{"id":37387,"date":"2021-05-12T16:00:46","date_gmt":"2021-05-12T13:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/?p=37387"},"modified":"2025-08-29T16:16:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T13:16:06","slug":"what-is-robonomics-and-why-would-a-drone-need-a-crypto-wallet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/what-is-robonomics-and-why-would-a-drone-need-a-crypto-wallet\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Robonomics, and why would a drone need a crypto wallet?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\"><strong>What is Robonomics?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-keypoints article_keypoints\">\n<p><strong>Note: This article is outdated and awaiting an update.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"tracking_link\" href=\"https:\/\/robonomics.network\/?utm_source=forklog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Robonomics<\/a> is an open-source IoT platform that supports Web 3.0 technologies: IPFS, Ethereum and <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/what-is-polkadot-dot\">Polkadot<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Applications, IoT services and robots running on the platform exchange economic and technical information as atomic transactions.<\/p>\n<p>With Robonomics, developers can deploy IoT devices in a decentralised cloud\u2014coffee machines, drones and sensors\u2014as well as smart systems such as autonomous factories or vehicle fleets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\"><strong>What does the Robonomics ecosystem include?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a class=\"tracking_link\" href=\"https:\/\/robonomics.network\/blog\/robonomics-web-services-and-rws-token-intro\/?utm_source=forklog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Robonomics Web Services<\/a> and the RWS token\u2014a decentralised cloud for networking robots and relaying commands and transactions between devices and users;<\/li>\n<li>the XRT token for internal payments;<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"tracking_link\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/airalab\/robonomics-js\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Robonomisc.js<\/a>\u2014an API library that simplifies the development of IoT applications;<\/li>\n<li>software and components for robot control;<\/li>\n<li>smart contracts for economic interaction between robots.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Robonomics supports:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the Rust, Python, JavaScript and Haskell languages;<\/li>\n<li>the technologies NixOS\/Linux, Robot Operating System (ROS.org), web3.js, IPFS, lib2p2, the Ethereum protocol and the Substrate framework.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Participants interact via transactions atop Ethereum and Polkadot.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\"><strong>What are the XRT and RWS tokens?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>XRT<\/strong> is an ERC-20 token used to pay transaction fees and services on the Robonomics network. Nodes publish reports on participant interactions to the Ethereum blockchain and receive rewards in XRT. The greater the gas expenditure, the higher the token\u2019s price. On moving to Polkadot, the developers will update XRT tokenomics to preserve incentives for node operators.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RWS<\/strong> is a token for subscribing to transactions on the Robonomics network. Once activated, a user gains the right to send one free transaction per second. The developers issued 100 RWS; 50 of them can be obtained by teams that use Robonomics for research and development.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\"><strong>What are the team\u2019s goals?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Short-term goals:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>to secure a parachain on Kusama, Polkadot\u2019s experimental network;<\/li>\n<li>to launch a public beta of the decentralised Robonomics Web Services cloud.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Medium-term goals:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>to train IoT developers to use Web 3.0 technologies to build a robot economy;<\/li>\n<li>to build an ecosystem of useful dapps around Robonomics;<\/li>\n<li>to launch Robonomics Web Services\u2014a decentralised competitor to AWS and Microsoft Azure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The long-term aim is to create a decentralised infrastructure for managing IoT networks, smart factories and cities. How it differs from centralised cloud platforms:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>no censorship\u2014users and IoT devices interact via an open blockchain;<\/li>\n<li>cryptographic resilience to attacks\u2014transactions are protected by the sender\u2019s private signature;<\/li>\n<li>speed\u2014an atomic transaction carries both economic and technical data;<\/li>\n<li>broad applicability\u2014users can engage economically with complex robotics and IoT devices;<\/li>\n<li>decentralisation and no single point of failure\u2014the loss of several nodes does not impair the blockchain or the platform.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The functionality and cost of services on Robonomics will be comparable to, or better than, similar centralised offerings such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\"><strong>Who is building Robonomics?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The work is done by the <a class=\"tracking_link\" href=\"https:\/\/robonomics.network\/?utm_source=forklog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Robonomics Network<\/a> team:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sergei Lonshakov\u2014the network\u2019s architect and creator;<\/li>\n<li>Alexander Kapitonov\u2014Candidate of Technical Sciences, dean of the Faculty of Infocommunication Technologies at the Saint Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies;<\/li>\n<li>Alexander Krupenkin\u2014one of the main contributors to Robonomics on Substrate, a developer in robotics, IoT and Ethereum smart contracts;<\/li>\n<li>Evgeny Radchenko\u2014a systems engineer;<\/li>\n<li>Alexander Starostin\u2014a web developer and Ethereum smart-contracts developer;<\/li>\n<li>and 25 more engineers, economists and other specialists.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\"><strong>What can you do with Robonomics?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Users turn IoT devices into autonomous economic agents. A robot receives a wallet address\u2014and with it the ability to accept payment for work done and to pay for other agents\u2019 services.