Blockchain Technology to Revolutionise the Gaming Industry 2023

Techies in the gaming industry have always been the guinea pigs of the technology world, and right now they are teeming with the buzz around blockchain technology. It is now believed to be the world’s leading software solution for digital assets.

After finding its successful application in almost every field—including finance, agriculture, and geospatial areas—blockchain, the decentralized technology developed by an anonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, is now making an entry into the gaming space.
Some believe that the gaming industry is the first to see the next generation using blockchain technology.

Blockchain Technology to Revolutionise the Gaming Industry

The journey of the gaming industry

Since ancient days games have been an eternal part of human culture for social interaction. Back then, we did not have access to technology, and games were limited to the real world.
Later, with advancements in technology, the era of video games was introduced, following which we had games that could be played on PCs and mobile phones.
Earlier, these games were mostly limited to one player, or another player sitting next to us. All of this changed as game developers brought massively multiplayer online (MMO) games—games that allow several players on the same server. Related:-What Is Blockchain Technology? How will Blockchain Work?
Now, they are trying to shift their focus toward blockchain technology.
Blockchain Technology to Revolutionise the Gaming Industry
The gaming industry today
The gaming industry is one of a kind and is fascinating for developers as well as users and investors. However, it still has several pain points.
Let us introduce you to some of these, so you know how blockchain can resolve these issues.
Fear of losing digital assets
Some of us spend a lot of time and, sometimes, money to acquire precious assets in a game. But, there is always a fear that we can lose any day.
Several scenarios can result in this outcome. The game creator might go out of business, or some central authority might ban us from playing the game.
This happens all the time, as we do not own these digital valuables. Rather, these are on a centralized server.
Digital assets of one game have no value in another
Suppose, you have spent a lot of time and money to obtain a sword in one game. You complete the game and want to move on to the next one. Related:-Blockchain Technology Explained
You cannot use this sword in the new game, as it does not belong to you (even though you spent time and money acquiring it). You cannot exchange it for something else in another game, either.

Separate servers for different regions

In an MMO role-playing game, there are separate servers for different regions. In fact, many sub-servers are required to form the whole system.
So, if there are players from different regions, multiple servers are used. Also, if one server crashes, a large area loses connectivity.
Micro-transaction is a myth
Free-to-play games are based on the strategy to offer low-cost items, which are upgraded step-by-step by paying an almost negligible amount. Gradually, this small amount may add up to a large amount.
For example, a game may offer a sword for US$ 15 and then upgrade it to the next level for US$ 0.25. Game developers can add, say, 100 upgraded features.
We, as players, do not think too much before buying something worth US$ 0.25. Hence, more of us end up buying an item and upgrading it without knowing how much we end up spending on it.
However, traditional payment methods do not allow these micro-transactions. Payment channels like PayPal charge US$ 0.35 + 2.5 percent of the transaction amount. Thereby, true micro-transaction is a myth in the gaming industry right now.

Developers are cheated
Credit card companies, especially in Western countries, are extremely good at protecting their customer’s rights. If you have any issues regarding a purchase on your card, you are free to raise a dispute and ask for your money back.
In that case, there is very little a game developer can do.
Moreover, game developers have to pay a penalty for every disputed transaction. Because of this, the gaming industry loses millions of dollars in customer support each year.

Blockchain to the rescue

Blockchain technology has the potential to end all of the above problems. Games based on blockchain technology offer solutions for game developers as well as players. There are infinite possibilities that blockchain has to offer. Some benefits are given below.

True ownership of virtual assets

In blockchain games, virtual assets belong to you, since you bought these. Creators, too, cannot take these assets away.
These virtual assets may be stored in the form of tokens in your digital wallet. The tokens can be fungible or non-fungible. Related: Exide’s EV Battery Plant with Swiss-based Leclanche Operational by Dec in Gujarat
With blockchain games, you do not lose your digital assets, even if you get banned from, or quit, a game, or the company shuts down.

