If you’ve been keeping up with the latest developments in smart contracts or the blockchain, then it is likely that you are familiar with blockchain oracles. In fact, these are relatively new concepts and are most relevant to the technology behind smart contracts. We will explain them in this article.
What are Blockchain Oracles HTML0?
Oracles are agents that can interact with real world events and find out what they were. They then submit this data to the blockchain for smart contracts to use.
Self-executing smart contracts exist on the blockchain and are written as code. Smart Contracts have value. They unlock this value only if predefined conditions are met. The smart contract changes its state once a certain value has been reached and then executes the pre-programmed algorithms. The event will be automatically triggered on the blockchain.
Smart contracts cannot connect directly to resources off the chain due to certain blockchain features. This creates obstacles. Oracles are the only solution to this problem.
The primary task of oracles is to provide the necessary data to trigger smart contracts to execute when the original terms of the contract are met. For example, an oracle could be an app that provides such input as the price of a currency, payment completion information, the weather at a given location, the result of a sports event or an election, etc.
Oracles can be used in multi-signature agreements, where the initial trustees sign contracts that only release funds or execute the contract after the conditions are met. Before any money is released, it’s crucial to remember that the oracle must sign the contract.
Oracles play a vital role in the operation of smart contracts. Without them, decentralized apps and smart contracts cannot function. Oracles are essential for the functioning of smart contracts. Without them, smart contracts, as well as decentralized apps, cannot run.
Different Types of Oracles
Here are some examples of Oracle Solutions based on their type of usage:
- Hardware Oracles Some smart contracts require information from the real world, and are programmed to run when conditions have been met. A car driving across a marked barrier with latitude and longitudes, where sensors detect movement and transmit the information to the smart contract. RFID sensors could be used in supply chains to track supply. For example, when products have reached a specific stage or when ships land at certain ports. Data security is the biggest concern for hardware oracles. oracalize is a FinTech firm that provides a “reliable connection” between distributed applications. It proposes two steps to mitigate the risk by providing cryptographic proof of sensor readings, and anti-tampering measures rendering the device unusable in case of breach.
- Software Oracles– Software Oracles handle the information that is available on the Internet and required by smart contracts. Weather conditions, asset values, flight data, etc., are examples. Oracle gathers this data from online sources like APIs and company websites. Then, it sends the information to smart contracts.
- Inbound Oracles -Inbound Oracles supply the smart contract data coming from outside, such as a Bitcoin payment to the provider when goods are marked delivered.
- Outbound Oracles Outbound Oracles allow smart contracts to communicate with other systems, such as hotels that have intelligent locks.
- Consensus-Based Oracles — Some prediction markets, like Augur or Gnosis, rely on oracles for data. In this information age, it is not a good idea to rely on only one information source. The consensus-based Oracles can be used for situations where data is not readily available on the Internet. They are also useful when smart contracts rely on information that comes from multiple sources. In prediction markets where wagers are made on the accuracy of a forecast, it’s important to have 100% accurate information. To avoid manipulation of the market, prediction markets use a system that rates oracles. A combination of oracles can be employed for added security. Three out of five oracles, for example, could predict the outcome of a particular event.
Oracles, which are a third-party service with a central point of control and are independent of the consensus system of blockchains, are services provided by specialized companies. Oracles are prone to errors because there is no way of rolling back. To solve these issues, different trusted computing techniques need to be developed.
Oracalize is one company that has developed Oracle software that allows users to verify if their digital identity can be linked with a specific Ethereum address. Town Crier, another company, is focusing its efforts on the Software Guard Extensions(SGX), Intel’s newly released trusted hardware capabilities, in order to ensure that the data they are storing comes from a reliable source.
Oracle structures are needed to make smart contracts work. With Ethereum-based smart contracts gaining popularity, new oracles will be required. The use of smart contracts, decentralized blockchains and the new technologies will be a major factor in advancing this technology.
