Zk-SNARKs: updatable setups on the blockchain

Zk-SNARKs have proven to be a ‘Swiss army knife’ for blockchain and distributed ledgers, with applications in privacy, interoperability, and scalability

1 September 2022 Thomas Kerber 12 mins read

Zk-SNARKs: updatable setups on the blockchain

Since their introduction, zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) have been used to support potential applications ranging from verifiable outsourced computation to anonymous credentials, within a multitude of settings that require a balance between privacy and integrity. ZKPs enable one party to prove to another that a certain statement or claim is true, without revealing the contents of…

Input Output Global’s $4.5m blockchain research hub at Stanford University

Input Output Global is proud to announce its partnership with the prestigious Stanford University to fund blockchain research

30 August 2022 Ivan Irakoze 4 mins read

Input Output Global’s $4.5m blockchain research hub at Stanford University

Input Output Global, Inc. (IOG) prioritizes a peer-reviewed, academic research-driven process in its quest to develop high-assurance blockchain technologies. The research team has published 130+ research papers across a host of topics, many of which help underpin Cardano’s design principles and IOG’s novel products and services.

This week we are proud to announce our latest…

Mithril proof of concept is now open-source

Mithril is a stake-based signature scheme that improves the speed and efficiency of syncing times for nodes joining the network. Find out how to get involved

29 August 2022 Olga Hryniuk 4 mins read

Mithril proof of concept is now open-source

As Cardano scales, Input Output Global (IOG) engineering teams are working on a range of solutions to boost network performance. Mithril is one such solution, aiming to streamline the speed and efficiency of data synchronization between applications.

During July’s 360 show, Arnaud Bailly – IOG technical architect – shared a Mithril development update.

The importance of Mithril…

Ofelimos explained

How Ofelimos minimizes proof-of-work energy cost through proof of useful work

18 August 2022 Ivan Irakoze <1 min read

For a more in-depth look at Ofelimos, read 'Ofelimos: a proof-of-useful-work consensus protocol'.

Introducing Ofelimos: a proof-of-useful-work consensus protocol

IOG research introduces a new, provably secure, consensus protocol to minimize the energy wastage of proof-of-work blockchains

16 August 2022 Olga Hryniuk 11 mins read

Introducing Ofelimos: a proof-of-useful-work consensus protocol

The minimization of proof of work's (PoW) energy cost and carbon footprint is one of the most hotly discussed topics in the crypto space. Substituting the PoW primitive in Nakamoto's longest-chain protocol with a proof of useful work (PoUW) has long been theorized as an ideal solution in many respects but, to this day, the concept has lacked a convincingly secure realization.

Today, at the leading international cryptology conference, Crypto, Input Output Global, Inc (IOG) introduces Ofelimos, a novel PoUW-based blockchain protocol whose consensus mechanism simultaneously realizes a decentralized optimization-problem solver. The…