IoT with Blockchain: Benefits, Use-Cases, and Its Challenges

In today’s era of technological advancements, two groundbreaking innovations—Blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT)—have reshaped industries on their own. However, combining these technologies offers the potential to revolutionize data management, enhance security, and drive smart automation across various sectors.

Updated 24 September 2024

Ashish Chauhan
Ashish Chauhan

Global Delivery Head at Appventurez

In the world of technological progress, two most remarkable inventions have gained growth: Blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT). These two latest technologies have changed the scenarios of industry on their own, but combining them together can completely transform the way of data handling, assurance of security, and smart automation across various fields.

According to the recent report from Precedence Research, the blockchain in IoT market size was valued at $134.42 million in the year 2021 and it is expected to reach $1.974 billion by the end of 2030, along with a CAGR of 73.5% from 2022 to 2030.

The blockchain-IoT development market is experiencing high growth; the reason behind is increase in the user base and quick adoption of latest and innovative IoT technologies. In this blog, we will cover IoT with blockchain, its working process, benefits along with the use cases and its challenges in the implementations.

What is Blockchain?

Blockchain technology is an advanced database mechanism that allows transparent information sharing with the business networks. A blockchain database keeps data in blocks that are linked to each other in a chain. The data is chronologically constant because you can’t delete or modify the chain without agreement from the network.

Blockchain technology is used to create an unchangeable or steadfast ledger for tracking orders, payments, accounts, and other transactions. This system has built-in tools that prevent unauthorized transaction entries and create consistency in the shared view of those transactions.

Elements of Blockchain Technology

  1. Consensus: It provides the proof of work (POW) and verifies the activity in the networks.
  2. Ledger: It provides complete details of the transactions in the networks.
  3. Cryptography: It makes sure that all data in ledger and networks get encrypted and only permitted users can decrypt the data and information.
  4. Smart Contract: It is mostly used to validate and authenticate the network participants.

What is IoT (Internet of Things)?

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of smart devices, which is connected to smart homes, vehicles, home and kitchen appliances and other different types of physical objects. It contains smart sensors, software and networks that allow them to collect and share data and information.

All the latest IoT devices produce vast amounts of information and this moves around with the help of networks. Only a few devices try to keep information in the actual way otherwise all make some changes with the information. In this scenario, blockchain technology trends come into play as a super tool. It helps to keep every piece of information safe and makes it hard to change.

IoT and Blockchain technology

How Does IoT Work With Blockchain?

IoT with Blockchain is transforming business operations, improving security and transparency, and increasing efficiency. Let’s understand in detail how it works:

  • Transforming Business Processes

The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming the business work process, which runs through sensors, the latest devices and infrastructure. Enterprises are facing a notable challenge to safeguarding the data all over the IoT platform. Here Blockchain helps secure data breaches in an IoT system. It is a circulated ledger technology that combines IoT and enables server-to-server dealing.

  • Securing IoT Data with Blockchain

A collection of activities or events is recorded in a database and verified by the various sources, then entered into a shared ledger and circulated among all the servers. IoT and blockchain work together to give several advantages, including the ability for smart devices to work freely without any centralized authority. Also, it can save the tracks of how devices connect to each other.

  • Compatibility Challenges

In spite of being an architectural asset, the distributed nature of the blockchain is a big challenge for the Internet of Things platforms. IoT depends on the centralized client-server architecture and creates an independent IoT platform to ensure compatibility with the blockchain network. Yet, it can be difficult to configure IoT sensors to manage the processing and storage of the data.

  • Increase in Efficiency

Although IoT has numerous practical uses, the banking sector, financial services, the automotive industry, and agriculture have integrated blockchain technology with the Internet of Things (IoT). It is also applied to supply chain management, logistics, smart devices, and a moderately new application called a smart contract.

Smart contracts are speculative, and technology rules and policies are coded in the blockchain framework to govern transactional agreements hosted on a blockchain network.

  • Smart Contracts: Automating Secure IoT Transactions

Smart contracts employ blockchains to manage contracts when the specific requirements are fulfilled. Blockchain technology permits businesses to regulate the data on smart objects in IoT systems. Also, it reduces the data transmission and device management costs, and minimizes the risks of data management from the cyberattacks.

  • IoT and blockchain can be integrated into the supply chain to improve quality control.
  • Blockchain holds high security by using independent, distributed ledgers to prove and authorize protected device-generated data.

Top Use Case of IoT-Enabled Blockchain Technology

Use cases of iot enabled blockchain technology

IoT enhances the security and transparency of the whole IoT ecosystem. Here are some popular IoT blockchain use cases that have a significant impact across multiple industries:

  • Operational Maintenance

IoT devices monitor the conditions of various machines, such as elevators and engines, to ensure safety and proper maintenance. Also, they provide secure and unchangeable records of operational data.

  • Freight Transportation

Freight transportation is a complex process that involves the support of different departments, and transportation businesses. With the assistance of IoT-enabled blockchain technology, it is possible to track arrival times and the live status of shipping containers in the transits.

  • Healthcare

The combination of blockchain and IoT is transforming the healthcare sector. Wearable devices and sensors can collect patient data and store it securely on a blockchain. Also, the use of smart contracts streamlines insurance claims and automates billing, reducing organization expenses.

  • Smart Homes

Blockchain brings the concept of a smart home to another level by fixing the major security challenges and eliminating centralized infrastructure. For example, you can deploy security procedures such as biometric authentication and facial/voice recognition to prevent the data captured from smart devices getting into the wrong or irrelevant hands.