Inter-game compatibility

Since characters, items, or karma of the games are stored on the blockchain, it allows you to see your existing characters or items on a completely unrelated game.
This could open a new era of gaming where characters from different game genres could play together in one game.
In case you are building your own game, instead of building new characters, you can use assets of an existing game or invite players from large game communities to instantly jump into your game with the characters they already have. This is one of the coolest features of blockchain technology.

Uniformity in virtual assets of different games

The design of blockchain games is fundamentally different from traditional ones.
These games do not allow the in-game currency to get generated infinitely.
Presently, in some games, gold coins can be generated by killing a monster, while in others, these might be a scarce resource. Blockchain can end this infinite generation of coins in a game.

Blockchain Technology to Revolutionise the Gaming Industry 2023

End the need for sub-servers

Blockchain technology in MMO role-playing games ends the need to have different servers or sub-servers for different regions. Related:-Sodium Batteries will Replace Lithium-ion Ones, says Scientist C N R Rao
Hence, there can be no blackout in a particular region due to failure in the server of that or another region.
Cheap and secure trading of virtual assets
Blockchain allows you to convert your virtual assets into tokens, making these free for buying, selling, and trading at will.
A record of all transactions is present on the blockchain itself, eliminating the threat of fraudulent activities.
Game characters, items, and the like can be managed through smart contracts, as has been done in Cryptokitties—a game that created much hype in the blockchain industry.
Blockchain technology even has the potential to offer micro-transactions involving cryptocurrency in transactions.

Building blockchain games

Realizing the potential of blockchain technology for next-generation online games, developers have already started using it across several verticals in the gaming industry.
There are several platforms for the development of blockchain games, in addition to payment gateways for purchasing such games.
While some are already in the market, others are in beta mode or have raised funding through Initial Coin Offering.
Every project has its aim, but all of these together seem promising for building the future of gaming.

Blockchain games available today

There are many blockchain-based games available in the market. Most are built on Ethereum, like Crytopkitties. The game uses ERC 721 tokens, which are non-fungible, indivisible, and unique.
It uses smart contracts for the ownership and distribution of virtual cats. It is considered the first non-financial application of blockchain.
Other blockchain games are Ethermons, Cryptopets, Cryptopuppies, and Etherarmy.
Ethereum is not the only blockchain to attract game developers. A blockchain game called Spell of Genesis is built on Bitcoin.

Payment systems

There are a number of blockchain-based platforms that are built for selling, buying, and promoting online games. Some of these are GameCredits, Enjincoin and Refereum.
Gaming corporations, like Valve Corp., allow you to buy games through Bitcoin.
The platform for building blockchain-based games
Such platforms promise to offer all the features discussed above for blockchain games. These aim to simplify owning, sharing, and trading of virtual assets.Related:-PS4 Price in India Drops to Rs. 29,990, New 1TB Bundle Available Mid-September

Platforms such as Bitguild and Chimaera are expected to launch this year. There are other platforms like Decentraland and Voxelus that offer a virtual space for blockchain-based 3D graphics and games.

Blockchain technology has already started expanding its roots in almost all verticals of the gaming world.

From the tokenization of virtual goods to improving betting and payments, every field is undergoing several experiments.

Although it has a lot to offer, there are issues of speed with blockchain, especially when it comes to MMO role-playing games.
At present, we have an MMO role-playing game based on blockchain, but it is still in beta mode.

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Related:-What Is Blockchain Technology? How will Blockchain Work? 2020

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What Is Blockchain Technology? How will Blockchain Work? 2023

Smart World TECHSMARTWORLD

What Is Blockchain Technology? How will Blockchain Work? 2023

January 6, 2023 techsmartworld team

You may have detected the term “blockchain technology” before, in relevancy to Bitcoin and alternative cryptocurrencies. What Is Blockchain Technology? For the inexperienced, the term may appear abstract with very little real that means on the surface.
However, blockchain technology may be an essential component of cryptocurrencies — while not, digital currencies like Bitcoin wouldn’t exist.
If you’re unaccustomed to cryptocurrencies and unaccustomed to blockchain technology, browse this and orient the fundamentals to urge yourself started. If you’re already a seasoned bargainer, perhaps you’ll learn a factor or 2 you didn’t already understand. summary of blockchain technology

What Is Blockchain Technology? How will Blockchain Work?

