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Tutorials

The role of the tutorials is to provide a platform for a more intensive scientific exchange amongst researchers interested in a particular topic and as a meeting point for the community. Tutorials complement the depth-oriented technical sessions by providing participants with broad overviews of emerging fields. A tutorial can be scheduled for 1.5 or 3 hours.

TUTORIALS LIST



The Use of the Blockchain to Support Cryptocurrencies and the Supply Chain


Editor-in-Chief

Gary Wills
University of Southampton
United Kingdom
 
Brief Bio
Gary Wills is an Associate Professor in Computer Science at the University of Southampton. He graduated from the University of Southampton with an Honours degree in Electromechanical Engineering, and then a PhD in Industrial Hypermedia Systems. He is a Chartered Engineer, a member of the Institute of Engineering Technology and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Educational Academy. He is also a visiting associate professor at the University of Cape Town and a research professor at RLabs. Gary's research centres around Secure System Engineering, focusing on Industrial systems, Cloud and IoT.
Duration

3-Hour

Expected Number of Participants

20-30

Abstract

The Blockchain provides a secure decentralized peer-to-peer network of distributed ledgers. The Blockchain has a strong cryptographic security layer, with each of the nodes having a record of the transactions in an immutable way making them difficult to hack and change the information recorded. The Blockchain can be used to support cryptocurrency, which in turn is a medium of exchange.  In addition to the trading of a digital asset, they can be used to represent real-world assets. As a result, Cryptocurrencies can be used in reward schemes as a means of rewarding people for work carried out, and these digital rewards are used to obtain real-world goods. Also, the same technology can be used to record the transitions and location of assists in the supply chain.

In this tutorial, we will present the background to the use of blockchain to provide a decentralized, peer-to-peer secure transaction mechanism, and the use of the virtual token to represent real-world assists.  We will present two cases studies the use of virtual currencies in a reward scheme to get unemployed youth back to work and an example of a supply chain case study.


Keywords

Cryptocurrency Blockchain, Bitcoin, Ethereum, smart contacts, and reward schemes.

Aims and Learning Objectives

- Understand the technical aspects of the blockchain
- Describe the use of blockchain to enable cryptocurrencies
- Explain the use of smart contracts on the blockchain.
- Describe practical applications of the blockchain.


Target Audience

The tutorial is aimed at those with no previous experience (or little experience) of using the blockchain. While the basic principle will be explored, we will not develop the mathematics or game theory aspects of cryptocurrencies, nor trading in cryptocurrencies.

Prerequisite Knowledge of Audience

No prerequisites are required for this tutorial.

Detailed Outline

Introduction to blockchain and distributed ledgers technology.
Outline Digital, virtual and cryptocurrencies
Introduction to Bitcoin and the Blockchain
Token Economies (coloured coins) to represent assets on the blockchain.
What is the role of Smart contracts and how they work
An example of a reward use of the blockchain for additive manufacture


Other relevant information

Scheme using Virtual currencies on Ethereum, called Zltos.



Secretariat Contacts
e-mail: complexis.secretariat@insticc.org

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