Blockchain and Smart-Contract Technologies for Innovative Applications

This book is an in-depth exploration of blockchain and smart contracts technologies, systematically addressing their theoretical foundations while highlighting concrete applications in several key sectors. It begins by defining the fundamentals of blockchain and smart contracts, then ventures into the legal domain, analyzing the implications of automated contracts from both backend and frontend perspectives. A particular focus is placed on a sustainable design for cryptocurrencies, anticipating the principles and expectations of the future. The book then provides a detailed taxonomy of blockchain's financial applications, while also examining its role in managing scientific workflows. The fascinating world of NFTs is also explored, from the tokenization of fine arts to innovative event ticketing systems. The convergence between ontologies and blockchain technology is then highlighted, followed by an in-depth assessment of the implications of this technology in the telecommunicationssector, including a SWOT analysis of next-generation cellular networks. Written by academic researchers and industry experts, this book offers a complete and nuanced perspective on the transformational potential of blockchain.

Nour El Madhoun is currently an Associate Professor of "Computer Science, Cybersecurity and Blockchain" and head of the engineering cycle - Digital Security and Networks at ISEP - Engineering School in Paris. She is also an Associate Researcher at Sorbonne Université/LIP6 (within the PHARE team from 2020 to 2022 and within the NPA team from November 2022). She received her Master’s degree in Networks/Computer Science from Sorbonne Université/Télécom ParisTech in 2014, and her Ph.D. degree in Cybersecurity/Computer Science from Sorbonne Université in 2018. At Sorbonne Université, She became an ATER in 2017. In 2018, she gained industry experience through working as a post-doctoral researcher on blockchain and smart-contract technologies at Orange Labs. From 2019 to 2020, she joined ISEP - Engineering School, Paris, as an Associate Professor of "Cybersecurity and Blockchain" in addition to overseeing the engineering cycle - Digital Security and Networks. From 2020 to 2022, shejoined, EPITA - Engineering school in Paris, as an Associate Professor of "Cybersecurity and Blockchain". Her current research focuses on network security, cryptographic protocols, EMV payment, NFC technology, and blockchain and smart-contracts technologies.

Ioanna Dionysiou is a Professor of Computer Science at University of Nicosia. She is currently the Associate Head of the Department of Computer Science and the co-director of the Informatics Security Laboratory. Dionysiou received her PhD from Washington State University (2006) and during her graduate studies she held teaching and research assistant appointments. Her PhD dissertation work was supported by NIST, NSF and DOE. Dionysiou's research focuses on active defenses, privacy, applied security standards, multidisciplinary security practices, and cybercrime. She has an active publication record, active involvement in numerous conferences (program chair, session chair, program committee member), participation in funded projects and editorial experience as a book editor. She is a member of several professional associations (e.g., IEEE, IEEE Women in Engineering, ACM Senior Member, ACM-W) and serves in various academic and advisory boards, including the European Security Defense College EAB.Cyber Group and the Cyprus ECSC (European Cyber Security Challenge) Advisory Board.

Emmanuel Bertin (Senior Member, IEEE) received the Ph.D. and Habilitation degrees in computer science from Sorbonne University. He is currently an Expert Community Leader with Orange Labs and an Adjunct Professor with the Institut Mines-Telecom, France. His activities are focused on 5G and 6G, blockchain, and service engineering, with more than 100 published researched articles.