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DataHOUSE AR Remote Hand Service

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    • Branded DataHOUSE AR Remote Hand Service (AR Remote Hand), the solution leverages wearable Augmented Reality (AR) technology and brings field engineers and its customers to a new era, enabling them to slash the time and cost of troubleshooting and maintenance for achieving better results.

    The AR Remote Hand Service employs AR glasses to stream real-time intelligence, troubleshooting logs, graphics and encrypted data from back-end systems to on-site engineers and maintenance staff, boosting field productivity by up to 50%. By wearing the glasses, field engineers do not have to stop their work to communicate with back-end support teams via a laptop or phone, nor to refer to a paper manual. The AR Remote Hand provides field engineers with a heads-up display for remote visualisation in real time as they install, maintain or troubleshoot equipment, thus speeding up the whole process.

    This solution offers a wide array of benefits in service provisioning and remote location visualisation and communication capabilities, including:

    Intuitive AR-Guided Installation, Troubleshooting and Maintenance

    With AR Remote Hand, field engineers recognise any device with a designated QR code and access real-time intelligence, graphics, and encrypted data from back-end systems streamed on-site. Field staff can access virtual step-by-step guides or even 3D manuals via AR glasses, without the need to interrupt work to check information on a laptop or in a manual.

    Historical Records Analysis

    Using a pre-set routine (e.g. gestures), on-site engineers can review a device’s historical record (e.g. customers’ network traffic or cloud CPU history), to speed up data analysis and troubleshooting, while cutting downtime and cost.

    Seamless Communication and Collaboration with Back-end Support

    Field engineers previously communicated with back-end support via email or phone, making it difficult to describe a troubleshooting situation. Removing distance and language barriers, back-end engineers now view real-time images streamed via AR glasses through an AR operations console, improving operational speed and quality. Its powerful video conferencing feature also offers engineers instant support and fosters off-site collaboration between global operations and maintenance teams. In addition, back-end engineers can give field engineers clear instructions via 3D AR labelling.

    Whitepaper on Distributed Ledger Technology

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    • ASTRI was commissioned by the Fintech Facilitation Office (FFO) of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) to conduct a research project on Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). The project led to the “Whitepaper on Distributed Ledger Technology” which documented the R&D findings. DLT, commonly known as Blockchain, is an innovative technology that has significant application benefits. The project’s key objectives have been to carry out an open-minded, in-depth examination of the technology and to identify possible applications of DLT in financial services by engaging in proof-of-concept work. Published in November 2016, the whitepaper aimed to provide the FinTech industry of Hong Kong with a comprehensive introduction to the technology. It also helps the sector in understanding how the technology could be deployed as an innovative solution to enhance and secure business operations while fulfilling regulatory compliance.

    DLT is an innovative technology that offers several benefits such as transparency, resiliency, auditability, and cryptography-enabled security. It is a vibrant technology that has seen prolific R&D work and a widening scope of applications.

    The paper presents a comprehensive study of DLT, especially on its key benefits, risks, and potential applications. It addresses security enforcement and regulatory compliance issues. It also demonstrates how DLT can bring in viable, valuable FinTech applications, with initial findings of three proof-of-concept exercises – mortgage loan application, trade finance, and digital identity management.

    The paper was enriched by valuable contributions from experts in academic banking sectors, as well as by a few groups specialising in DLT. The paper may be downloaded from the HKMA website.

     

    As DLT continues to evolve, ASTRI will continue its R&D effort in this area and its applications.

    A property transaction DLT system demonstrating ledger resiliency with transactions automatically replicated in multiple locations. In the diagram above, The transaction recording Alice selling the property to Bob is securely recorded in multiple banks and Land Registry.

    * Alice selling the property to Bob is securely recorded in multiple banks and Land Registry.

    *Demonstration of Hash operation which converts data of any size to fixed size unique values, regardless of how minor the data differ from each other.

    Proof-of-concept: A DLT-enabled property valuation where the DLT system serves as a secure ledger system shared by multiple banks and surveyors.

     

     

     

    Blockchain

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    • Blockchain (a.k.a. Distributed Ledger Technology) is a software platform which uses advanced cryptographic techniques and peer-to-peer networks to enable the creation of secure, collaborative and trustworthy applications in a cost-effective and reliable fashion. This technology has strong significance to various applications such as crypto-currency and payment systems, digital rights management, and health records management. It is considered a disruptive Financial Technology (FinTech) that can potentially disintermediate some expensive overheads in legacy financial computer systems and also promote automation and digitasation. Our Blockchain Core Competence Group consists of world-class cryptographers, software, network and system engineers, seasoned front-end engineers as well as UI/UX designers. We develop cutting-edge Blockchain systems and applications, and have rich experience in developing (permissioned and permissionless) applications on major distributed ledger platforms such as Bitcoin, Monax, Corda, Ethereum and Hyperledger, etc.

    Focus areas

    Blockchain protocol stack

    Besides pursuing active R&D in our own Blockchain protocol stack, we also have testbeds covering major Blockchain protocols to conduct rigorous security assessment, performance analytics, prototyping, and rapid deployment for financial institutions.

    Consensus algorithms enhancement

    Continuous R&D efforts are being put in to analyse and enhance Blockchain consensus mechanisms that operate specific permissioned and permissionless Blockchain application logics.

    Blockchain technology security

    Our R&D activities also focus on enhancing the security of Blockchain peer-to-peer networks and consensus mechanisms. With joint efforts from ASTRI Security Lab, we provide security assessment and consultancy services to financial institutions on their Blockchain application architecture and security.

    Projects

    Property Valuation Blockchain Application

    Within the scope of the mortgage loan application process, ASTRI was chosen by Bank of China (Hong Kong) to develop a Property Valuation Blockchain System, which provides a more secure and efficient way to digitises the process of property valuation in the lengthy mortgage loan application process.

    The System significantly simplified the entire property valuation process, and thereby led to a sizeable reduction in the process’s operating cost. Besides supporting multiple appraisers, the system has the potential of to be rolled out across many other banks, and more importantly, can subsequently be extended to cover other aspects of the mortgage loan application system. It can enhance productivity, reduce operating cost, improve security and, at the same time, improve user experience.

     

    Project Obsidian – a DLT-based Trade Finance System

    Project Obsidian is a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) based trade finance system. It is developed by ASTRI in collaboration with Hong Kong Monetary Authority, HSBC, the Bank of China (Hong Kong), Standard Chartered Bank, the Hang Seng Bank, Bank of East Asia and Tradelink.

    Building upon the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), Project Obsidian has a great potential to effectively simplify the existing cumbersome paper-based trade finance operations. The system can also provide a real-time visibility that prevents double financing fault among the participating financial institutes.

     

    ASTRI-HKMA Distributed Ledger Technology White Paper

    Commissioned by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, ASTRI published a white paper in November 2016 to provide guidance and directions to the banking industry and other sectors on the application of the distributed ledger technology. Along with the white paper, ASTRI developed a series of Proof-of-Concepts (PoCs) and experimented with the PoCs for acquiring the first-hand hands-on experience of the particular blockchain applications developed in the PoCs. The detailed treatment of the PoCs, findings as well as our experience learnt has been shared in the paper for benefiting all the stakeholders.