Blocktrain

Wed Aug 01 2018

tags: project

Blockchain train diorama (Blocktrain)

June 2018 -- Aug 2018

Tech stack: Hyperledger Fabric/Composer, Node.js, JavaScript

After obtaining buy-in from senior management, I conceptualised and led a project that persuades industry leaders to adopt blockchain in their companies.

The project is a fully-automated blockchain demonstrator for supply chain management. It showcases how blockchain technology can be adopted in the supply chain.

To this end, I've built an automated train diorama, and three other components:

1. Model train diorama with IoT sensors (to showcase the system in action)
2. Blockchain (powered by Hyperledger)
3. Real-time blockchain visualisation
4. Asset tracker (good viewer) that works on any mobile device

Here's how it works. On the train are shipping containers with QR codes pasted on them. Scanning each QR code will pull up the asset tracker, a webpage that gives the real-time location and previous provenance of the good --- all stored immutably on the blockchain. As the train pulls up to a station, the goods are unloaded and sent to a different location (absent a robotic arm, I'm afraid one has to use his imagination for this).

When this happens, each shipping container will update its location automatically. This is stored on the blockchain. I also built a blockchain visualisation so we can see new blocks being added in real-time.

I've written a more extensive writeup about the project here, where I go into further detail.

Built with Hyperledger, Node.js, and HTML Canvas.