Infineon Blockchain Starter Kit - Review

Table of contents

RoadTest: Infineon Blockchain Starter Kit

Author: fytan88

Creation date:

Evaluation Type: Passives

Did you receive all parts the manufacturer stated would be included in the package?: True

What other parts do you consider comparable to this product?: SECORA Connect NFC wearable solution, it is also have NFC security capabilities.

What were the biggest problems encountered?: The mobile application for the product is only available in android phone, I cannot use the mobile application for the product on IOS phone. The mobile application also requires the phone to have NFC function in order for us to use the product.

Detailed Review:

The Android application was developed by Coinfinity and demonstrates an application example for the Blockchain Security 2Go starter kit in combination with an NFC-capable Android smart phone. The example application interacts with the Blockchain Security 2Go starter kit via NFC and the Ethereum blockchain.

 

The app is communicating with the card via NFC to generate new private/public keys, read the public keys and sign transactions.To be able to use the QR code scanning and displaying functionality the app expects the QR code scanner to be installed via google play store.

 

By opening the app you will be asked to present the Blockchain Security 2Go starter kit card on the back of your smart phone where the NFC antenna of your phone is located. The card by default the first public key is read out and displayed as an Ethereum address on the screen. The QR code is shown, which is also representing the Ethereum account. The app automatically performs a query to the Blockchain API in order to display the amount of available tokens which are corresponding to the shown Ethereum address.

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To change the key which shall be used in the application, the drop down menu can be use. This allows the usage of other keys which can be further used for the signing demonstrators such as sending ETH, ERC20 or the voting demo.

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The recipient address can be specified with text, QR code scanner but also NFC.

In order to trigger a transaction the card has to be presented at the NFC interface ones more to complete the transaction with the signing process for the generated transaction message.

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The ERC20 send option is similar to the ETH example. A recipient address has

to be specified, as well as the token amount, gas and gas limit.

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An example smart contract interaction with the blockchain security 2go card is demonstrated. In order to cast a vote, the card should be represented on the NFC interface. Four answer options are possible: > 5 billion,   10 billion, > 15 billion, > 20 billion

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The refresh balance option refreshes the amount of tokens which are related to the

particular key index. Thus a new query to the Blockchain is made and the value is refreshed below the Ethereum address.

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The PIN can be changed by using the option Change PIN. By setting a pin, the card functions locked and pin-protected. After setting, the card functions are locked without using the pin.

 

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Generate key from seed enables the import option for key-index 0. Here a seed can be entered which is then used by the card to generate a new key. With this function a key is generated on the card based on the imported seed.

 

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By checking the sig counter the signature counter of the particular key-index is read out and visualized. The number of signatures which were used is visualized.

 

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The app allows the switch to the robsten test network with the last option in the drop

-down menu. With this option you can switch between the Ethereum testnet and mainnet.

 

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The advantage of the product and its mobile application is that it is easy and convenient to use since we can use it on our mobile phone. The mobile application is quite easy to use and navigate, we can understand more on blockchain security using the mobile application on our phone.

The disadvantage is that the mobile application for the product is only available on android phone, I cannot use the mobile application for the product on IOS phone. The mobile application also requires the phone to have NFC function in order for us to use the product.

Anonymous
  • We're working on a traceability project here with these cards. Where you can handle and track raw materials up to an end product.

    The cards would serve as signature devices, maybe to generate the blockchai hash too. Under investigation...

  • It seemed like one of the reasons this product was offered as a RoadTest was to explore applications for Blockchain.

     

    The kit only supporting Android makes sense. It is an evaluation kit and not intended to be an end-product. Let us assume a real application would have whatever software needed to be useful.

     

    Based on what you saw with the kit, can you think of any applications (not software applications, but implementations) you could build with NFC cards like these that use a blockchain?