze

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Faculty of Informatics and Control Systems, Georgian Technical University, Tbilisi 0162, Georgia
Interests: blockchain technology; network security and network management; large-scale security monitoring; VoIP security; adaptive security mechanisms

Prof. Dr. Radu State

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Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT), University of Luxembourg, 1855 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Interests: blockchain technology; network security; artificial intelligence; machine learning; data management; data processing; big data systems
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Prof. Dr. Roberto Tonelli

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Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Interests: blockchain; smart contracts; complex software systems; software engineering; software metrics
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Blockchain technology (BCT), the first decentralized technology originally developed for cryptocurrency mining, has benefited various areas. It has the potential to solve the problem of data reliability, transparency, and traceability, thus guaranteeing the trustworthiness of information (Adamashvili et al., 2021) as well as its immutability (Caro et al., 2018). Thanks to its unique characteristics, BCT is capable of fundamentally transforming the businesses (Weking et al., 2020), governmental systems (Allessie et al., 2019), and being of society (Ravishankar and Kavitha, 2022).

On the other hand, different areas and industries have different needs. Thus, in order to meet their requirements, BCT needed to adapt some features (Adamashvili et al., 2022). As a result, it is evolving over time, and new types of BCTs are created. For instance, “smart contracts” are developed for better managing contractual terms, automizing and speeding up certain activities (Khan et al., 2021). Additionally, consortium and private BCTs are separated from classical fully decentralized public blockchain in order to improve authorization and authentication processes, eliminate the problem of privacy, and reduce the latency in the transaction processes (Malik et al., 2019). The technical aspects of BCT are also being continuously strengthened to make this technology more resistant towards attacks (Idrees et al., 2021).

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect high-quality articles dealing with the challenges and prospective applications of BCT in different industries, discussing technical characteristics of this technology as well as the need for further development in order to fasten its wide adoption. Therefore, authors from all fields are encouraged to submit original, previously unpublished papers based on topics including, but not limited to, the following:

Blockchain technology
Scalability of blockchain
Interoperability of blockchain
Security and trust
Reliability of blockchain-based systems
Smart contracts
BCT and IoT integration.
Blockchain-based big data solutions
Blockchain-enabled sustainable development
Blockchain application in business/supply chain/healthcare/finance/travel and transport
Blockchain technology under regulation

References

Adamashvili, N.; State, R.; Tricase, C.; Fiore, M. Blockchain-Based Wine Supply Chain for the Industry Advancement. Sustainability 2021, 13, 13070. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313070.
Adamashvili, N.; Zumburidze, O.; Fiore, M. Blockchain and Supply Chain Integration: Needs, Benefits, Challenges and Future Perspective. In Proceedings of the 17th international conference on Social Innovations for Sustainable Regional Development, Klaipėda, Lithuania, 28–29 April 2022.
Allessie, D.; Sobolewski, M.; Vaccari, L.; Pignatelli, F. Blockchain for digital government. Available online: https://www.mafr.fr/media/assets/publications/blockchain-for-digital-government-2019.pdf (accessed on 20 September 2023).
Caro, M.P.; Ali, M.S.; Vecchio, M.; Giaffreda, R. Blockchain-based traceability in agri-food supply chain management: A practical implementation. In Proceedings of the 2018 IoT Vertical and Topical Summit on Agriculture-Tuscany (IOT Tuscany), Tuscany, Italy, 8–9 May 2018; pp. 1–4.
Idrees S.M.; Nowostawski M.; Jameel R.; Mourya A.K. Security Aspects of Blockchain Technology Intended for Industrial Applications. Electronics 2021, 10, 951. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics10080951
Khan, S.N.; Loukil, F.; Ghedira-Guegan, C.; Benkhelifa, E.; Bani-Hani, A. Blockchain smart contracts: Applications, challenges, and future trends. Peer-to-Peer Netw. Appl. 2021, 14, 2901–2925. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12083-021-01127-0
Malik, S.; Dedeoglu, V.; Kanhere, S. S.; Jurdak, R. TrustChain: Trust management in blockchain and iot supported supply chains. In the Proceedings 2019 2nd IEEE International Conference on Blockchain, Blockchain 2019, Atlanta, GA, USA, 14–17 July 2019; pp 184–193. https://doi.org/10.1109/Blockchain.2019.00032
Ravishankar, C.V.; Kavitha, K.S. Blockchain Applications that are Transforming the Society. In Convergence of Internet of Things and Blockchain Technologies. 2022 EAI/Springer Innovations in Communication and Computing. Gururaj, H.L., Ravi Kumar, V., Goundar, S., Elngar, A.A., Swathi, B.H. Eds. Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76216-2_2
Weking, J.; Mandalenakis, M.; Hein, A.; Hermes, S.; Böhm, M.; Krcmar, H. The impact of blockchain technology on business models – a taxonomy and archetypal patterns. ElectronMark. 2020, 30, 285–305. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-019-00386-3