A Brief History of Blockchain

To start, let’s refer to the history of the blockchain. Before it absolutely was ever utilized in cryptocurrency, it had humble beginnings as an inspiration in computing — notably, within the domains of cryptography and information structures.

The terribly primitive style of the blockchain was the hash tree, additionally referred to as a Merle tree. This organization was proprietary by Ralph Merkle in 1979 and functioned by substantiating and handling information between pc systems. in an exceedingly peer-to-peer network of computers, confirming the information was vital to form positive nothing was altered or modified throughout the transfer.

It additionally helped to make sure that false information wasn’t sent. In essence, it’s accustomed to maintaining and proving the integrity of the information being shared.

In 1991, the Merkle tree was accustomed to producing a “secured chain of blocks” — a series of information records, every connection to the one before it. the latest record during this chain would contain the history of the whole chain. And thus, the blockchain was created. Related:- Exide’s EV Battery Plant with Swiss-based Leclanche Operational by Dec in Gujarat

In 2008, Satoshi Nakamoto conceptualized the distributed blockchain. it’d contain a secure history of information exchanges, utilize a peer-to-peer network to time stamp and verify every exchange, and will be managed autonomously while not a central authority. This became the backbone of Bitcoin. And thus, the blockchain we all know these days was born, yet because of the world of cryptocurrencies.

How will Blockchain Work?

1. Blockchain keeps a record of all information exchanges — this record is cited as a “ledger” within the cryptocurrency world, and every information exchange may be a “transaction“. each verified dealing is added to the ledger as a “block”
2. It utilizes a distributed system to verify every dealing — a peer-to-peer network of nodes
3. Once signed and verified, the new dealings are added to the blockchain and may not be altered

To begin, we want to explore the thought of “keys”. With a group of cryptologic keys, you get a singular identity. Your keys square measure the personal Key and Public Key, and they’re combined to relinquish you a digital signature.

Your public secret however others square measure able to determine you. Your personal key offers you the facility to digitally sign and authorize totally different actions on behalf of this digital identity once used along with your public key.

In the cryptocurrency world, this represents your pocketbook address (public key) and your personal secret which lets you authorize transfers, withdrawals, and alternative actions along with your digital property like cryptocurrencies.

As associate degree aside, this {can be} why it’s thus vital to stay your personal key safe — anyone World Health Organization has your personal key and can use it to access any of your digital assets related to your public key and do what they need with it! Related:- PS4 Price in India Drops to Rs. 29,990, New 1TB Bundle Available Mid-September

Every time a dealing happens, that dealing is signed by whoever is authorizing it. That dealing may well be one thing like “Alice is causing Bob zero.4 BTC”, can embody Bob’s address (public key), and can be signed by digital signature exploitation each Alice’s public key and a personal key.
This gets added to the ledger of that blockchain that Alice sent Bob zero.4 BTC, and can additionally embody a timestamp and a singular ID variety. once this dealing happens, it’s broadcasted to a peer-to-peer network of nodes — essentially alternative digital entities that acknowledge that these dealings have occurred and add it to the ledger.

Each dealing in this ledger can have constant data: a digital signature, a public key, a timestamp, and a singular ID. every dealing are going to be connected, thus if you progress back one dealing within the ledger, you’ll see that Chuck sent Alice zero.8 BTC at it slow.
If you progress back to another deal, you may see that Dan sent Chuck zero.2 BTC at another time before that.

The namelessness of cryptocurrencies returns from the actual fact that your public secret’s simply a randomized sequence of numbers and letters — thus you’re not virtually sign language along with your own name or some variety of handle. A public key doesn’t tell you the $64000 identity of the author. Related:- Exide’s EV Battery Plant with Swiss-based Leclanche Operational by Dec in Gujarat

you’re adding additional or less unengaged to generate as several key pairs as you wish and have multiple cryptocurrency wallets. Be warned tho’, there may well be alternative ways that somebody will fathom your identity — for instance, through your defrayment habits.

Why is Decentralization thus Important?

