FIGURE 5 - available via license: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Content may be subject to copyright.
Digital Identity Authentication; official ID issuing authority registers and stores issued ID on blockchain so digital ID certificates can be generated for users.
Source publication
Healthcare supply chains have evolved drastically over time, with complex domestic and global networks and interactions across various organizations and entities. This gives rise to numerous challenges related to information and data pertaining to medical devices used within healthcare supply chain, including data integrity, provenance, traceabilit...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... certificates can also be used as part of the authentication and registration process. Figure 5 shows how digital certificates are granted in a decentralized manner. If the proposed system is implemented in a public blockchain, users can submit their digital certificates to authenticate and verify the identities of stakeholders. ...
Context 2
... participants of the system, including device manufacturers, regulatory body, hospitals and patients first register their personal details, as part of a Know Your Customer (KYC) step in the registration process. In a scenario where the system is implemented on a public blockchain, a contract verifies the digital ID certificate of each stakeholder acquired from a third-party service, as per the process shown in Figure 5. Otherwise, in a private blockchain the stakeholders are registered when they join the network. ...
Citations
... This feature makes them easier to follow and trace during the entire life-cycle of any type of asset. Senay et al. (2022) uses the medical field to exemplify how NFTs can ease the traceability system and ownership management of medical devices, for the entire life cycle of the equipment. Their results shown that NFTs decrease traceability and ownership problems, leading to a simpler and lighter solution. ...
This research highlights the incorporation of 3D printing and blockchain technology into aeronautical manufacturing and certification procedures with an aim to increase operational efficiency. The integration of 3D printing allows for streamlined production, while the immutable features of blockchain provide traceability and certification advantages, thus offering the potential for transformative impacts within the aviation supply chain. This study primarily focuses on investigating the implications and multiple benefits of this integration into the aviation industry. Furthermore, given the absence of economic assessments priorly conducted on this integration, the study also includes a mathematical formulation that provides a quantifiable measure of the achievable return on investment. Two distinct case studies provide real data as evidence supporting the efficacy of this proposed integrated model. The outcome suggests a new paradigm for the supply chain ecosystem, leading to operational improvements and economic benefits.
... Finally, in the wake of increased concerns about technology and artificial intelligence, there are also some technological solutions to the problem of CMSCs. While technology has been vital in improving outcomes in healthcare and producing a more robust supply chain of medical devices and products, simultaneously, technology has similarly made counterfeiting and circulating fraudulent devices and products easier as well [45]. One possible solution to combatting CMSCs is to rely upon novel or updated technologies to improve supply chains as they become available. ...
... In this vein, a potential technological solution is to deploy digital tracing throughout medical supply chains. One specific digital tracing suggestion is to use blockchain technology through a nonfungible token to create a decentralized storage system for consistent, dependent, and efficient medical devices traceability capacity and ownership management system [45]. Such a system would digitally represent individual medical devices, record their attributes, and keep track of their metadata during all stages of production, distribution, and consumption. ...
The medical device and pharmaceutical industries include a range of drugs, machines, instruments, and apparatuses used to prevent, diagnose, treat disease and illness, or aid in rehabilitation for patients, and are expected to grow substantially in the coming years. However, they are often targets of criminal organizations who manufacture and profit from fraudulent products, infiltrating the market with counterfeit medical supply chains. In this paper, we discuss and analyze the extent and nature of this problem and make suggestions for mitigation and prevention of this worldwide challenge. Ultimately, we argue that a holistic approach is essential to addressing this problem, including the creation and dissemination of reliable and good quality data, developing healthcare systems to be more robust, establishing/enhancing intra‐ and international cooperation around this issue, and employing effective technological solutions, such as digital tracing.
... Gomasta et al. [14] proposed a system based on a Hyperledger structure which improves the effectiveness of traceability throughout the pharmaceutical supply chain by simultaneously storing transaction information both on and off the chain to achieve secure and fast transactions. Gebreab et al. [15] proposed a solution based on non-homogenized tokens (NFTs) for a reliable and efficient medical device traceability system through a decentralized storage system. Zhang et al. [16] proposed a blockchain-based reverse supply chain recycling strategy for power batteries to establish a blockchain power battery recycling platform, which improves the utilization rate of used power batteries and the transparency of the battery recycling industry chain. ...