Dr. Nino Adamashvili
Prof. Dr. Caterina Tricase
Prof. Dr. Otar Zumburidze
Prof. Dr. Radu State
Prof. Dr. Roberto Tonelli
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Computers is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

blockchain technology
smart contracts
IoT
big data
innovation
sustainability
business
supply chain
healthcare
finance
travel
transportation
policy

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 1329 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Blockchain Integration and Its Impact on Renewable Energy

by Hamed Taherdoost

Computers 2024, 13(4), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers13040107 - 22 Apr 2024

Viewed by 280

Abstract

This paper investigates the evolving landscape of blockchain technology in renewable energy. The study, based on a Scopus database search on 21 February 2024, reveals a growing trend in scholarly output, predominantly in engineering, energy, and computer science. The diverse range of source types and global contributions, led by China, reflects the interdisciplinary nature of this field. This comprehensive review delves into 33 research papers, examining the integration of blockchain in renewable energy systems, encompassing decentralized power dispatching, certificate trading, alternative energy selection, and management in applications like intelligent transportation systems and microgrids. The papers employ theoretical concepts such as decentralized power dispatching models and permissioned blockchains, utilizing methodologies involving advanced algorithms, consensus mechanisms, and smart contracts to enhance efficiency, security, and transparency. The findings suggest that blockchain integration can reduce costs, increase renewable source utilization, and optimize energy management. Despite these advantages, challenges including uncertainties, privacy concerns, scalability issues, and energy consumption are identified, alongside legal and regulatory compliance and market acceptance hurdles. Overcoming resistance to change and building trust in blockchain-based systems are crucial for successful adoption, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts among industry stakeholders, regulators, and technology developers to unlock the full potential of blockchains in renewable energy integration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blockchain Technology—a Breakthrough Innovation for Modern Industries)

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25 pages, 1648 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Integration of the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, and Blockchain Technology for Advancing the Wine Supply Chain

by Nino Adamashvili, Nino Zhizhilashvili and Caterina Tricase

Computers 2024, 13(3), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers13030072 - 08 Mar 2024

Viewed by 1502

Abstract

The study presents a comprehensive examination of the recent advancements in the field of wine production using the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Blockchain Technology (BCT). The paper aims to provide insights into the implementation of these technologies in the wine supply chain and to identify the potential benefits associated with their use. The study highlights the various applications of IoT, AI, and BCT in wine production, including vineyard management, wine quality control, and supply chain management. It also discusses the potential benefits of these technologies, such as improved efficiency, increased transparency, and reduced costs. The study concludes by presenting the framework proposed by the authors in order to overcome the challenges associated with the implementation of these technologies in the wine supply chain and suggests areas for future research. The proposed framework meets the challenges of lack of transparency, lack of ecosystem management in the wine industry and irresponsible spending associated with the lack of monitoring and prediction tools. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the potential of IoT, AI, and BCT in optimizing the wine supply chain and offers a comprehensive review of the existing literature on the study subject. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blockchain Technology—a Breakthrough Innovation for Modern Industries)

