ConsenSys on the Rise: Collaborations and “The Internet of People”
Shortly after announcing a partnership with Digix, ConsenSys is now partnering with Blockapps and Canonical to deliver the next generation of digital identity security and verification by integrating the Ethereum-based Nimbus uPort Biometric Digital Identity tools on Ubuntu phones.
The “Internet of People”
The companies are working to bring a whole new level of privacy and security to the mobile industry. By using the recently developed Ubuntu phone with the Nimbus uPort biometrics system, users owning a digital identity will be able to self-govern all their personal information and all the information they send and receive through their phones without having to rely on a third party.
This new technology represents a new shift in self-governance and how individuals manage their personal information online. The consortium is trying to introduce the “Internet of People,” where people are in complete control of all their information.
Andrew Keys, Director and Manager of ConsenSys Enterprise Business stated:
“It’s the Internet of People who care about security and privacy and that want to make a difference. Everyone has been working extremely hard towards this paradigm shift whereby anyone has the ability to use Ethereum to access their individual digital identity and digital assets.”
While ConsenSys has been working on the uPort, BlockApps has been developing Nimbus, a mobile solution for secure management of identity and transactions on the Ethereum blockchain. Nimbus allows users a secure interaction with the Ethereum blockchain through biometric and encryption capabilities.
Canonical, on the other hand, is the commercial sponsor and the leading provider of support services for Ubuntu deployments in the venture. Canonical is positioned to help its partners to make the most of Ubuntu. This project is “the realisation of the promise of Ubuntu as the reinvention of personal mobile computing,” according to Canonical’s Head of Marketing, Thibaut Rouffineauis.
The Ubuntu Phone
Ubuntu is a free, open-source operatng system platform. Ubuntu is enabled for any client, server, and cloud computing,and is already prepared for the Internet of Things. Since its launch in 2004, it has attracted attention.The latest release of Ubuntu for phones and tablet has unveiled the long expected reinvention of personal mobile computing, where a phone or tablet can act as a full PC. Ubuntu phones inherit Ubuntu’s security, reliability and respect for user’s confidentiality.
“The Ubuntu phone is an elegant revisioning of the smartphone experience. And incorporating the uPort persistent, portable Identity tools takes this elegance into a realm beyond, where identity is self-sovereign — fully controlled by the user, deeply secure and, like the phone itself, opens new vistas on the emerging decentralized web services.”
– Joseph Lubin, founder of ConsenSys
“A relationship between ConsenSys and Canonical will create a powerful merging of the technological offerings of both organizations,” said Christian Lundkvist, co-founder of uPort said. “Powered by the proven Ubuntu operating system integrated with the bleeding edge digital identity tools of uPort, the Ubuntu phone will be a great step towards a fully self-sovereign and completely interconnected world.”
With this partnership the companies will enable users to have the Ethereum-enabled Nimbus uPort Biometric Digital Identity tools via on the newly released Ubuntu for phones and tablets. Through this feature users will be able to use decentralized applications (DApps) and develop Ethereum blockchain software. However, the project is not fully developed yet and the companies stated the proof-of-concept will be revealed on February 22nd, 2016 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
This is the second of a two part series by Nuno Menezes about ConsenSys on the Rise.