For enthusiasts of blockchain, you’ll hear loads regarding the localized side of it. What makes this thus appealing is that it makes the blockchain proof of censorship, tampering, or corruption.

Because it uses a peer-to-peer network, copies of the ledger square measure keep in many alternative locations, and unless you manage to trace down every single one amongst them (Bitcoin is calculable to own over thirty-five,000 nodes in its P2P network), you can’t destroy it. Related:- Blockchain Technology Explained

As well, as a result of such a large amount of totally different, freelance nodes square measure keeping track of the ledger, modifying it in associate degree tricky method won’t go terribly so much as a result of all the opposite nodes can trouble that dealings and won’t add it to the ledger.

This is a large part of why such a large amount of individuals believe blockchain technology is the way forward for currency, and why it’s being adopted in industries aside from cryptocurrency.

There’s continuously a drawback. However, like several systems created by humans, there square measure continuous downsides.

Blockchain technology incorporates a pretty steep learning curve. particularly for the everyday individual while not have a technical background, all the jargon and computing ideas concerned might intimidate and pall otherwise would-be users.

However, the rising quality of cryptocurrency is leading to the blockchain getting into the thought, with loads of additional resources offered to form the subject additional approachable.

Transferring, trading, and shopping for cryptocurrencies typically involves a dealings fee, and isn’t typically fast. the previous may be pricey, the latter inconvenient. Related:- Blockchain Technology Explained

There is additionally an inspiration referred to as the “51% attack” — if, for a few reasons fifty-one of a peer-to-peer network validates associate degree otherwise invalid dealings, it’ll still get approved and added to the ledger naturally of however the validation method works.

perhaps straight away it’s unlikely to happen, however, it’s a security flaw that may have the potential for exploitation in the future.
However, there square measure loads of developers, users, and enthusiasts World Health Organization really believes blockchain technology is the future. several wishes to examine the technology succeed, thus keep tuned for brand spanking new developments! Related:- Sodium Batteries will Replace Lithium-ion Ones, says Scientist C N R Rao

What is ChatGPT And How Can You Use It? 2023

Smart World

What is ChatGPT And How Can You Use It? 2023

December 29, 2022 techsmartworld team

OpenAI introduced a long-running question-answering AI called ChatGPT that answers complex questions conversationally.

It’s revolutionary technology because it’s trained to learn what people mean when they ask a question.

Many users are impressed by its ability to provide human-quality answers, giving rise to the feeling that it may eventually have the power to disrupt how people interact with computers and change the way we get information.

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is an AI-powered natural language processing tool that lets you have human-like conversations and much more with a chatbot. A language model can answer questions, and help you with tasks like writing emails, essays, and code. Use is currently open to the public as ChatGPT is in the research and feedback phase.

In More Details

ChatGPT is a variant of the GPT (Generative Pre-training Transformer) language model that has been specifically designed for chatbot applications. ChatGPT is trained on a large dataset of conversational exchanges and is able to generate human-like responses to user inputs in a conversational context.

Like other versions of the GPT model, ChatGPT is a transformer-based language model that uses self-attention mechanisms to process input sequences and generate output sequences. However, ChatGPT has been fine-tuned for chatbot applications and is able to generate more natural and appropriate responses in a conversational setting.

ChatGPT can be used to build chatbots that can engage in open-ended conversations with users, answering questions and providing information on a wide range of topics. It can also be used to generate responses to user inputs in a more structured conversational setting, such as in a customer service chatbot or an automated messaging system.

Who made ChatGPT?

ChatGPT was created by OpenAI, an artificial intelligence and research company. The company launched ChatGPT on November 30, 2022. If the company’s name sounds familiar, that’s because OpenAI is also responsible for the creation of DALLE•2, a popular AI art generator, and Whisper, an automatic speech recognition system.

How Can ChatGPT Be Used?

You can use ChatGPT simply by visiting chat.openai.com and creating an OpenAI account. Once you’re logged in, you can start chatting with ChatGPT. A good way to start a conversation is to ask a question. As ChatGPT is still in the research phase, it is free to use and you can ask as many questions as you like.

