Written by: Sunny, TechFlow TechFlow
Guest: Adam Tyler, CEO, COZ
“Blockchain exists as a software base in our modern ecosystem. As long as this ecosystem keeps running, our software will continue to exist.”
——Adam Tyler, CEO, COZ
The blockchain can die, but it is based on people. Only humans will not perish. Codes can be reproduced on the blockchain to realize the immortality and reproduction of software and hardware.
We have been building blockchain technology long enough to take a philosophical stance on how blockchain should be used.
Our modern ecosystem refers to the era surrounding human activity on Earth (the Anthropocene). Like other organisms, humans have the ability to reproduce, and reproduction has always been a conserved characteristic of organisms. Inanimate entities such as code, software, words, or rings are inanimate matter that cannot reproduce itself…
Since 2008, Bitcoin has emerged as a private currency capable of connecting all individuals on the planet to the concept of money. Money can be thought of as a fractionalized space that flows through supply and demand, supporting the basic economic activities necessary to sustain humans to remain human.
Unlike private currencies, public currencies such as national currencies are controlled by a small number of people, primarily governments, thus creating a single point of failure in supply and demand economic activity when errors in supply and demand are caused by human factors.
Behind Bitcoin is the distributed ledger technology known as the blockchain, which enables everyone on the planet to contribute their labor and resources to maintaining the running status of the distributed ledger. Since the introduction of smart contracts on Ethereum, the Ethereum blockchain has become the world's computer, meaning that the smart contracts (essentially code) that run on top of it are also closely connected to humans.
Thus, for the first time, humanity is able to connect its reproductive capacity with software (logic, language, code, memes, etc.), and this is achieved through blockchain.
As Tyler describes it, " Blockchain exists at the software base of our time ." Now, if we have a software base that can reproduce, can we tie it to hardware physical items like rings, keys, and artwork, making them more 'immortal' through a software layer programmed on the blockchain? (Absolute immortality would be an exaggeration, as objects gradually wear out with use)?
Now, physical items (non-living items) can be regenerated... as long as humans can keep the blockchain running.
I found the conversation with Tyler to be very interesting as we dived into how blockchain is becoming the software base for things on Earth, and how the humans behind the technology running the technology are keeping the software and hardware in a regenerative state so that non-biological items can also be regenerative. Biological characteristics of sex.
Tyler Adams’ background is deeply rooted in the intersection of medical technology and biological research. Initially focused on designing medical devices and centrifuges, his main work revolved around flow cytometry, a key tool used for high-speed cell sorting and analysis in major research areas such as HIV and cancer. Although not directly involved in diagnostics, his dedication to instrumentation and the broader field of biological research demonstrates his deep connection to this area of science, providing a unique perspective on his later move to blockchain technology.
In Tyler's early days with blockchain, he joined the Neo ecosystem as a core contributor. It is worth noting that the team led by Tyler is also the first to introduce Neo technology to the English-speaking community in the Western market.
Decentralized Immortal Impression Generated by DALL-E3
From Neo ecosystem contributor to founding COZ
TechFlow: How did you go from being an applied biomedical engineer to being a core contributor to Neo?
Tyler:
My blockchain journey has been a long one. It started with my involvement in high-speed cell sorting and ultra-high-resolution technologies, utilizing technologies such as seven-laser array submicron cell sorting. This technical endeavor led me to Seagate (a big data storage solutions company), where my focus shifted to numerical modeling of reliability in advanced technologies. My responsibilities expanded to reverse engineering customer workflows and creating numerical models to simulate new hard drive technologies.
This experience led me to a role focused on global systems testing infrastructure and analytics. It was here that I began exploring consensus algorithms, driven by the challenge of achieving global consistency of data state within large storage arrays. This exploration brought me to the forefront of blockchain research, starting with foundational technologies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Ultimately, this path led me to the Neo blockchain and its Delegated Byzantine Fault Tolerance (dBFT) algorithm, which resonated with our architectural and industrial needs. Realizing that Neo technology had limited Western exposure, especially outside of the Chinese community, my team at COZ and I set out to translate the Neo whitepaper into English. We developed the tools and infrastructure to increase its visibility in the Western world, marking the beginning of our contribution to the blockchain industry and the Neo platform over the past seven years.
When discussing dBFT or Delegated Byzantine Fault Tolerance, I highlighted how Neo pioneered this protocol, setting a precedent for energy and computational efficiency in the blockchain space. This innovation is not limited to Neo; it has also attracted interest and adoption from other major players such as Binance Chain. The attraction to dBFT stems from its contrast with energy-intensive proof-of-work solutions, positioning it as a more sustainable and efficient framework for Layer 1 blockchains.
TechFlow: How did you build this team of developers during Neo and then transition it to COZ?
