Radu Miron, Mihai Hulea, Vlad Mureşan, Iulia Clitan · 5 authors
As cities evolve into smarter and more connected environments, there is a growing need for innovative solutions to improve urban mobility. This study examines the potential of integrating blockchain technology into passenger transportation systems within smart cities, with a particular emphasis on a blockchain-enabled Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) solution. In contrast to traditional technologies, blockchain’s decentralized structure improves data security and guarantees transaction transparency, thus reducing the risk of fraud and errors. The proposed MaaS framework enables seamless collaboration between key transportation stakeholders, promoting more efficient utilization of services like buses, trains, bike-sharing, and ride-hailing. By improving integrated payment and ticketing systems, the solution aims to create a smoother user experience while advancing the urban goals of efficiency, environmental sustainability, and secure data handling. This research evaluates the feasibility of a Hyperledger Fabric-based solution, demonstrating its performance under various load conditions and proposing scalability adjustments based on pilot results. The conclusions indicate that blockchain-enabled MaaS systems have the potential to transform urban mobility. Further exploration into pilot projects and the expansion to freight transportation are needed for an integrated approach to city-wide transport solutions.
This chapter explores the transformative potential of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) for carbon markets. It aims to provide readers with a nuanced understanding of DLT's fundamental concepts, its diverse applications in enhancing carbon market integrity and efficiency, and the critical challenges that must be addressed for its successful adoption. We will examine how DLT can address persistent issues such as transparency, double counting, and inefficiencies in the current carbon market structure. This chapter will delve into the technical underpinnings of DLT, its specific functionalities relevant to carbon assets, key digital terms, and a realistic assessment of its benefits and limitations. Ultimately, it seeks to equip market participants, policymakers, and technology developers with the foundational knowledge to navigate and leverage DLT in the evolving landscape of carbon finance.
Smart contracts powered by blockchain technology are examined in this paper for their possible use in overcoming disputes in freight handling which are part of third-party logistics (3PL) work. Smart contracts and blockchain have taken off in supply chain areas, but their use in 3PL is still mostly untested. To reduce disputes, this research proposes a design with smart contracts that links to key operations in the logistics industry. The research uses simulations of typical freight handling to highlight how programmable contracts can solve problems by using automated checks and automatic steps when particular sections are triggered. According to the findings, smart contracts could greatly improve trust, efficiency and responsibility in 3PL, while helping to solve typical difficulties with punctual payments, missing shipments and keeping up with compliance requirements. With this paper, we create a basic framework for using blockchain-based smart contracts in logistics, detailing the pros, cons and future research opportunities for both logistics and technology.
Chen Ben Tolila, Yarden Hovav, Kiril Danilchenko, Hadassa Daltrophe
ABSTRACT The rising expenses associated with car ownership have driven individuals to seek more affordable alternatives, such as car rentals. However, conventional car rental services often come with high costs due to leasing companies' overhead expenses. Consequently, car sharing has emerged as a popular and cost‐effective solution that reduces expenses and promotes eco‐friendliness by reducing the number of vehicles on the roads. Nonetheless, centralization and reliability remain persistent challenges in car‐sharing implementation. To address these issues, we propose a decentralized crowd car sharing and renting platform called CROWDCARLINK, leveraging blockchain technology's power. This innovative platform enables individuals and leasing companies to rent vehicles while securely recording each car's maintenance and lease history on the blockchain. Within CROWDCARLINK, garages are pivotal contributors, adding vehicle information in a reliable and immutable manner. By utilizing blockchain technology, our platform ensures transparency and fosters trust, effectively overcoming the limitations imposed by centralization. Our architectural design incorporates smart contracts, which help streamline processes and facilitate seamless transactions within the platform. To demonstrate the feasibility of our approach, we have developed a prototype utilizing a private Ethereum blockchain with Proof of Authority (PoA) consensus. We believe that the architectural design and the practical solution presented here will play an integral role in shaping the future of smart transportation. Our platform aims to benefit individuals and the environment by offering a cost‐effective and efficient solution, paving the way for a more sustainable and advanced transportation ecosystem.
