Design and Development of a Blockchain-Based System for Private Data Management

The concept of blockchain was introduced as the Bitcoin cryptocurrency in a 2008 whitepaper by the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto. Blockchain has applications in many domains, such as healthcare, the Internet of Things (IoT), and data management. Data management is defined as obtaining, processing, safeguarding, and storing information about an organization to aid with making better business decisions for the firm. The collected information is often shared across organizations without the consent of the individuals who provided the information. As a result, the information must be protected from unauthorized access or exploitation. Therefore, organizations must ensure that their systems are transparent to build user confidence. This paper introduces the architectural design and development of a blockchain-based system for private data management, discusses the proof-of-concept prototype using Hyperledger Fabric, and presents evaluation results of the proposed system using Hyperledger Caliper. The proposed solution can be used in any application domain where managing the privacy of user data is important, such as in health care systems.

Supportive Housing For Those Dealing With Mental Health And Addiction Issues In Toronto : An Interview Study To Consider System Level Characeristics and Service Planning Issues

This paper reports on an interview study that was conducted by the author with executive directors representing 10 agencies in Toronto which provide supportive housing for those dealing with mental health and/or addiction issues. It provides a review of the literature and evidence with respect to such housing, and describes its origin, evolution and general characteristic in Toronto. It then focuses on discussing themes identified over the course of the interviews, in relation to overall system planning...and lack thereof. Alongside of expected but important themes, such as the desperate shortage of housing stock, a number of more subtle trends are uncovered. For example, the increasing imposition of concepts and practices from the hospital and private data management sectors, are proving troublesome for some supportive housing providers as they threaten their community and client centered values, beliefs, principles and practices.

Supportive Housing For Those Dealing With Mental Health And Addiction Issues In Toronto : An Interview Study To Consider System Level Characeristics and Service Planning Issues

This paper reports on an interview study that was conducted by the author with executive directors representing 10 agencies in Toronto which provide supportive housing for those dealing with mental health and/or addiction issues. It provides a review of the literature and evidence with respect to such housing, and describes its origin, evolution and general characteristic in Toronto. It then focuses on discussing themes identified over the course of the interviews, in relation to overall system planning...and lack thereof. Alongside of expected but important themes, such as the desperate shortage of housing stock, a number of more subtle trends are uncovered. For example, the increasing imposition of concepts and practices from the hospital and private data management sectors, are proving troublesome for some supportive housing providers as they threaten their community and client centered values, beliefs, principles and practices.

Blockchain Technologies for Private Data Management in AmI Environments

Blockchain enables the creation of distributed ledgers as a type of database that is shared, replicated, and synchronized among the members of a network. In this paper we analyze how distributed ledgers can be used for empowering end-users to self-manage their own data, enabling third parties to access those data under a cryptographic management model. We propose a use case where both blockchain and smart contracts are employed by using cryptographic technology to enable user empowerment of data management in AmI. Finally, we analyze strengths and weaknesses of the proposed scenario.