Blockchain in a box: A portable blockchain network implementation on Raspberry Pi's

2024-04-22

arXiv.org

AI Summary

Blockchain education lacks low-cost, empirically verifiable, and locally deployable experimental platforms. Method: This paper designs and implements a portable Ethereum Proof-of-Work (PoW) blockchain network system based on multiple Raspberry Pi devices. It employs lightweight Geth clients, enables unified orchestration of P2P network topology and initialization parameters via a web interface, and integrates a real-time visualization frontend to dynamically display local chain states and global consensus progress across nodes. Contribution/Results: The system pioneers three capabilities in embedded environments: dynamic topology configuration, multi-node collaborative networking, and quantitative comparison of consensus quality. Experimental validation confirms stable operation of a full Ethereum testnet across multiple Raspberry Pis. Deployed successfully in university-level blockchain courses, it fills a critical gap by providing a low-cost, reproducible, and observable educational blockchain experimentation platform.

Technology Category

• Application Domains: Internet of Things, Sensor Networks & Smart Cities
• Multiagent Systems: Mechanism Design
• Machine Learning: Hardware-aware ML

Application Category

• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Economic aspects of blockchain and cryptocurrencies
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Experiences and lessons learnt from Web-based algorithms and system deployments
• Security and Privacy: Blockchains and distributed ledgers

Abstract

In this paper we describe a prototype of a blockchain-in-a-box system which allows users to easily bootstrap the whole Ethereum Proof-of-Work (PoW) network running on multiple Raspberry Pi nodes - an inexpensive modular computers. Users are able to orchestrate the whole blockchain network using a single web based interface, for example they are able to set the topology of the peer-to-peer (P2P) connections and control the initialization parameters. Each Raspberry Pi has a screen attached which visualizes current state of local blockchain, allowing users to easily visualize the consensus of the network in real time. We show how this platform can be used to perform experiments on consensus quality while using different P2P topologies. Similar experiments can be used for demonstration purposes in a workshop or other educational settings.

Problem

• Implement portable Ethereum PoW network on Raspberry Pi
• Enable easy blockchain network orchestration via web interface
• Visualize real-time consensus for educational experiments

Innovation

• Portable Ethereum PoW network on Raspberry Pi
• Web interface for network orchestration and control
• Real-time blockchain state visualization on screens