The application of blockchain technology in industrial product quality traceability is analyzed to construct a new model of product quality traceability that is mainly based on blockchain technology and supplemented by an identity system. The blockchain-enabled overall technical architecture of an industrial product quality traceability system is explored, and a blockchain-based industrial product full life cycle information traceability system is constructed. First, the weights of the information indicators of different links of the industrial equipment information traceability system were calculated using the EAHP hierarchical analysis method. The manufacturing link had the largest weight, with a value of 18.8%. Second, the system’s functional module design is based on the weights. We designed and developed the industrial product information traceability platform based on the hybrid blockchain chain structure of private chain + alliance chain. Finally, a manufacturing enterprise in the Xinjiang region is taken as the research object, query validation is carried out for the products produced by the enterprise, and the average query time of the system is measured to be 65.376 ms. It can meet the traceability needs of consumers and enterprise users. The research can provide theoretical support and reference for the whole life cycle information traceability of industrial products.
... At the same time, they provided implementation cases and methods that demonstrated the potential of combinable NFTs in the food industry. Gebreab, S. A. et al. [23] proposed a solution to the problem of medical device traceability and ownership management using NFTs, combining blockchain smart contracts, tokenisation protocols and distributed storage techniques. The authors also proposed using NFTs as a vehicle for medical device digital twins, to record device attributes and their associated metadata throughout manufacturing and distribution, up to their current use and ownership changes. ...
As a critical raw material for the textile industry, cotton lint provides various types of cotton yarns, fabrics and finished products. However, due to the complexity of the supply chain and its many links, information records are often missing, inaccurate or lagging, resulting in low transparency and traceability. In the traditional cotton lint supply chain, the data of each link are stored in isolation; due to the lack of an effective sharing mechanism and the formation of “information silos”, complete traceability is challenging to achieve. In addition, the completeness and authenticity of documents such as lint quality reports and certificates of origin must be rapidly strengthened. Otherwise, quality problems may arise. To solve the above problems, this study proposes a cotton lint supply chain traceability system based on blockchain and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), covering the whole cotton lint production process from harvesting to selling. We use an NFT as an asset token to digitise seed cotton, cotton lint and quality inspection reports and allow participants to store and manage these assets on the blockchain. The system design includes architecture diagrams, sequence diagrams and Ethernet smart contract development based on the ERC721 standard. In addition, the integration of Interplanetary File System (IPFS) technology solves the problem of storing large files on the chain and ensures that the data are permanently preserved and cannot be tampered with. We provide a diagram of the interactions between the system components and the four core algorithms’ design, testing and verification process. We present an in-depth analysis of the solution regarding the transaction costs and smart contract security. We confirm the solution’s security, reliability and applicability through a cost evaluation and security analysis.
... Recognizing the challenges posed by fragmented healthcare blockchain networks in managing health data, the paper proposed a solution that leverages NFT technology to synchronize and secure data exchange across these networks. Ref. [27] proposed an NFT-based solution using blockchain smart contracts, tokenization protocols, and decentralized storage for an efficient medical device traceability and ownership management system. In this model, NFTs serve as digital twins, capturing essential attributes and metadata across the entire life cycle of the medical device, from production to current use. ...
In an era dominated by rapid digitalization of sensed data, the secure exchange of sensitive information poses a critical challenge across various sectors. Established techniques, particularly in emerging technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), grapple with inherent risks in ensuring data confidentiality, integrity, and vulnerabilities to evolving cyber threats. Blockchain technology, known for its decentralized and tamper-resistant characteristics, stands as a reliable solution for secure data exchange. However, the persistent challenge lies in protecting sensitive information amidst evolving digital landscapes. Among the burgeoning applications of blockchain technology, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have emerged as digital certificates of ownership, securely recording various types of data on a distributed ledger. Unlike traditional data storage methods, NFTs offer several advantages for secure information exchange. Firstly, their tamperproof nature guarantees the authenticity and integrity of the data. Secondly, NFTs can hold both immutable and mutable data within the same token, simplifying management and access control. Moving beyond their conventional association with art and collectibles, this paper presents a novel approach that utilizes NFTs as dynamic carriers for sensitive information. Our solution leverages the immutable NFT data to serve as a secure data pointer, while the mutable NFT data holds sensitive information protected by steganography. Steganography embeds the data within the NFT, making them invisible to unauthorized eyes, while facilitating portability. This dual approach ensures both data integrity and authorized access, even in the face of evolving digital threats. A performance analysis confirms the approach's effectiveness, demonstrating its reliability, robustness, and resilience against attacks on hidden data. This paves the way for secure data transmission across diverse industries.