Tyler:
I didn't start directly with Neo. About seven years ago, many individuals, like myself, independently discovered Neo and recognized its value as a protocol and project. As community members, we come together to communicate, organize, and collaborate. We work on various initiatives such as translating documentation and developing software for the platform.
We initiated the creation of a wallet that has evolved into a BIP39 multi-protocol wallet. Additionally, we developed a contract compiler for writing smart contracts on the platform, as well as a software development kit to enable the development of applications. These efforts allow platforms like Binance and Kucoin to effectively interface with the blockchain.
The Neo team has provided critical support to our efforts and even provided funding to sustain our development efforts. This financial support helps attract developers to the ecosystem. Essentially, this marks the beginning of COZ and outlines how we began our journey.
Understand the differences in software development in Web2 and Web3
TechFlow: What do you think is the biggest difference in developer onboarding between Web2 and Web3 development?
Tyler:
There are a few key aspects to consider – tools and support.
First, let's discuss the basic differences in software architecture .
In traditional software development, we often talk about front-end and back-end, two static constructs that define the structure of an application.
However, when it comes to blockchain, we encounter a completely new architecture. While sometimes blockchain is used only as a back-end, keeping the front-end-back-end concept, there are situations where this approach is not enough to meet the needs. This is especially evident in the world of smart contracts, where cryptography and security considerations play an important role.
Understanding and exploring these security risks is one of the biggest challenges faced by developers moving from Web2 to Web3 development.
For example, let's consider data storage in healthcare. In traditional healthcare software development, encrypted data is stored in the database to comply with regulatory standards, ensuring security and compliance.
However, if the same data is encrypted and stored on a blockchain, regulatory issues arise due to the immutability of blockchain data.
Unlike traditional databases where data can be deleted and re-encrypted to meet new encryption standards, blockchain data remains unchanged.
This fundamental difference breaks many standard practices in software development and requires a complete re-evaluation of security protocols.
Additionally, COZ focuses on building contract compilers and software development kits, particularly in Python, which is widely considered the dominant programming language in information technology.
Since Python is a commonly taught language in schools, programming language barriers are no longer a significant concern. Instead, the main challenge lies in understanding these architectural concepts. For example, when participating in hackathons, participants are encouraged to design their own architectures and seek feedback, as many traditional software architectures are incompatible with blockchain technology.
COZ’s mission: cryptographically bind real assets to the blockchain
TechFlow: When looking at COZ's future trajectory, how do you see its role evolving in the development of Web3 architectures, specifically in relation to traditional Web2 companies and Web3?
Tyler:
We currently provide customized services for Web2 businesses wishing to transition to Web3. We position ourselves as a partner, leveraging our extensive experience and deep understanding of the ecosystem to ensure that our partners' architecture and product concepts are implemented seamlessly and securely in a Web3 environment. Our expertise spans from core protocol development and consensus mechanism design to end-user activation, with products already deployed to thousands of users at various live events on mainnet.
Through these services, we address the specific challenges of non-fintech blockchain use cases, leveraging insights from proof points and activation to streamline processes and remove barriers.
Recently, we have been focused on developing physical assets cryptographically linked to the blockchain, providing a utility-driven use case without any financial component.
Nonetheless, they offer a unique value proposition by leveraging blockchain technology. As an organization, we believe our broad presence in the ecosystem enables us to pioneer novel use cases beyond financial applications.
This approach aligns with our vision to drive universal adoption by integrating blockchain so seamlessly into everyday life that users don’t even realize they are interacting with blockchain technology.
Contrary to the prevailing trend within the industry, where many focus solely on blockchain-centric narratives, we take a customer-centric approach. Our philosophy is to meet our customers where they are, prioritizing tangible value propositions over blockchain hype.
Drawing an analogy to the evolution of cloud computing, we recognize that early cloud marketing efforts tended to emphasize the technology itself rather than its actual benefits.
Likewise, in the blockchain space, there is a tendency to brag about the blockchain itself. However, we believe the future lies in turning blockchain into an infrastructure layer, similar to cloud computing, seamlessly integrated into everyday applications without drawing attention to its underlying technology.
Essentially, we foresee blockchain evolving into a foundational tool for building products, much like cloud infrastructure. Our goal at COZ is to align with this trajectory and position ourselves at the forefront of this shift toward blockchain as an integral part of the technology landscape.
TechFlow: Can you provide an example of a practical use case where a physical object operates on top of a service you provide, but the user is unaware that it is based on blockchain technology?
Tyler:
Last year in Denver, Colorado, the famous mural festival Worldwide Walls was held, attracting 17 muralists from all over the world to fly in to create stunning works of art. Some of these murals are as high as five stories high and are truly grand in scale. They were then fitted with copper plaques, of which I have an example here, which had a microcomputer embedded in them, allowing the user to tap or scan them to collect a unique signature . These signatures can then be burned onto the blockchain and redeemed for rewards provided by local merchants in the zone. We plan to implement this initiative again at the ETHDenver event in three weeks.