How does ChatGPT work?

OpenAI trained the language model using Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF), according to OpenAI. Human AI trainers gave the model interviews in which they played both roles, users and AI assistants.

What is the difference between ChatGPT and a search engine?

ChatGPT is a language model built for end-user conversation. A search engine indexes web pages on the Internet to help a user find the information they have requested. ChatGPT does not have the ability to search for information on the Internet and rather uses information learned from training data to generate a response, leaving room for error.

What are ChatGPT’s limitations?

Although ChatGPT looks very impressive, it still has limitations. Such limitations include the inability to answer questions that are worded in a specific way, requiring reformulation to understand the input question.

A bigger limitation is the lack of quality of the answers it provides – which can sometimes sound plausible but make no practical sense or be too detailed.

Finally, instead of asking you to clarify ambiguous questions, the model only guesses what your question means, which can lead to unintended question answers. This has already led the developer Q&A site StackOverflow to at least temporarily ban answers to questions generated by ChatGPT.

“The primary problem is that while the answers ChatGPT produces have a high rate of incorrectness, they usually look like they could be good, and the answers are very easy to create,” the Stack Overflow moderators say in the post. Critics argue that these tools are simply very good at putting words into an order that makes sense from a statistical point of view, but they cannot understand the meaning or know whether the statements they make are correct.

Why are some people worried about ChatGPT?

People are expressing concern that AI chatbots are replacing or atrophying human intelligence. For example, a chatbot can write an article on any topic efficiently in seconds, potentially eliminating the need for a human writer.

A chatbot can also write an entire essay in seconds, making it easy for students to cheat or avoid learning how to write properly.

Another concern of an AI chatbot is the possible spread of misinformation. Since the bot is not connected to the Internet, it could make mistakes in what information it shares.

The bot itself says, “My answers are not intended as fact and I always encourage people to verify any information they receive from me or any other source.” OpenAI itself also notes that ChatGPT sometimes writes “plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical responses.”

Is ChatGPT a good or bad thing?

ChatGPT is a very advanced chatbot that has the potential to make people’s lives easier and help with everyday tedious tasks like writing emails or having to browse the web for answers.

However, there are some technical details that need to be figured out before it will be widely used to avoid negative outcomes such as the spread of misinformation. In general, AI and ML models rely on a lot of training and fine-tuning to reach ideal performance levels.

Does this mean AI is taking over the world? Maybe not yet, but OpenAI’s Altman certainly thinks human-style intelligence in AI isn’t that far off now.

In response to Musk’s comment about dangerously strong AI, Altman tweeted: “I agree that I’m close to dangerously strong AI in the sense of AI that poses a huge cybersecurity risk, for example. And I think we could get to true AGI in the next decade. so we have to take that risk very seriously.”

He also noted, “interesting to see how people start to debate whether powerful AI systems should behave as users want or as their creators intended. The question of what values we adapt these systems to will be one of the most important debates, what when society led.”

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Smart World

What is cyber security? What you need to know 2023

December 12, 2022 TECH TEAM cyber security definition, cybersecurity, What is cyber security

Cyber security is the state or process of protecting and recovering networks, devices, and programs from any type of cyber attack. Cyber attacks are an evolving danger to organizations, employees, and consumers.

They may be designed to access or destroy sensitive data or extort money. They can, in effect, destroy businesses and damage people’s financial and personal lives.

What’s the best defense? A strong cyber security system has multiple layers of protection spread across computers, networks, and programs. But a strong cyber security system relies not only on cyber defense technology but also on people making smart cyber defense choices.

The good news? You don’t need to be a cyber security specialist to understand and practice cyber defense tactics. This guide can help.

You’ll learn more about cyber security and how to help defend yourself against cyber threats. It could help you recognize and avoid threats before they’re able to infiltrate your network or device.