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in procurement has transformed how organizations engage with suppliers, optimize spending, and drive contract negotiations. Traditional procurement negotiations rely on human intuition, historical knowledge, and manual research. However, with the advancement of AI-driven Smart Negotiation Assistants, procurement teams can leverage real-time market intelligence, price benchmarks, and predictive analytics to autonomously negotiate contracts. This paper introduces an AI-powered Procurement Chatbot, capable of conducting supplier negotiations with minimal human intervention. The system utilizes machine learning (ML), natural language processing (NLP), and historical transaction data to negotiate terms, secure cost savings, and ensure compliance with procurement policies. Real-world case studies, including automated software licensing negotiations and dynamic supplier pricing adjustments, demonstrate how AI-driven negotiations can save millions in procurement costs, reduce cycle times by up to 40%, and mitigate supplier risks [1]. The paper also explores technical architecture, algorithmic models, and deployment strategies for integrating AI negotiation assistants into enterprise procurement workflows. Furthermore, it highlights regulatory and ethical considerations in AI-driven procurement, emphasizing transparency and fairness. By leveraging AI-driven negotiation chatbots, businesses can achieve autonomous, efficient, and data-driven procurement processes, ensuring better supplier relationships and long-term cost savings.
The financial market has gone into paradigm shift from strict, highly regulated centralized system to open, easily accessible and permission less infrastructure for the last decades. These are powered by blockchain technologies. Decentralize Exchange is the primary source for this transformation which enables the direct person to person trading without intermediaries. DEXs also facilitates innovative entrepreneurial models in the Web3 which is an internet-built block chain technology where information is stored across multiple computers rather than central servers that create peer to peer communication without intermediaries. It also helps in the DeFi ecosystem, which is an emerging financial system using blockchain and crypto currencies to enable direct transactions without intermediaries. DEXs offer wide opportunities for SMEs, Startups, and marginalized communities in India. Despite its potential financial inclusion, sustainable growth and capital democratization still remain challenges in adoption of technology due to regulatory ambiguity, socio cultural barriers and complexity of technology. This paper examines the potential of Decentralized Exchange in fostering inclusive digital entrepreneurship in India. This study also analyzes the Tamil Nadu readiness in adopting blockchain technology. It develops a conceptual framework of linking DEX adoption, sustainability, and socio-economic outcomes. The study includes the theories like the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Institutional Theory (IT), and Diffusion of innovation (DOF) and proposes testable hypothesis and proposition to guide empirical research and policy formulation.
Kristin M. Kostick, Marcelo Corrales Compagnucci, Mateo Aboy, Timo Minssen
Federated Learning (FL) promises to enhance data-driven health research by enabling collaborative machine learning across distributed datasets without direct data exchange. However, current FL implementations primarily reflect the data-sharing interests of institutional controllers rather than those of individual patients whose data are at stake. Existing consent mechanisms-like broad consent under HIPAA or explicit consent under the GDPR-fail to provide patients with control over how their data is used. This article explores the integration of smart contracts (SCs) into FL as a mechanism for automating, enforcing, and documenting consent in data transactions. SCs, encoded in decentralized ledger technologies, can ensure that FL processes align with patient preferences by providing an immutable, and dynamically updatable consent architecture. Integrating SCs into FL and swarm learning (SL) frameworks can mitigate ethico-legal concerns related to patient autonomy, data re-identification, and data use. This approach addresses persistent principle-agent asymmetries in biomedical data sharing by ensuring that patients, rather than data controllers alone, can specify the terms of access to insights derived from their health data. We discuss the implications of this model for regulatory compliance, data governance, and patient engagement, emphasizing its potential to foster public trust in health data ecosystems.
The shift from a linear economy to a Circular Economy (CE) is crucial for achieving sustainability and reducing environmental impact However, large-scale CE implementation faces challenges such as a lack of transparency
This chapter positions political geography as a critical lens through which to investigate the rise of cyberlibertarian post-Westphalianism—a phenomenon shaped by Web3 infrastructures, GenAI systems, and decentralized techno-politics. Building on sustained fieldwork in Silicon Valley since August 2022 and prior research, the chapter interrogates how libertarian ideologies embedded in Web3 are reconfiguring notions of sovereignty, governance, and socioeconomic coordination. It compares three paradigmatic formations: Network States (Srinivasan), rooted in crypto-libertarianism; Network Sovereignties (De Filippi), grounded in commons-based governance; and Algorithmic Nations (Calzada), emphasizing cultural self-determination and data sovereignty. Engaging with critical voices such as Jarrad Hope and David Golumbia, the chapter reveals the ideological tensions at the core of cyberlibertarianism, particularly its propensity to reinforce elitism and obscure structural inequalities. It argues that while decentralization promises new affordances for digital citizenship, it risks consolidating power in technocratic enclaves unless governed through pluralistic and inclusive frameworks. Drawing on theories of innovation systems and AI economics, the chapter calls for hybrid governance models that prioritize solidarity, transparency, and institutional reflexivity. Ultimately, it proposes that political geography must play a central role in reimagining post-Westphalian digital orders that are democratic, accountable, and socially just.