This is a great example of how individuals don't have to be aware of it. They have no direct interaction with the blockchain and do not need to create a wallet or perform any related operations. However, they are leveraging blockchain to enhance their experience.
TechFlow: Is this similar to POAP?
Tyler:
Something similar, but it can't be faked.
It is peer-to-peer and there is no superuser. It's directly merchants, local merchants interacting with the community . The wall itself in the mural serves as a navigation point.
Another good example is the activation we did at the Token2049 event in Singapore where we gave away rings.
These rings are counterfeit-proof, making us the only manufacturer of this type of physical asset on Earth currently. They leverage blockchain to provide provenance information and claim data.
Approximately 300 of these rings were distributed during our Token2049 activation. Participants are in a curated museum experience where they can interact with the exhibit by scanning their ring with a tap. This interaction, facilitated by blockchain technology, requires no communications, private keys or registration processes, providing a clear user interface and experience. A similar experience was deployed on Consensus last year.
In addition, we executed a similar event at the Tribeca Film Festival, showcasing actors' artwork from one of this year's Oscar-nominated films. The pieces are set into wax frames with chips embedded in the back. By scanning these items with a tap, users can interface with the blockchain to verify their cryptographic authenticity, making them counterfeit-proof physical assets.
What’s particularly interesting is that this setup interfaces directly with the blockchain, making it possible to create decentralized applications that utilize it as a key to interaction. For example, imagine a smart contract wallet where this ring acts as a two-factor authentication device to verify the authenticity of transactions.
It can also be used to open doors and serve a variety of other purposes. As well as proving authenticity and displaying provenance data for collections – a significant focus in the art market – it also serves as a tool for the wider art community, which often faces problems with piracy and counterfeiting.
TechFlow: Why did you choose to use blockchain in this real-world physics application?
Tyler:
This relates to the value of encryption. At the same time, it is also because it is decentralized.
We have been developing blockchain technology for a long time. In doing so, we consider how blockchain can be used from a philosophical perspective. In this case, blockchain exists as the software infrastructure within our modern ecosystem .
When you think about a physical asset, like your headphones. If you give them to someone, you can sell them now. There is no centralized infrastructure for that transaction. It's peer-to-peer. Fundamentally, the same is true for the concept of blockchain. It's peer-to-peer . It does not require permissions. You can do whatever you want with your assets.
So for us, we see a lot of similarities between physical assets and blockchain, and we think this type of product is a really good interface. We as an organization could completely disappear from the face of the earth and our physical assets would still exist. People can continue to write software that uses our physical assets. They can continue to use them, prove that they are real, and continue to operate them whether or not we, the producers, still exist. It's the same thing as your headphones. This is true for all physical assets.
The person or company that made your physical assets—your headphones, your clothes—is still there whether the company still exists or not. Blockchain is the perfect tool for building physical assets. We've seen other solutions, but that problem hasn't gone away. If you ever buy a piece of technology and the company disappears, then you can no longer use it. That was a bad experience. So we try to push this concept that physical assets and blockchain are a very good combination.
TechFlow: Can you explain further how software deployed on physical assets can be modified without interacting with the producer organization?
Tyler:
As an organization, we deploy a series of smart contracts on the blockchain. We've been discussing the differences between backend and frontend, emphasizing the architectural contrast between traditional software and Web3.
In traditional software, companies typically maintain the backend infrastructure. If the company ceases to exist, so does the back-end infrastructure. However, in our case, our code resides on the blockchain.
We do not manage the infrastructure, servers or any related components. Instead, our code is embedded in the blockchain structure and maintained by the entire ecosystem.
As long as the ecosystem keeps running, our software will continue to exist.
This contrasts with the traditional software model, where the cessation of operations of a company can lead to the cessation of its services. For example, if Microsoft or Apple went out of business, all services that depended on their backend infrastructure would stop functioning.
In our scenario, physical assets may last for decades, which provides users with a reassuring sense of security. They can trust that software can continue to be developed for these assets, ensuring their continued functionality and authenticity verification. This is the unique value proposition provided by blockchain.
For us, blockchain presents a unique utility and value proposition that cannot be replicated by any other software solution. Without blockchain technology, this product simply wouldn’t exist.
TechFlow: This really makes physical or non-organic objects immortal or renewable.
Tyler:
We’ve invested years to enhance the user experience and make blockchain more accessible, working to identify the technology’s true use cases and value propositions across various industries. When we deconstruct distributed ledger technology, what is its core value proposition for businesses?
To answer this question, we extensively field-tested our theory.
Over the past seven years, our team has traveled around the world, attending countless events and events, meeting individuals and organizations launching blockchain projects. Our goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the nature of blockchain technology and its potential applications.