... In other application areas, NFTs are also showing promise for addressing some enduring and obstinate supply chain challenges. For example, a recent study in healthcare supply chains proposed the use of NFTs to provide unique identification and individual ownership representation of medical devices, thereby reducing the risk of counterfeiting and improving transparency (Gebreab et al., 2022). Similarly, in a proof-of-concept study, dos Santos et al. (2021) proposed NFT usages in high-end wine production, where unique harvest properties are crucial for determining product value and where counterfeiting threats are present. ...
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs), unique digital assets on a blockchain that can represent ownership of
digital or physical items, are potentially ground-breaking in their capacity for transforming the
sustainability of supply chains. This paper explores and discusses how NFTs, analysed through the
lens of the Technology Organisation Environment (TOE) framework, can drive supply chain
sustainability and overcome the barriers to Blockchain Technology (BCT) adoption. We elucidate
the unique value proposition of NFTs and explore the potential of ‘phygital products’ for linking
digital NFTs to physical goods. Based on the existing literature and a review of real-world case
studies, we propose that NFTs can (1) incentivise supply chain stakeholders to engage in more
sustainable practices; (2) enhance customer willingness to pay for sustainable products; (3)
provide anti-counterfeit measures; (4) support circular business model growth. A sustainable
’Mint-to-Order’ production strategy starting with the creation (minting) of an NFT is proposed
based on a synthesis of the findings. The use of NFTs has significant implications for both digital
and physical product offerings and sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practice making
a compelling case for adoption. This paper is one of the first to explore the potential of using NFTs
to drive sustainability in supply chains forming an essential component of a metaverse nexus and
delineating a future research agenda.
... In this context, NFTs tokenize intelligence, describing it through metadata to enhance understanding and search for intelligence in the complex and trust-lacking Internet of Vehicles. [21] proposes an NFT-based solution using blockchain smart contracts, tokenization protocols, and decentralized storage for an efficient medical device traceability and ownership management system. In this model, NFTs serve as digital twins, capturing essential attributes and metadata across the entire life cycle of the medical device, from production to current use. ...
In an era dominated by rapid digitalization of sensed data, the secure exchange of sensitive information poses a critical challenge across various sectors. Established techniques, particularly in emerging technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), grapple with inherent risks in ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of transmitted data. Blockchain technology, known for its decentralized and tamper-resistant characteristics, stands as a reliable solution for secure data exchange. However, the persistent challenge lies in protecting sensitive information amidst evolving digital landscapes. This paper explores the potential of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), a manifestation of blockchain technology, as dynamic carriers for diverse forms of sensitive information among businesses beyond their conventional association with art and collectibles. Our solution leverages the immutable NFT data to serve as a secure data pointer, while the mutable NFT data holds sensitive information protected by steganography. This dual approach ensures both data integrity and authorized access, even in the face of evolving digital threats. A performance analysis validates the efficacy of the approach, highlighting its reliability, robustness, and resistance to potential attacks on hidden information, ensuring secure data transmission across industries.
... The papers [73,76,80,81,83,85,87,88] uses only Oyente tool [40] for performing security analysis for the developed smart contracts whereas, the tool support detecting only limited vulnerabilities such as reentrancy, integer overflow/ underflow, timestamp dependency, transaction order dependency, parity multisig bug 2 and callstack depth attack. It is also to be noted that the Oyente repository has been archived on May 26, 2023 limiting it only to read and the last update or bug fix was done in Nov 2020. ...
