philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

IBM patent uses blockchain to build trust in augmented reality gaming

The patent application, no. 20180311572, was published by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) last week.

IBM's document describes a solution which "deters augmented reality game players from intruding on undesirable locations," such as private property, culturally sensitive locations, or areas deemed high-risk -- which could potentially include locations linked to high levels of crime.

As noted in the patent, "actors or users may maliciously profile a location for different purposes," such as for attacks or sabotage, and so having access to a more 'trustworthy' source could be an advantage for gamers of all ages.

The patent goes further by describing how the same blockchain technologies could be used to give players, regulators, and businesses unique cryptographic IDs, in order to retain ownership of game history including locations visited and at what times.

Big Blue's idea to use the blockchain to safeguard and ring-fence physical locations during AR experiences potentially could capture the interest of future clients keen to explore -- and perhaps emulate -- the success of games such as Pokemon Go, but without experiencing some of the problems that Nintendo faced.

See the full story here: https://www.zdnet.com/article/ibm-patent-uses-blockchain-to-create-trust-in-augmented-reality-gaming/