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25 pages, 2717 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Towards Blockchain-Integrated Enterprise Resource Planning: A Pre-Implementation Guide

by Lahlou Imane, Motaki Noureddine, Sarsri Driss and L’yarfi Hanane

Computers 2024, 13(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers13010011 - 26 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1901

Abstract

In the face of numerous challenges in supply chain management, new technologies are being implemented to overcome obstacles and improve overall performance. Among these technologies, blockchain, a part of the distributed ledger family, offers several advantages when integrated with ERP systems, such as transparency, traceability, and data security. However, blockchain remains a novel, complex, and costly technology. The purpose of this paper is to guide decision-makers in determining whether integrating blockchain technology with ERP systems is appropriate during the pre-implementation phase. This paper focuses on the literature reviews, theories, and expert opinions to achieve its objectives. It first provides an overview of blockchain technology, then discusses its potential benefits to the supply chain, and finally proposes a framework to assist decision-makers in determining whether blockchain meets the needs of their consortium and whether this integration aligns with available resources. The results highlight the complexity of blockchain, the importance of detailed and in-depth research in deciding whether to integrate blockchain technology into ERP systems, and future research prospects. The findings of this article also present the critical decisions to be made prior to the implementation of blockchain, in the event that decision-makers choose to proceed with blockchain integration. The findings of this article augment the existing literature and can be applied in real-world contexts by stakeholders involved in blockchain integration projects with ERP systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blockchain Technology—a Breakthrough Innovation for Modern Industries)

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22 pages, 1700 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Performance Comparison of Directed Acyclic Graph-Based Distributed Ledgers and Blockchain Platforms

by Felix Kahmann, Fabian Honecker, Julian Dreyer, Marten Fischer and Ralf Tönjes

Computers 2023, 12(12), 257; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers12120257 - 09 Dec 2023

Viewed by 2371

Abstract

Since the introduction of the first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, in 2008, the gain in popularity of distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) has led to an increasing demand and, consequently, a larger number of network participants in general. Scaling blockchain-based solutions to cope with several thousand transactions per second or with a growing number of nodes has always been a desirable goal for most developers. Enabling these performance metrics can lead to further acceptance of DLTs and even faster systems in general. With the introduction of directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) as the underlying data structure to store the transactions within the distributed ledger, major performance gains have been achieved. In this article, we review the most prominent directed acyclic graph platforms and evaluate their key performance indicators in terms of transaction throughput and network latency. The evaluation aims to show whether the theoretically improved scalability of DAGs also applies in practice. For this, we set up multiple test networks for each DAG and blockchain framework and conducted broad performance measurements to have a mutual basis for comparison between the different solutions. Using the transactions per second numbers of each technology, we created a side-by-side evaluation that allows for a direct scalability estimation of the systems. Our findings support the fact that, due to their internal, more parallelly oriented data structure, DAG-based solutions offer significantly higher transaction throughput in comparison to blockchain-based platforms. Although, due to their relatively early maturity state, fully DAG-based platforms need to further evolve in their feature set to reach the same level of programmability and spread as modern blockchain platforms. With our findings at hand, developers of modern digital storage systems are able to reasonably determine whether to use a DAG-based distributed ledger technology solution in their production environment, i.e., replacing a database system with a DAG platform. Furthermore, we provide two real-world application scenarios, one being smart grid communication and the other originating from trusted supply chain management, that benefit from the introduction of DAG-based technologies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blockchain Technology—a Breakthrough Innovation for Modern Industries)

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22 pages, 1196 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Hard-Timeliness Blockchain-Based Contract Signing Protocol

by Josep-Lluis Ferrer-Gomila and M. Francisca Hinarejos

Computers 2023, 12(12), 246; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers12120246 - 24 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1198