... But does not use any security tools to analyze the other security vulnerabilities. In the paper [88] additionally, device authenticity verification is carried out. Cost analysis are performed in works including [73, 74, 76, 77, 79, 80-82, 85-87, 88], which can give insight on detecting gas extortion however, does not specify anything on verification extortion. ...
... In the digital juncture, decentralized blockchain is one among the important growing technology to handle a huge set of data in the peer-to-peer network mainly to eradicate Gebreab et al. [88] Traceability and ownership management of medical devices 4 7 7 4 7 4 ...
Smart contracts become significant as blockchain technology is blooming around the technological globe. In this juncture, smart contract is an automatic programming framework executed based upon pre-conditions in blockchain even among untrusted parties by eliminating third party. The usage of blockchain in various fields keeps on increasing enormously from crypto-currency to 6G wireless communication. While developing smart contracts for novel purposes, vulnerability and various challenges are discovered. Smart contracts are still in the emerging development stage with few bugs and errors, which are often exploited by hackers leading to huge losses. There are loopholes and misinterpretations in the development of smart contracts, thus it is necessary to design smart contracts. The anonymity and self-execution of the smart contract are taken as an advantage for illegal business. Hence, various modern tools are developed to identify the vulnerabilities in the smart contract but still, there is a research gap in this area. In this paper, various smart contracts and their challenges are studied to analyze the current state and a survey is carried out mainly focusing on its security aspects. Hence, providing a way to develop highly secure smart contracts and providing directions for contributing to future research.
... By creating a secure and tamper-proof record of the transportation of medical supplies and equipment, NFTs can help to prevent counterfeiting and improve efficiency in the distribution process. Additionally, NFTs can enable better tracking of the temperature and conditions in which medical products are stored and transported by attaching a unique digital certificate to each item that can be tracked on the blockchain to ensuring that they remain viable and safe for use (42,49,52,54,66). ...
Introduction
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are digital assets that are verified using blockchain technology to ensure authenticity and ownership. NFTs have the potential to revolutionize healthcare by addressing various issues in the industry.
Method
The goal of this study was to identify the applications of NFTs in healthcare. Our scoping review was conducted in 2023. We searched the Scopus, IEEE, PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Cochrane scientific databases using related keywords. The article selection process was based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).
Results
After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 13 articles were chosen. Then extracted data was summarized and reported. The most common application of NFTs in healthcare was found to be in health data management with 46% frequency, followed by supply chain management with 31% frequency. Furthermore, Ethereum is the main blockchain platform that is applied in NFTs in healthcare with 70%.
Discussion
The findings from this review indicate that the NFTs that are currently used in healthcare could transform it. Also, it appears that researchers have not yet investigated the numerous potentials uses of NFTs in the healthcare field, which could be utilized in the future.
... NFTs are currently famous for representing a variety of assets, such as digital art, collectables, and virtual real estate [20,19]. In addition, some research studies explore the possibility of other application domains, such as manufacturing [9] and supply chain traceability [6]. In these studies, the main reason for using NFTs is their ability to track and protect ownership which is vital in these application domains. ...
... Considering tokens, there are few standards that have emerged, and the most popular in use is from the Ethereum network [6]. ERC-20 is the general fungible token, meaning each token is identical and interchangeable. ...
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are blockchain-based digital assets that are unique and cannot be replicated. In most cases, NFTs are used to hold the unique value of an asset in a traceable manner. However, NFTs can also be leveraged to provide a unique digital identity, allowing for secure data storage, access, and sharing. These features provide important capabilities when managing data acquisition and digital twins. Additionally, using NFTs can create a decentralized trust management system, ensuring data is only accessed and shared with authorized parties. The NFT platform can also facilitate data acquisition from digital twins, providing a secure and trustworthy method for collecting and analyzing data. This paper proposes an NFT platform to strengthen the trust of DTs operating in a collaborative ecosystem and the provision of a data loyalty platform to acquire data from DT owners by rewarding them for participating in data sharing. An electric car manufacturing use case is discussed as a pilot case to highlight the capabilities of the proposed DT NFT platform.
