Optimizing Smart Home Systems: Utilizing Blockchain and Edge Computing
Rong Xu · 2024
The evolution of smart home systems into the Internet of Things (IoT) era has revolutionized the traditional home, offering greater convenience and automation. However, with these benefits come significant security concerns, particularly around data privacy and centralized vulnerabilities. Current smart home models rely heavily on centralized servers, exposing them to single points of failure and potential breaches that undermine user trust and system reliability. In addition, interoperability challenges between devices and opaque data management further complicate these issues. To address these challenges, this study proposes a novel smart home architecture that integrates blockchain and edge computing technologies. Blockchain provides a decentralized approach to data management, ensuring transparency, security, and user control over personal data. By distributing data across nodes and employing advanced cryptographic techniques, blockchain enhances resilience against cyber-attacks and unauthorized access. The proposed methodology includes the design of a robust smart home gateway using advanced micro-controller units and enhanced Wi-Fi modules. This gateway orchestrates device communication and user interaction, enhancing system flexibility and scalability. Experimental evaluations confirm the effectiveness of the proposed system, demonstrating reduced storage overhead for blockchain nodes and optimized communication protocols. The results highlight the feasibility and benefits of decentralized, edge-enabled smart home solutions in improving user experience and system reliability.