Dec 11, 2019 - This case study covers the challenges facing the cobalt industry and explains how blockchain technology can help by tracking the chain of custody, exposing unethical practices, and improving governance across the cobalt supply chain. The blockchain start-up Circulor combines rigorous processes with smart technology to implement ethical sourcing solutions.

Jul 31, 2019 - This project examines how blockchain supports user centric identity systems, through such technological primitives as public key cryptography, hashing functions, zero-knowledge proofs, and homomorphic encryption. Its authors set nine benchmarks—technical specifications, governance, security, privacy, recovery and revocation, user experience, data controls, and degrees of decentralization and self-sovereignty—by which prospective users and ecosystem partners might assess different identity services and compare them to each other and the status quo. The purpose is to help users map their goals to the technical features necessary for achievi...

Dec 09, 2018 - Amid ongoing reports of surveillance, censorship, and massive hacking of data, this research explores how distributed ledger technology can address the challenges of the World Wide Web. The authors argue that blockchain can support the Internet’s founding ideals, decentralize the Internet, and restore the balance of power between individuals and large organizations. They focus on three big issues: open access, fair participation, and the recovery of the individual sovereignty as users. The authors interviewed such experts as Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Joseph Lubin of Consensus Systems, Shane Greenstein of Harvard Business School, Rouven Heck of u...

Feb 09, 2021 - This research project surveys what federal governments can do to exploit the next era of technology across their operations, within their economies and society, and with their allies and global partners. It focuses on the threats and opportunities facing the United States—including China’s increasing dominance in global supply chains and strategic innovation. It also speaks to challenges the new administration faces, and recommends five areas for immediate action: securing digital systems, citizen identities, and personal data; embracing cryptocurrencies and launching a digital dollar; transforming government services and culture; engagin...

Dec 04, 2017 - The definitive work on smart contracts for entrepreneurs, business executives, leaders of large global organizations, and the legal profession that serves them.

May 25, 2018 - This project explores how blockchain is transforming education with a focus on higher ed—vocational schools, community colleges, universities, and corporate training and development—from establishing student identity, protecting their privacy, financing their coursework, measuring their progress, and recording their credentials of achievement through open data exchange protocols. The development of microcredentialing capabilities, pay-as-you-learn funding models, and massively open online courses, plus the co-creation of open educational resources, are making the meta-university and lifelong learning affordable and accessible for more stu...