Types of cyber threats

There are many types of cyber threats that can attack your devices and networks, but they generally fall into three categories. The categories are attacks on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.¹

Attacks on confidentiality. These include stealing your personal identifying information and your bank account or credit card information. Many attackers will take your information and sell it on the dark web for others to purchase and use.
Attacks on integrity. These attacks consist of personal or enterprise sabotage and are often called leaks. A cybercriminal will access and release sensitive information for the purpose of exposing the data and influencing the public to lose trust in that organization.
Attacks on availability. The aim of this type of cyberattack is to block users from accessing their own data until they pay a fee or ransom. Typically, a cybercriminal will infiltrate your network and block you from accessing important data, demanding that you pay a ransom. Companies sometimes pay the ransom and fix the cyber vulnerability afterward so that they can avoid halting business activities.

Here are a few types of cyber threats that fall into the three categories listed above:

Social engineering, a type of attack on confidentiality, is the process of psychologically manipulating people into performing actions or giving away information. Phishing attacks are the most common form of social engineering. Phishing attacks usually come in the form of a deceptive email that tricks the user into giving away personal information.

APTs (Advanced Persistent Threats), a type of attack on integrity, are attacks where an unauthorized user infiltrates a network undetected and stays in the network for a long time. The intent of an APT is to steal data and not harm the network. APTs happen most often in sectors with high-value information, such as national defense, manufacturing, and the finance industry.

Malware, or malicious software, is a type of attack on availability. It refers to software that is designed to gain access to or damage a computer without the knowledge of the owner. Several common types of malware include spyware, keyloggers, true viruses, and worms.

How to help protect against cyber security attacks

What is cyber security? What you need to know 2023
Follow these steps for cyber safety.

Only use trusted sites when providing your personal information. A good rule of thumb is to check the URL. If the site includes “HTTPS://,” then it’s a secure site. If the URL includes “HTTP://,” — note the missing “s” — avoid entering sensitive information like your credit card data or Social Security number.
Don’t open email attachments or click links in emails from unknown sources. One of the most common ways people are attacked is through emails disguised as being sent by someone you trust.
Always keep your devices updated. Software updates contain important patches to fix security issues. Cyber attackers thrive on outdated devices because they don’t have the most current security software.
Back up your files regularly to prevent cyber security attacks. If you need to wipe your device clean due to a cyberattack, it will help to have your files stored in a safe, separate place. Cyber security is constantly evolving, which can make it difficult to stay up to date. Staying informed and being cautious online are two of the best ways to help protect yourself and your business. To learn more about cyber security, visit our emerging threats center for the latest cyber security news.
Why is cyber security important?
In today’s connected world, everyone benefits from advanced cyberdefense programs. At an individual level, a cyber security attack can result in everything from identity theft, to extortion attempts, to the loss of important data like family photos. Everyone relies on critical infrastructures like power plants, hospitals, and financial service companies. Securing these and other organizations is essential to keeping our society functioning.
Everyone also benefits from the work of cyber threat researchers, like the team of 250 threat researchers at Talos, who investigate new and emerging threats and cyber attack strategies. They reveal new vulnerabilities, educate the public on the importance of cyber security, and strengthen open-source tools. Their work makes the Internet safer for everyone.
CHALLENGES OF CYBER SECURITY
For effective cybersecurity, an organization needs to coordinate its efforts throughout its entire information system. Elements of cyber encompass all of the following:
- Network security
- Application security
- Endpoint security
- Data security
- Identity management
- Database and infrastructure security
- Cloud Security
- Mobile security
- Disaster recovery/business continuity planning
- End-user education
The most difficult challenge in cyber security is the ever-evolving nature of security risks themselves. Traditionally, organizations and the government have focused most of their cyber security resources on perimeter security to protect only their most crucial system components and defend against known threats.
Today, this approach is insufficient, as the threats advance and change more quickly than organizations can keep up with. As a result, advisory organizations promote more proactive and adaptive approaches to cyber security. Similarly, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued guidelines in its risk assessment framework that recommend a shift toward continuous monitoring and real-time assessments, a data-focused approach to security as opposed to the traditional perimeter-based model.

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Smart World Future Technology

Loss of friend inspires Dehradun techie to develop portable ECG device that costs just Rs 7000

November 13, 2022 TECH TEAM ECG device, smartphone

Six years ago, Rajat Jain lost a classmate to a heart attack. He was only 21 years old. The loss shook Jain, who was then studying engineering at a college in Dehradun and led to the development of ‘Spandan’, a portable ECG device controlled by a smartphone.

