Proof of Location

Proof of Location is a technology that enables a device's physical location coordinates to be broadcast to the blockchain in a way that other devices can rely on the location data without having to trust the broadcasting device.

Position-dependent applications include supply chain, parametric insurance, KYC/AML verification, or even consumer transactions. E.g, an online store might need to prove that an item has been delivered to you so that the smart contract can automatically trigger a payment from your wallet.

Today’s geo-location tools are great for determining the location of a device, but cannot offer reliable and trusted location verification services. They are uni-directional and un-encrypted, which makes it problematic to rely on GPS for smart contracts that need to execute when spatial parameters are met. Dynamic Proof of Location empowers a permission-less and autonomous network of radio beacons that can offer secure location verification services through time synchronization in a decentralized manner.

Challenges

  • Difficult to implements

Used in

  • The FOAM Proof of Location protocol empowers a permission-less and autonomous network of radio beacons that can offer secure location services independent of external centralized sources such as GPS through time synchronization. The will deliver a hardware-based solution and have miners, Foam nodes provide geo-triangulation combined with a verified timestamp.

  • XY Findables sold more than 100K devices and XYO plan to roll out a firmware upgrade to enable all the owners of these devices to become nodes/‘sentinels’ in a ‘Proof of Origin’ consensus.

  • Platin is using a Proof of Location protocol on their own blockchain, called the Plexus™, Platin makes it simple to verify a location claim.

  • http://animist.io is an open source Bluetooth server/beacon that lets Ethereum micro-computer clients proximity-detect mobile devices and write information about their location to a smart contract.

Pros

  • Trustless: Byzantine fault tolerant clock synchronization

  • Independent: Does not rely on GPS

  • Open: Anyone can utilize the network or offer utility services

  • Accountable: Economics structured to ensure honest behavior, verified with fraud proofs

  • Incentivized: Service providers remunerated for extending localization and verification zones

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