LoRaWAN based Secured Micro-Transactions

 #ProblemStatement: How we can empower millions of Indians to avail digital banking services like using the facility of Micro ATM in a place with no network coverage? 

Here is a solution provided by a #IDBRT: 

1. Micro ATM will act as a sender node in this flow. 
2. Micro ATM will be connected with Raspberry Pi (IoT Device with LoRa) (Bluetooth Medium) 
3. Multiple LoRa transceivers placed distant apart (>1 Km) will carry those info and will be carried to end node (bank server) with the database containing user account details. Real-time transaction information (user mobile number, account number, and amount to withdraw) will be validated 
4. Output response at Micro ATM may be of 3 types ie. a. Account doesn’t exist b. Amount withdrawn and the new balance is **** c. Not enough balance.
5. The data is encrypted using a 128-bit AES algorithm with a pre-shared key between sender and receiver (bank server).


Now what’s fascinating in this entire process? 

>It is a specification that applies to battery-powered objects in a Low Power Wide Area Networks. This is a new protocol built from the ground up for battery-operated things that have a low data rate. Want to be amazed? A single nine-volt battery OR 6 AA batteries (1.5 V each) can power a LoRa sensor for up to 10 years, broadcasting its signal up to 10 miles. This is in contrast to wireless wide-area networks (typically used by large corporate organisations) that carry more data and use more power.

#LoRaWAN (Long Range WAN) based secured Micro-Transactions is indeed a breakthrough.

>
“We have created a new dedicated low cost financial network that can be used privately by banks to send encrypted texts to conduct financial transactions. We are the first in the world to develop this network based on LoRa (Long Range Radio) technology,’‘ D. Janakiram, Director, IDRBT

>About IDRBT: The Institute for Development & Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) is an engineering training institution exclusively focused on banking technology. Established by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 1996, the institution works at the intersection of banking and technology. It is located in Hyderabad, India.

Please find the relevant links in the comment section.

Authors: D Janakiram | Dr. Susmita Mandal | Shri. Rajiv Ramachandran


#bank #technology #data #broadcasting #iot #idrbt #fintechnews #bankingtechnology #banktech #fintech #newideas #technology #technologydevelopment #lorawan #lora #banking #bankingindustry #fintechs #network #financial

Links: 

ournal Link: https://www.idrbt.ac.in/editorial-lorawan/
CISCO Blog Link: https://blogs.cisco.com/government/get-10-years-from-9-volts-the-power-of-lorawan
BusinessLine: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/money-and-banking/in-a-first-idrbt-develops-new-low-cost-financial-network-to-take-banking-to-remote-areas/article65909637.ece

Curious Case of Resonant Frequency

Wouldn’t that be weird if someone mentioned that playing a specific video on your laptop could potentially crash your system. 

However, according to a story shared by Microsoft principal software engineer Raymond Chen on his blog The Old New Thing, some Windows XP-era laptops did end up taking exception to the music video for Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” because it contained the natural resonant frequencies for the model of 5400 rpm laptop hard drives that crashed it

According to Chen, an unnamed “major computer manufacturer” discovered that some of their computers were crashing when trying to play the song and that playing the song on one laptop could even crash another computer nearby that was just minding its own business. The manufacturer also discovered that the issue cropped up on other companies’ laptops as well.

But the curious case of resonance doesn’t end here.  Group of soldiers are always asked to break their marching step while cross a bridge. Why?

When soldiers march in three files over a bridge, they generate a rhythmic oscillation of sine waves on the bridge. And due to the mechanical resonance induced, the bridge may collapse. 

( Refer Broughton Suspension Bridge Collapse Incident) 

Hence engineers designing objects having engines must ensure that the mechanical resonant frequencies of the component parts do not match driving vibrational frequencies of the motors or other strongly oscillating parts.

Resonance is an interesting read and there is an excellent video by YT Channel - Veritasium. I would be sharing the links, if you would like to read/study further. 

Links: 

1. The Surprising Secret of Synchronization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-_VPRCtiUg
2. The Old New Thing : https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20220816-00/?p=106994
3. Mechanical Resonance: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_resonance#:~:text=Mechanical%20resonance%20is%20the%20tendency,it%20does%20at%20other%20frequencies
4. Broughton Suspension Bridge Collapse: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broughton_Suspension_Bridge
5. Raymond Chen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WindowsDocs/status/155811494473810329