Blockchain-Enabled IoT for Rural Healthcare: Hybrid-Channel Communication with Digital Twinning
Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchains are enabling technologies for modern healthcare applications, offering the improved monitoring of patient health and higher data integrity guarantees. However, in rural settings, communication reliability can pose a challenge that constrains real-time data us...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Electronics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/12/9/2128 |
| _version_ | 1797602801590730752 |
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| author | Steve Kerrison Jusak Jusak Tao Huang |
| author_facet | Steve Kerrison Jusak Jusak Tao Huang |
| author_sort | Steve Kerrison |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchains are enabling technologies for modern healthcare applications, offering the improved monitoring of patient health and higher data integrity guarantees. However, in rural settings, communication reliability can pose a challenge that constrains real-time data usage. Additionally, the limited computation and communication resources of IoT sensors also means that they may not participate directly in blockchain transactions, reducing trust. This paper proposes a solution to these challenges, enabling the use of blockchain-based IoT healthcare devices in low-bandwidth rural areas. This integrated system, named hybrid channel healthcare chain (HC<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mrow></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula>), uses two communication channels: short-range communication for device authorisation and bulk data transfer, and long-range the radio for light-weight monitoring and event notifications. Both channels leverage the same cryptographic identity information, and through the use of a cloud-based digital twin, the IoT device is able to sign its own transactions, without disclosing the key to said twin. Patient data are encrypted end to end between the IoT device and data store, with the blockchain providing a reliable record of the data lifecycle. We contribute a model, analytic evaluation and proof of concept for the HC<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mrow></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> system that demonstrates its suitability for the stated scenarios by reducing the number of long-range radio packets needed by 87× compared to a conventional approach. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:20:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e31ea17be45f486a9f39f075ed22f9b7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-9292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:20:40Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Electronics |
| spelling | doaj.art-e31ea17be45f486a9f39f075ed22f9b72023-11-17T22:49:03ZengMDPI AGElectronics2079-92922023-05-01129212810.3390/electronics12092128Blockchain-Enabled IoT for Rural Healthcare: Hybrid-Channel Communication with Digital TwinningSteve Kerrison0Jusak Jusak1Tao Huang2School of Science and Technology, James Cook University, Singapore 387380, SingaporeSchool of Science and Technology, James Cook University, Singapore 387380, SingaporeCollege of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Smithfield, Cairns, QLD 4878, AustraliaInternet of Things (IoT) and blockchains are enabling technologies for modern healthcare applications, offering the improved monitoring of patient health and higher data integrity guarantees. However, in rural settings, communication reliability can pose a challenge that constrains real-time data usage. Additionally, the limited computation and communication resources of IoT sensors also means that they may not participate directly in blockchain transactions, reducing trust. This paper proposes a solution to these challenges, enabling the use of blockchain-based IoT healthcare devices in low-bandwidth rural areas. This integrated system, named hybrid channel healthcare chain (HC<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mrow></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula>), uses two communication channels: short-range communication for device authorisation and bulk data transfer, and long-range the radio for light-weight monitoring and event notifications. Both channels leverage the same cryptographic identity information, and through the use of a cloud-based digital twin, the IoT device is able to sign its own transactions, without disclosing the key to said twin. Patient data are encrypted end to end between the IoT device and data store, with the blockchain providing a reliable record of the data lifecycle. We contribute a model, analytic evaluation and proof of concept for the HC<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mrow></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> system that demonstrates its suitability for the stated scenarios by reducing the number of long-range radio packets needed by 87× compared to a conventional approach.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/12/9/2128blockchaindigital twinInternet of Thingshealthcareencryptionprivacy |
| spellingShingle | Steve Kerrison Jusak Jusak Tao Huang Blockchain-Enabled IoT for Rural Healthcare: Hybrid-Channel Communication with Digital Twinning Electronics blockchain digital twin Internet of Things healthcare encryption privacy |
| title | Blockchain-Enabled IoT for Rural Healthcare: Hybrid-Channel Communication with Digital Twinning |
| title_full | Blockchain-Enabled IoT for Rural Healthcare: Hybrid-Channel Communication with Digital Twinning |
| title_fullStr | Blockchain-Enabled IoT for Rural Healthcare: Hybrid-Channel Communication with Digital Twinning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Blockchain-Enabled IoT for Rural Healthcare: Hybrid-Channel Communication with Digital Twinning |
| title_short | Blockchain-Enabled IoT for Rural Healthcare: Hybrid-Channel Communication with Digital Twinning |
| title_sort | blockchain enabled iot for rural healthcare hybrid channel communication with digital twinning |
| topic | blockchain digital twin Internet of Things healthcare encryption privacy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/12/9/2128 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stevekerrison blockchainenablediotforruralhealthcarehybridchannelcommunicationwithdigitaltwinning AT jusakjusak blockchainenablediotforruralhealthcarehybridchannelcommunicationwithdigitaltwinning AT taohuang blockchainenablediotforruralhealthcarehybridchannelcommunicationwithdigitaltwinning |