Abstract

In this article, we present the first proposal for contract signing based on blockchain that meets the requirements of fairness, hard-timeliness, and bc-optimism. The proposal, thanks to the use of blockchain, does not require the use of trusted third parties (TTPs), thus avoiding a point of failure and the problem of signatories having to agree on a TTP that is trusted by both. The presented protocol is fair because it is designed such that no honest signatory can be placed at a disadvantage. It meets the hard-timeliness requirement because both signatories can end the execution of the protocol at any time they wish. Finally, the proposal is bc-optimistic because blockchain functions are only executed in case of exception (and not in each execution of the protocol), with consequent savings when working with public blockchains. No previous proposal simultaneously met these three requirements. In addition to the above, this article clarifies the concept of timeliness, which previously has been defined in a confusing way (starting with the authors who used the term for the first time). We conducted a security review that allowed us to verify that our proposal meets the desired requirements. Furthermore, we provide the specifications of a smart contract designed for the Ethereum blockchain family and verified the economic feasibility of the proposal, ensuring it can be aligned with the financial requirements of different scenarios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blockchain Technology—a Breakthrough Innovation for Modern Industries)

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17 pages, 429 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Securing Financial Transactions with a Robust Algorithm: Preventing Double-Spending Attacks

by Hasan Hashim, Ahmad Reda Alzighaibi, Amaal Farag Elessawy, Ibrahim Gad, Hatem Abdul-Kader and Asmaa Elsaid

Computers 2023, 12(9), 171; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers12090171 - 28 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1140

Abstract

A zero-confirmation transaction is a transaction that has not yet been confirmed on the blockchain and is not yet part of the blockchain. The network propagates zero-confirmation transactions quickly, but they are not secured against double-spending attacks. In this study, the proposed method is used to secure zero-confirmation transactions by using the security hashing algorithm 512 in elliptic curve cryptography (ECDSA) instead of the security hashing algorithm 256. This is to generate a cryptographic identity to secure the transactions in zero-confirmation transactions instead of security hashing algorithm 256. The results show that SHA-512 is greater than SHA-256 in throughput. Additionally, SHA-512 offers better throughput performance than SHA-256 while also having a larger hash size. Results also show that SHA-512 is more secure than SHA-256. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blockchain Technology—a Breakthrough Innovation for Modern Industries)

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Review

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42 pages, 969 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review of Blockchain’s Role in E-Commerce Transactions: Open Challenges, and Future Research Directions

by Latifa Albshaier, Seetah Almarri and M. M. Hafizur Rahman

Computers 2024, 13(1), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers13010027 - 17 Jan 2024

Viewed by 8086

Abstract

The Internet’s expansion has changed how the services accessed and businesses operate. Blockchain is an innovative technology that emerged after the rise of the Internet. In addition, it maintains transactions on encrypted databases that are distributed among many computer networks, much like digital ledgers for online transactions. This technology has the potential to establish a decentralized marketplace for Internet retailers. Sensitive information, like customer data and financial statements, should be routinely transferred via e-commerce. As a result, the system becomes a prime target for cybercriminals seeking illegal access to data. As e-commerce increases, so does the frequency of hacker attacks that raise concerns about the safety of e-commerce platforms’ databases. Owing to the sensitivity of customer data, employee records, and customer records, organizations must ensure their protection. A data breach not only affects an enterprise’s financial performance but also erodes clients’ confidence in the platform. Currently, e-commerce businesses face numerous challenges, including the security of the e-commerce system, transparency and trust in its effectiveness. A solution to these issues is the application of blockchain technology in the e-commerce industry. Blockchain technology simplifies fraud detection and investigation by recording transactions and accompanying data. Blockchain technology enables transaction tracking by creating a detailed record of all the related data, which can assist in identifying and preventing fraud in the future. Using blockchain cryptocurrency will record the sender’s address, recipient’s address, amount transferred, and timestamp, which creates an immutable and transparent ledger of all transaction data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blockchain Technology—a Breakthrough Innovation for Modern Industries)

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