  • Automotive

Automation in the automobile industry is a key application of blockchain and IoT. The automotive industry depends on these two disruption technologies to access various benefits, such as finding a vacant parking space and making payments with crypto wallets.

Another notable application of blockchain and IoT is the use of RFID tags. Car manufacturers can easily identify spare auto parts and track the exact location of any vehicle in IoT-connected devices using RFID tags.

Benefits of Using Blockchain Technology in IoT (Internet of Things)

Every transaction is recorded in a digital ledger- organized into data blocks, linked in a secure, unchangeable chain. This blockchain technology is a great choice for propping IoT security.

Here are some of the benefits of blockchain in IoT.

Benefits of blockchain in iot

  • Lower Cost

Blockchain enables data to be shared on a peer-to-peer basis without the need for centralized control. This decentralized structure reduces business costs, as scaling a highly scalable centralized infrastructure becomes expensive over time.

  • Improved Security

Blockchain verifies data and ensures it comes from a reliable source, which improves secure transmission and improves privacy agreements. A trusted digital ledger exhibits who can access IoT data and who has permission to handle transactions.

Multiple layers of security are needed to block unassigned access and blockchain helps in achieving this by providing safe data and restricting access to authorized users.

  • Quick Data Change

Blockchain minimizes the time taken to verify the transactions by utilizing its trusted nodes and handling the performance requirements of IoT (Internet of Things). It also fastens the speed of exchanging data of IoT.

This simplifies the process and builds new business value across the whole system by banking on the data conveyed by the IoT-connected smart devices and sensors.

  • Streamline Finances

The finance department is the utmost important section for any business house, it deals with important and sensitive data that needs more transparency backed by IoT and blockchain.

Blockchain secures the information added to the ledger but also it makes sure that no unauthorized personnel can access or change it without permission.

  • Efficient Supply Chain

Every single business aims for an efficient and effective supply chain, but economic and global challenges make this process difficult. By removing negotiators, blockchain and IoT can greatly enhance the supply chain and its efficiency, speed up transactions, and also reduce the cost of the supply chain.

Challenges and Considerations of IoT with Blockchain

Where the potential of integrating blockchain with the Internet of Things is enormous, several challenges must be mentioned. Scalability, energy consumption, conformity, and cost are among the key challenges for implementing the technology.

Challenges and consideration of iot with blockchain

  • Scalability

IoT and blockchain generate a huge amount of data, and ensuring that the blockchain can handle the scalability requirements of IoT devices is a challenging task.

  • Security Risk

To extend the capabilities of an IoT-powered blockchain system, you need smart arrangements that offer efficiency by automating contract administration. Yet, this results in security risks, which can hinder blockchain adoption in IoT.

To tackle this problem, you must simply review and test smart contracts. You can never be sure of not having bugs and issues in smart contracts, but you can reduce the chances of meeting them and interfering with your blockchain and Internet of Things architecture.

  • Sensor Reliability

The question arises that how reliable are the sensors which are in use? They could interfere with correctly calculating the standards required to execute a transaction.

It is important to take measures to ensure external interference does not change sensors and you can create a safe and secure environment for the data recording and transactions.

  • Network Privacy

The transaction history in the shared digital ledger for a network of IoT-connected devices cannot be presented on the public blockchain. This happens because the transaction patterns analysis is applied to make inferences about the user or device essence behind public keys.

Enterprises must investigate their privacy conditions and check whether private or hybrid blockchains might meet their needs and take action accordingly.

  • Complex IoT and Blockchain Projects

Since Blockchain is a relatively new technology, its integration with IoT Solutions may not be as suitable as we expect. This is because both the latest technologies need experts with sufficient experience and knowledge to handle any related issue that might arise.

How Appventurez Can Help In Leveraging IoT With Blockchain

The integration of blockchain and IoT can significantly transform different industries by changing the way they interact with technology. Integrating blockchain with the Internet of Things provides new opportunities in supply chain management, asset and house tracking, healthcare, manufacturing, and energy by ensuring secure data, streamlining operations, and better automation. This helps businesses to stay ahead in the competitive market.

With our Blockchain development services, businesses can achieve transparency and traceability, increase efficiency and trust building. As a leading IoT development company, our robust solutions combine with the strengths of both technologies to help you optimize operations, enhance security, and simplify the overall business process. By using blockchain and IoT, companies can unlock many opportunities in levels of productivity and innovation.

IoT ecosystem with blockchain technology

FAQs

Q. What are the advantages of blockchain technology in IoT?

There are various advantages of blockchain in IoT. Some important benefits are enhanced security and privacy, increased transparency and findability, smoothened supply chain management, and savings in cost.

Q. What does IoT do, and why is it important?

The Internet of Things (IoT) connects smart devices to the Internet, allowing them to collect and exchange data. IoT is important because it enhances efficiency, automates day-to-day life's activities, improves decision-making, and drives innovation in leading manufacturing and production industries.

Q. What is cryptocurrency in blockchain technology?

A cryptocurrency is a digital currency designed to work as a medium with a computer network that is not dependent on any central authority, such as a government and banking institutions.

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    Ashish Chauhan
    Ashish Chauhan

    Global Delivery Head at Appventurez

    Ashish governs the process of software delivery operations. He ensures the end product attains the highest remarks in qualitative analysis and is streamlined to the clientele’s objectives. He has over a decade of experience as an iOS developer and teams mentorship.