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- Ubirch confirms the possible use of the IOTA and Ethereum-based vaccination proof solution by other counties in Germany and private companies.
- The Cologne based company relies on different blockchains to be more independent from single blockchains.
German company Ubirch GmbH has attracted attention in recent days with an IOTA and Ethereum-based solution for issuing a digital vaccination certificate for COVID-19. As we reported a few days ago, the solution is being implemented in the Bavarian district of Altötting in a pilot test as part of an effort to document the vaccination process.
The CNF team contacted Ubirch for more details about the technology and operation behind the solution. A representative of the company confirmed that they use 5 public blockchains to anchor the information of the Ubirch FastChainer service. In addition to IOTA, the service uses Ethereum, and Ethereum based blockchains, Bloxberg, and govdigital, along with Ethereum Classic.
The referred have the function of being a “trusted timestamp service”. That is, they are used to secure information and verify that it cannot be changed. However, as revealed by Ubirch’s CTO, Matthias Jugel, the data does not end up in the blockchain, but always remains under the control of the users.
Ubirch FastChainer is connected to several blockchains to increase its level of independence with the ability to adapt to the capabilities of the networks on which it operates. In addition, the German company states that the frequency of its service is constant, “regardless of the data frequency” with which customers send an Ubirch Protocol Package (UPP).
The anchoring frequency simply adapts to the capabilities of each blockchain. Blockchains primarily have the role of a trusted timestamp service. […] Ubirch relies on different blockchains to be more independent from single blockchains.
Why did Ubirch choose to use IOTA’s technology?
Ethereum’s blockchain has one drawback, its high level of congestion and its transaction verification fees. Therefore, Ubirch leverages IOTA Tangle’s technology. In comparison, this network has a high level of scalability and can be used without transaction costs.
This last factor was decisive for the choice the company made when defining which blockchain offers the greatest benefits to host its solution. The transaction costs and the maximum transaction rate determine the variation of the service frequency. Therefore, IOTA’s features allow data to be aggregated more frequently.
For Ubirch, the IOTA Tangle is characterized primarily by the comparatively high transaction rate and non-incurring transaction costs. Depending on the maximum transaction rate and transaction costs of the blockchains used, Ubirch anchors into the connected blockchains with varying frequency.
The Cologne based company also revealed to CNF that the solution could be used soon in other districts in Germany and even in some sectors of private enterprise and other countries:
The fast and uncomplicated implementation in Altötting shows how easy it is to use our Digital Proof of Vaccination solution; moreover, it is DSGVO-compliant and meets the highest data protection requirements.
We are convinced that our digital proof of vaccination will be used outside the district of Altötting, but also in the private sector and in other countries. We are already in talks with the private sector and three other counties have shown interest.
