Dr. Xinxin Fan is co-founder and Head of Cryptography at IoTeX. He specializes in integrating IoT hardware, connectivity, and cryptographic elements.^[1]

Education

Dr. Fan attended Xidian University from 1998 to 2005, earning his B.S. in Applied Mathematics and Master of Engineering in Information System and Telecommunication Engineering. ^[2]

He pursued his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo. ^[2]

Career

Commencing his professional path as an Engineering Consultant for various companies, including Pitney Bowes, Revere Security, and TrustPoint Innovation Technologies, Dr. Fan led research and development projects focusing on RFID security and privacy, applications of Secure Evidencing Platform (SEP), and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) security. ^[1][2]

Transitioning to academia, he served as a Research Associate and Project Manager at the University of Waterloo from September 2010 to August 2014. During this period, he managed a 5-year, $1.7M Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence (ORF-RE) Program-sponsored project to develop next-generation security and privacy solutions for mobile ad-hoc communications and embedded systems. Dr. Fan also conducted theoretical and applied research on security and privacy for Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications and Internet of Things (IoT) systems. ^[1][2]

Moving back to industry, he joined Bosch Research and Technology Center, North America, as a Senior Research Engineer in the Security & Privacy Group from November 2014 to February 2018. In this role, he conducted applied research on cloud computing security and embedded systems security, involving the creation of patents for innovative security and privacy-enhancing technologies, building prototype and production systems for demonstration, and transferring technology inventions to Bosch business units. ^[1][2]

Dr. Fan is a founding member and the Head of Cryptography at IoTeX. He directs the company’s technical strategy and product roadmaps, oversees the development of core blockchain and IoT technologies, creates new patents, and manages patent portfolios. ^[1][2]

Beyond his academic and corporate achievements, he has contributed significantly as an inventor with seven patent filings related to private peer-to-peer networks in information security. Moreover, he has authored over 40 peer-reviewed papers featured in prominent journals, conferences, and workshops, with a portion of these publications stemming from his work at IoTeX. ^[1][2]

Lectures/Talks

Blockchain and IoT

In May 2023, Dr. Fan gave a talk titled “Blockchain and IoT: A Research Perspective,” where he presented a talk on the fusion of blockchain and IoT, sharing insights on the machine economy, new business models, system architecture, and the research challenges encountered in this evolving landscape. ^[3]

1. Machine Economy Overview:
   • Dr. Fan introduces the concept of the machine economy, evolving from traditional IoT systems to blockchain-integrated models.
   • The machine economy involves tokenizing machine data and utilities, creating new application opportunities across diverse industries.
2. Three Pillars of Machine Economy:
   • IoT, DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology), and Tokenomics are the machine economy’s key pillars.
   • IoT captures real-world data, DLT facilitates trustless transactions, and Tokenomics provides a token-based economic model to address stakeholder issues.
3. Blockchain Impact on Business Models:
   • Dr. Fan explains how blockchain and token models disrupt traditional IoT business models.
   • Stakeholders like device manufacturers can explore new approaches, like creating machine economies, attracting community members, and redefining customer engagement.
4. System Architecture for Machine Economy:
   • The high-level system architecture involves IoT devices capturing data, feeding it into a blockchain (Layer 1 or Layer 2), and triggering smart contracts.
   • A Layer 2 solution called “W3bStream” is introduced to address complexities in implementing the machine economy system.
5. Research Challenges and Solutions:
   • Dr. Fan discusses five research challenges faced during the development of the machine economy, including device management, identity techniques for IoT devices, off-chain computing infrastructure, generating proofs for data integrity, and establishing effective tokenomics.
   • Open-source tools like “Table Tracker” and a suite of tools are mentioned, inviting collaboration with researchers interested in the field.

W3bStream and Machine Economy

Dr. Fan held a lecture in December 2022 titled “Unlocking the Trillion-Dollar Machine Economy with W3bstream,” exploring the features and potential applications of W3bstream, a newly designed product to impact the machine economy positively. ^[4]

1. W3bstream Introduction:
   • Dr. Fan introduces W3bstream as a revolutionary product.
   • Emphasis on its role in transforming the trillion-dollar machine economy.
2. Web3 Impact on Businesses:

   • Highlights the rapid transformation of traditional businesses due to Web3 technology.

   • Provides examples of disruptions in finance, collectibles, games, and influencers.

   • Stresses the quick emergence of billion-dollar markets within a short timeframe.

     “The disruptions brought by Web3 are unprecedented, with traditional models evolving rapidly and giving way to decentralized ecosystems across finance, gaming, and content creation.”

3. W3bstream’s Objective:

   • Aims to apply Web3 to disrupt and transform traditional IoT and machine businesses.

     “Our goal with W3bstream is to apply Web3 technology to revolutionize traditional IoT and machine businesses, offering new possibilities in the machine economy...is not just about introducing a product; it's about introducing a technology that can redefine the landscape of the trillion-dollar machine economy.”

   • Focuses on unlocking new market opportunities and possibilities.

4. Operational Framework:
   • Explains key components of W3bstream, including stream nodes and data processing.
   • Details the role of connectivity modules, Web Assembly runtime, and the Webstream Studio.
   • Emphasizes the significance of bringing diverse data to the blockchain for app developers.
5. Use Cases and Assistance for IoT Businesses:

   • The lecture explores potential use cases enabled by W3bstream, leveraging diverse data from connected devices. Dr. Fan discusses how W3bstream can assist existing and new IoT businesses explore the Web3 space, focusing on client applications, digital twins, and customer engagement.

     “Considering the diversity of connected devices, W3bstream empowers developers to build applications using a myriad of data types, from street images to weather and environmental data.”