[maxfromua]

Sorry, can you please explain (or give some link) how it is related to blockchain? https://www.helium.com/lorawan doesn’t mention this word In general, I was under the impression that IoT devices are underpowered for such usage. Thank you!

[cmews]

Also the internet of things devices are not running the blockchain but can (energy) efficiently transfer data to the helium network. The hotspots are also quite efficient if you look at the power usage (more similar to a light bulb instead of a proof of work miner)

[CRConrad]

So the devices probably go across the WiFi networks they're on and hack into the owners' PCs (or phones?) to mine Crypto-"currency"... At least that's the one way I can see for it to make financial sense for the manufacturer.

/cynicism

[cmews]

The manufacturer earns money by selling the hotspots, so not sure what you mean tbh. I think wat you are describing is a anti virus scheme like Norton 360 and Avira are doing by install/hack into PCs with hidden PoW mining code which is unethical/horrible . Bit weird to claim this for a hotspot that hasn’t a connection to your PC and trying to slander something without investigating it properly. I get the blockchain hate (especially PoW), but unfair to accuse every project of unethical behavior if there is no proof whatsoever.

[cmews]

It’s on their homepage (helium.com) with the following text:

‘’’ Powered by the Helium Blockchain, The People’s Network represents a paradigm shift for decentralized wireless infrastructure. ‘’’

They use the blockchain in combination with a proof of coverage algorithm to reward hotspots. https://docs.helium.com/blockchain/proof-of-coverage/

[Animats]

Now that's an interesting idea. I'd wanted to have "proof of decentralization" - require that nodes be physically distant from each other, to prevent mining farms. But I couldn't figure out a way to prevent cheating. It's easy to fake that you are far away, but hard to fake that you're close, because the speed of light limits ping time.

But if you have something that's a useful network in its own right that keeps track of its own coverage, you can use that to enforce decentralization. The higher the density of nodes in an area, the lower the reward.

[cmews]

Helium network is also battling bad actors in the network and even though the have anti cheat measures in place they are currently voting on a deny list approach to target bad actors as well.