CryptoComes Original Article
Prominent cryptographer William Buchanan, OBE, a professor in the School of Computing at Edinburgh Napier University and a member of IOTA's Research Council, has published the concept of the smart city based on a "citizen first" approach. What is special about this new scheme?
Citizen at the center
According to Prof. Buchanan's latest Medium post, his Blockpass ID Lab at Edinburgh Napier University has received funding for two ground-breaking, pioneering "smart city" projects. Both are the results of a decades-long research process. The protection of citizens' right to control and utilize their own data is a top priority for these programs.
The core principal scheme of the projects is dubbed "GLASS," or "sinGLe sign-on egovernAnce paradigm based on a distributed file exchange network for Security, transparency, cost effectiveness and truSt."
GLASS emphasizes security, reproducibility and value generation for all participants as a backbone focus area for its developers. Besides blockchain and related distributed ledger solutions, the new system will harness opportunities provided by machine learning, big data, artificial intelligence, bots and so on.
The principles of digital-by-default storage and cross-system interoperability will guarantee a seamless user experience without sacrificing data integrity and security.
The second project by Prof. Buchanan includes the prototype for UK citizens' integration into smart city infrastructure.
Launch of GLASS is on the menu
The infographic added by Prof. Buchanan confirms that many blockchain-based elements will be used in GLASS' smart cities. Each citizen will operate a wallet connected to Ledger API, dApps hierarchy, smart contracts and AI environments.
Major documents will be stored and processed by the Inter-Planetary File System, a censorship-resistant decentralized data solution.
If needed, the system can interact with an external point of centralization. The team of project partners includes the governmental bodies of Greece, Luxembourg, Portugal and Turkey, as well as research entities in Europe.
Prof. Buchanan added that the GLASS program starts in 2021, so his lab invites all developers to contribute to this cutting-edge workload.
As covered by CryptoComes previously, Prof. Buchanan, together with IOTA's chief researcher, Serguei Popov, authored an Elsevier-indexed article on Coordicide, the process of eliminating centralized data processors from IOTA's DLT.
