ObjectID: Digital Identity for Real Objects
ObjectID is designed to provide a digital identity for real-world objects. By assigning a unique identifier, the lifecycle of an object can be tracked at every stage. The real object can be an individual valuable item or a batch of products. In the latter case, ObjectID represents the production lot, and every product in the lot shares the same identifier. To understand how the system works and its benefits, it is crucial to first grasp what an “ObjectID” is.
What is an ObjectID?
Technically, an ObjectID is a Move Object, a digital entity created on a blockchain that operates Virtual Machine Move smart contracts.
In simpler terms, an ObjectID operates like a database record, identified by a unique ID and containing named fields with flexible values. Unlike conventional databases where users can modify any accessible records, ObjectIDs are governed by predefined smart contract rules, ensuring that only designated users have permission to interact with specific objects.
An ObjectID is a digital object stored on the IOTA blockchain and managed by a Move smart contract.
Objects vs. Tokens
Traditional blockchains are designed to handle tokens. IOTA, however, manages Move Objects created by smart contracts. If needed, a smart contract can create objects with token-like properties, making them transferable and tradable via wallets.
In contrast, ObjectIDs are non-transferable objects, meaning they cannot be speculated upon because they lack an owner.
Since ObjectIDs have no owner, they do not have a public/private key pair for signing transactions. This enhances security: operations on ObjectIDs can only be performed if the user meets application-specific credential requirements, rather than merely possessing a private key.
Being stored on the IOTA distributed ledger, ObjectIDs are always accessible for verification—either through public IOTA nodes or a private node for added security.
Lifecycle Tracking
To effectively track an object’s lifecycle, ObjectIDs store all essential details about the real object and can register events.
An event is another Move Object that is owned by the ObjectID itself, specifically linked to the ID of the ObjectID it references.
Since ObjectIDs lack private keys, event data is tamper-proof. Only the smart contract can modify an ObjectID’s events, and only if the requester possesses the appropriate application credentials.
There is no limit to the number of events that can be recorded, enabling a complete history of an ObjectID.
The creation timestamp of an ObjectID is provided by the blockchain with millisecond precision. This makes it impossible to fabricate a false history for a product, as events cannot be artificially condensed into a short timeframe—if a real production process takes months, events cannot be recorded just minutes apart.
Geolocation
One of the ObjectID fields allows storing the geographical position of the real object. A mobile app enables authorized users to update this information.
Validation
One of the most challenging problems in the digital world is preventing unauthorized duplication and distribution of digital objects. Blockchain technology solves this by assigning a unique ID to each digital entity.
ObjectID extends this benefit to real-world objects, allowing anyone to verify whether a physical item matches its digital identity.
ObjectID Validation
One of the most challenging problems in the digital world is preventing unauthorized duplication and distribution of digital objects. Blockchain technology solves this by assigning a unique ID to each digital entity.
ObjectID extends this benefit to real-world objects, allowing anyone to verify whether a physical item matches its digital identity.
The Verification Process:
The creator of the real object registers their address via the ObjectID dApp.
This address is stored in the domain name (DNS) used to publish product information.
The ID of the smart contract used to create ObjectIDs is also published.
This connection between semi-anonymous blockchain data and DNS records allows verification that an ObjectID was created by the legitimate owner of the corresponding real-world object.
Since the smart contract automatically detects the creator’s address when generating an ObjectID, it is impossible to create an ObjectID with a falsified creator address.
Preventing Counterfeiting
A counterfeiter might attempt to create their own smart contract to manipulate ObjectID data. However, this is prevented because:
Objects created by a smart contract have an immutable link to that contract.
It is always possible to verify whether an ObjectID was created using the correct smart contract published in the official DNS.
Additionally, since an ObjectID is simply an alphanumeric sequence, bad actors might try to attach a legitimate ObjectID to a counterfeit real-world product.
This cannot be fully prevented, but it can be easily detected using geolocation. By scanning an ObjectID with the mobile app or reading its QR code, users can compare the authentic object’s location with their own. A significant location mismatch strongly indicates that the ObjectID has been cloned and applied to a fake product.
By leveraging ObjectID, businesses and consumers can confidently authenticate, track, and secure real-world objects using blockchain technology.
How can I integrate ObjectID into my production process?
For identifying products manufactured in small series, the simplest and most cost-effective solution is likely to manually create ObjectIDs using the dApp.
However, if integration with information systems is required, a “headless” version of the dApp is available, which exposes REST API. A client-side server is set up so that only the client can manage the private keys used by the software to interact with the smart contract.