M2M Economy — Smart Machine Agents

Delivering tangible, working blockchain prototypes

Every human has 3 smart devices on average today! When the next World Expo 2020 starts in Dubai this ratio will have increased to 4:1. Adding another 5 years, researchers predict it to grow even to 10:1…

Smart phones, smart watches, smart cities… the growing number of devices is supposed to make our life easier, better and more enjoyable. Facing reality the effect can be quite the opposite. No matter how smart these devices are, we still have to manage most of them, dedicate our time to keep everything up to date and synchronised. Of course there are also devices and apps to help you with that, which almost seems like fighting fire with kerosine.

We have to think about the basic design of how humans and machines interact with each other. And that’s why we are not only coming up with theories, but have already build the worlds first tangible Smart Machine Agents (SMAs).

Smart Machine Agent prototypes and first physical Use Cases

Smart Machine Agent prototypes: Car, Parking Space, virtual government tax entity

Smart Machine Agent #1 is a RC car with its own fully functioning computer in the form of a Raspberry Pi. This Pi has its own “machine bank account” enabled by Distributed Ledger Technology (also known as blockchain) in this case powered by the IOTA Tangle network which was specifically designed to fit the needs of the Internet of Things. In addition my team has programmed several custom functions to automise real time, micro-transactions based on milli seconds and bluetooth RSSI for proximity detection to other SMAs.

Smart Machine Agent #1 — RC Car with Raspberry Pi and TFT screen mod

The first Use Case shows the car (SMA#1) approaching a parking space (SMA#2). As soon as the car reaching parking position a timer starts on booth SMAs to measure the exact parking duration. When the car leaves the proximity of the parking space the timer stops. SMA#1 then automatically transfers the according amount (we just set 1 second = 1 iota for this initial case) directly machine-to-machine (M2M) to SMA#2 without any transaction fees. Example calculation: 2h : 47min : 23sec (=10043 seconds) = car sends 10043 iota to parking space.

Smart Machine Agent #12— Parking Space with Raspberry Pi and TFT screen mod

We also integrated a virtual government tax entity into the process = SMA#3. Based on the previous transaction we automated a 5% tax transaction from SMA#2 to SMA#3, demonstrating real time tax payment and immutable documentation without using paper and maybe even saving a couple of trees. Example: 10043 iota *5% = parking space sends 502 iota to virtual government tax entity.

Smart Machine Agent #3 — virtual government tax entity using trinity wallet

While the machines are doing everything completely automised, without any central server or computer, we have installed a dedicated front end TFT screen for each SMA to provide a dashboard for humans to see what the machines are actually doing.

Both transactions are actually linked to the same Bundle transaction. This article shall not go into deep technical stuff, therefore we show you one example for each individual transaction processed, confirmed and saved on the IOTA Tangle:

Tangle Explorer explained: SMA#1 Car transaction and message to SMA#2 parking space

Tangle Explorer explained: SMA#2 parking space transaction and message to SMA#3 government tax entity

https://thetangle.org/bundle/PBYKGTYSCTFIAKRXFIPSCJHLUQU9LVNTIHTGZPCVJYV9AXDZERDWBEBYLPDREGFQXRGPDU9SFEVWIVF99

M2M Economy and modular AKITA services

This scenario demonstrates only the beginning of an upcoming direct machine-to-machine economy. The required technologies already exist today and our Proof of Concept (PoC) with live, integrated hardware prototypes on the live IOTA Main Net show that it is possible. We at Akita are building generic, modular and extendable services that enable a car and other machines to buy/ sell services directly M2M and save valuable data on a tamper proof ledger. This opens possibilities to completely new and undiscovered markets…

Dubai Future Blockchain Summit 2019 and the power of tangible prototypes

Dubai has a clear blockchain agenda to implement a lot of paperless services by 2021. We have been invited to pitch live on stage at the summit with 20 other blockchain focussed startups that have been chosen out of 700 applications. Although we did not make it into the Top3, we were the only ones with tangible prototypes.

Nino Ulrich — Co-Founder of AKITA live on stage in Dubai & 3 SMAs

The slides are a bit hard to see on this video, therefore we have uploaded the slide deck here:

short slide deck as shown at the Dubai Blockchain Pitch Challenge live on stage

The most interesting personal experience during these 4 days was the difference when talking to people with and without the prototypes! On the first day, I left the prototypes at the hotel and talked to a lot of people on a theoretical level showing pictures and PowerPoint slides. The discussions were long, but not really productive and filled with a lot of doubt and ended with an overall hesitant feeling. On the next day, I brought all 3 prototypes with me, drove the RC car around the office, in the co-working space and later at the summit. Peoples first reactions were already completely different, very open and excited. Also the discussion were shorter, but more productive, on a completely different and more engaging level!

Now for our next steps and targets imagine how we can push this development and real world adoption forward when our services will be implemented into real cars, parking spaces, charging stations, etc. and people can see, touch and experience what was only a very brave vision in 2016…

Behind the Scenes — development process

During the intense and daily work with Distributed Ledger Technologies and a proven track record of delivered PoCs/ prototypes we have gained a lot of valuable experience and know-how for fast prototyping on hardware, software, middleware and server/ infrastructure levels. The building process is actually the most fun part.

Co-Creation and community

This project would not be possible without all the involved, distributed people all over the planet. I would like to thank the team at AKITA, in particular Sascha1337, the IOTA Foundation and everyone at the Ecosystem Devleopment Fund, Smart Dubai and Dubai Future Accelerators. Also all the additional helpers, supporters, IOTA community, business partners and advisors who always have my back. A big thank you to all of you!

There will be another dedicated technical Medium article by Sascha about this project and we are working on some good quality videos to show the complete M2M prototype interaction and explain everything in detail.