Looking forward to the next 50 years, where will blockchain be? We expect the “on the blockchain” discussion to fade away, just like the discussion about cloud computing. Instead, blockchain will be recognized as a tool that adds value to other products and processes. Our ongoing efforts are focused on uncovering this intrinsic value proposition.
Knowledge, the Internet, open source and decentralized science
TechFlow: How do you see the intersection of decentralized science (DeSci) and blockchain technology, especially in fields such as medicine, which you are very interested in? Currently, many decentralized science projects serve as funding mechanisms for small to medium-sized laboratories in the space. However, looking forward, what potential do you see for blockchain to be integrated with lower level scientific research, such as using DNA as a form of data storage?
Tyler:
Five years ago, a team within our ecosystem submitted a proposal during a hackathon centered on the concept of peer review of research on the blockchain. Currently, we have established a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) within the Neo ecosystem, and individuals can submit funding application proposals. The proposals are then voted on and discussed entirely on the blockchain by a committee.
The idea of using a DAO to transparently allocate funds and facilitate peer review of academic research holds huge potential. This approach solves the political and bureaucratic problems often encountered in academia. Additionally, it allows for anonymity to be maintained during the peer review process, leveraging blockchain technology to ensure transparency and fairness.
By adopting this model, peer review and voting in academic journals and conferences can be conducted openly, without the secrecy often associated with traditional processes.
Additionally, there is huge potential to extend these principles of transparency and collaboration to other industries, echoing the ethos of open source.
Scientific research, in particular, benefits greatly from this approach, given its alignment with the principles of open collaboration and knowledge sharing.
At COZ, we are strong supporters of open source principles. Many of our products and a significant portion of our infrastructure are open source.
We do a really good job on the software side by hosting public nodes for people to use. If it weren't for open source software, we wouldn't even have this video chat now. This is a direct rebuttal to anyone who claims that open source software is not responsible for the existence of software infrastructure on the planet.
This is all thanks to the open source software movement. Blockchain opens up similar capabilities to many other areas. I came into technology from a mechanical engineering perspective, and a good example of this is the 3D printing movement that has made significant progress recently. It's all based on open hardware and open source principles.
One challenge with hardware is how to share information in a way that demonstrates you are the creator of the design. Blockchain helps in this regard because we have ECDSA , an immutable ledger that allows you to publish to decentralized storage and record signatures on-chain.
Decentralized Science (DeSci) is another example. You can publish papers to decentralized storage, or even store published papers, including algorithms, on-chain. This ensures access, rights are issued correctly, and the license agreement is adhered to as it is managed through the program.
Historically, academic fields have been mined for technology by private industry, which can limit access to content once successful. With decentralized solutions, this becomes more difficult because the data is permanently stored by the author in a specific way that cannot be changed by anyone but the original author.
In my opinion, there is an important value proposition here. I may be biased because our organization strongly supports open source software and decentralized scientific discovery, but it presents a huge opportunity.
It's an uphill battle, however, because traditional academic institutions are resistant to the concept; it's how they differentiate themselves and exist. Certification is also complex. In the United States, when you graduate from college, you receive a degree, but for degree verification, you must request it from the institution, which goes through a third party and usually involves a fee.
In Singapore, they issue digital certificates that allow you to prove your university attendance and degree. There are many infrastructure layers within academia, including research and decentralized scientific advancement, as well as academic achievement, where value is maintained over time through verifiable credentials through decentralized identities (DID).
Tyler’s advice to young people: Go to Gemba
TechFlow: Do you have any advice for young people trying to learn how to write smart contracts and get into the industry?
Tyler:
It's not just about software; it's about talking to people, listening to their frustrations, and finding possible solutions. Being a successful player in this industry does not necessarily require exceptional software development skills. What’s more important is identifying pain points and having the ability to solve them. Whether blockchain-based or not, software is a valuable tool for this purpose. Understanding people's needs and frustrations, as well as having a basic idea of the tools available and how to apply them, is crucial.
Blockchain and cloud computing are powerful tools, but they are not magic solutions. Understanding their high-level value proposition is critical. Do they actually add value and help solve the problem at hand? Over the past seven years, I've seen many projects fall into this common pitfall. They identify a problem and seek to develop an application to solve it, but they try to shoehorn a blockchain or cloud solution into a situation where it's not a good fit. It's like using a hammer on a screw - simply the wrong tool.
This situation is likely to happen again with AI. While AI is an extremely powerful tool, it isn't suitable for every situation. Before attempting to apply these technologies, it is critical to understand their value proposition at a high level. Blindly hoping that they will work without understanding this is unwise.
There's a concept from Motorola and Toyota about going to Gemba (Japanese for " actual place "), where things happen. This applies not only to blockchain, but to engineering in general. Engaging with and learning from your users is priceless.