“I saw people living with heart problems. When they have a heart attack, they often mistake it for stomach gastric pain. Most of them are not aware of the early signs in India,” explains Jain, who founded Dehradun-based Sunfox Technologies.

The purpose of the portable ECG device was to help people living in remote areas access a proper diagnosis of early symptoms. An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a reliable method for collecting the electrical signals generated by the heart and for studying the heart’s rhythm and diagnosing problems. But ECG machines are still expensive and can cost over Rs 1 lakh. They must also be operated by trained professionals.

“All of this limits ECG machines to hospitals and tertiary care centers,” says Jain. The problem is further compounded by government policy that places EKG machines on the list of required items rather than essential items. Additionally, most counties do not have more than one cat lab. This is alarming for the country, which now accounts for 13.86 percent of total heart disease deaths, according to a recent study.

Work on Spandan began in 2016, and it took Jain and his team four years to complete development, conduct clinical trials and gain regulatory approval to bring the product to market. From its inception, Jain wanted to make Spandan a replica of the gold standard EKG machine, but in a portable form.

Jain describes the Spandan as a “plug and play” device that is as easy to use as headphones. The device weighs just 12 grams, is smaller than a car key, and can be stored in a matchbox. The device uses no battery, has no moving parts, and is completely buttonless. “This is the slimmest version we could make,” Jain says of the design of the portable ECG device.

Spandan works with a smartphone, and that’s what makes it unique. Inside, the device’s electronic components take data from the chest and then transmit it to the smartphone. The portable EKG device connects with two cables – one goes to your phone and the other allows you to stick the electrodes to your chest. The entire process is safe and painless, according to Jain.

To use the portable ECG device, users must download the mobile app from the Google Play Store. The same app tracks and generates PDF health reports that can be shared with a doctor via email or WhatsApp. Jain says the mobile app has the ability to alert users to irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and also extract the HRV signal, which is defined as the time interval between consecutive heartbeats measured in milliseconds. There is also a live monitoring feature that monitors the user on various parameters such as oxygen level and respiration rate.

Jain’s Spandan app is not dependent on the internet or mobile signals to provide results. This means users can perform mobile ECGs in high-altitude areas where networks are a bit patchy.

The Spandan device went through several prototype stages and thoughts. “The first option we designed internally was limited to just monitoring the rhythm, but at a later stage we realized that there are so many devices that can actually monitor your rhythm,” explains Jain. “The main problem comes when you have to monitor a blockage or ischemic change that causes a sudden heart attack,” says Jain, who was assisted by Dr. Yogendra Singh, associate director of cardiology at Max Super Specialty Hospital in Dehradun.

Unlike the Apple Watch, which replicates a single-lead ECG, the Spandan records a 12-lead ECG, which is the gold standard for measuring the heart’s electrical pattern. The 12-lead EKG measures the heart’s electrical activity in multiple directions and planes and is highly sensitive, which Jain says is why the Spandan is a medical device that can be used for diagnostic information.

It takes 10 seconds to get the results and, according to Jain, has an accuracy of 99.7 percent based on tests done on more than 3,000 people between 2017 and 2021. “The amount of data and the quality of data you get from a standard ECG machine inside the ICU will be exactly the same obtained by Spandan,” says Jain, adding that AI and the use of machine learning algorithms have helped improve accuracy.

Designing and manufacturing Spandan in Dehradun was not easy due to the lack of an R&D ecosystem and skilled resources required, admits Jain. “There are a lot of dependencies in hardware. That’s not the case with software development that can be done from one room,” says Jain, adding that the challenge is understanding the regulatory requirements that make medical hardware difficult.

The Spandan is now selling for less than Rs 7,000 through Amazon, 1MG, and other e-tailers. The device does not require a subscription or the intervention of a doctor. This year, Jain aims to move 100,000 units of Spandan, up from 50,000 last year. New versions are also in the works to create a clear distinction between home health care and hospital use.