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"621\" src=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2-408-1024x621.png\" alt=\"\u0427\u0442\u043e \u0442\u0430\u043a\u043e\u0435 Robonomics \u0438 \u0437\u0430\u0447\u0435\u043c \u0434\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0443  \u043a\u0440\u0438\u043f\u0442\u043e\u043a\u043e\u0448\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043a?\" class=\"wp-image-134976\" srcset=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2-408-1024x621.png 1024w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2-408-300x182.png 300w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2-408-768x466.png 768w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2-408-1536x931.png 1536w, https:\/\/forklog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2-408.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>Human and robot interact as follows:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The robot posts an offer to perform work on specified terms.<\/li>\n<li>The user creates a request to execute the task.<\/li>\n<li>The Robonomics network concludes a smart contract between the robot and the person.<\/li>\n<li>The robot receives information about the smart contract, performs the task and submits a report.<\/li>\n<li>The smart contract verifies the report and sends payment to the robot.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The robot then uses the funds earned to:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>pay for electricity and other resources;<\/li>\n<li>pay for other robots\u2019 services;<\/li>\n<li>pay for its own repairs and maintenance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In future the robot will be able to share profits with its owner. For example, a Tesla will ferry Uber users while its owner is at work. At day\u2019s end the car will visit a car wash, pay for charging and pick up its owner from the office.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\"><strong>Why does Robonomics use a blockchain?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>With blockchain the platform\u2019s developers:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>standardise interactions between network participants via smart contracts, simplifying the creation of software for connecting new devices;<\/li>\n<li>assign personal accounts to robots, enabling IoT devices to receive payment for services;<\/li>\n<li>send a technical task and remuneration in a single transaction, ensuring transparency and traceability of task execution;<\/li>\n<li>create open smart contracts for reuse in IoT projects, allowing others to build applications on top of public contracts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\"><strong>How to build applications on Robonomics?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The team maintains code repositories for building IoT applications and controlling devices via blockchain. To develop an application you need to:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>buy the XRT token or a Robonomics Web Services subscription;<\/li>\n<li>learn the commands for controlling a robot via blockchain;<\/li>\n<li>choose or create a digital-twin template for the device. The template defines the data types exchanged between the device and the service;<\/li>\n<li>connect the digital twin to a service for data exchange;<\/li>\n<li>write a dapp to work with the device directly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\"><strong>How does Robonomics plan to change the world?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Robots will become full-fledged economic actors. For example, a drone will independently fly to a technician and pay for maintenance.<\/p>\n<p>Robots will also interact with each other without human involvement: buying goods and services, competing with other robots and turning a profit. For example, a 3D printer will seek orders and buy plastic for printing.<\/p>\n<p>People will make use of robots profitably. For example, they could:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>buy a drone and put it to work in a delivery service;<\/li>\n<li>install sensors for air composition, temperature and sound, then sell the resulting data on a decentralised market;<\/li>\n<li>set up a smart fridge to order groceries automatically.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Thanks to the use of blockchain, states and corporations will not learn more about users than they choose to disclose.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\"><strong>How can Robonomics be used today?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The Robonomics Network team has implemented <a class=\"tracking_link\" href=\"https:\/\/wiki.robonomics.network\/docs\/r-and-d-based-on-robonomics-network\/?utm_source=forklog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">13 use cases<\/a>, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a class=\"tracking_link\" href=\"https:\/\/airmarket.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Distributed-Sky-Whitepaper-v3.0.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Distributed Sky<\/a>\u2014a p2p framework for drone-fleet management. Under it, drones exchange flight information, choose optimal routes and avoid collisions. Distributed Sky stores flight data on a blockchain and can forcibly change a course or switch off a drone when danger arises;<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"tracking_link\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/khssnv\/mobi_grand_challenge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MOBI Grand Challenge<\/a>\u2014management of autonomous vehicles via an auction. A passenger chooses to pay more and arrive faster than the estimated time, or pay less and travel more slowly. During the trip the \u201cfast\u201d car pays the \u201cslow\u201d ones to slow down and let it pass;<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"tracking_link\" href=\"https:\/\/ipci.io\/ru\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">DAO IPCI<\/a>\u2014a decentralised environment for investing in environmental initiatives. Issuers register initiatives and issue MITO tokens. Users buy the tokens and thereby offset a carbon footprint.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can test the platform for free: request temperature data from a <a class=\"tracking_link\" href=\"https:\/\/wiki.robonomics.network\/docs\/en\/get-weather-on-fuji-mountain?utm_source=forklog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sensor on Mount Fuji<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-text-wrappers-cards single_card\">\n<h2 class=\"card_label\"><strong>What else to read and watch about Robonomics?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/robonomics.network\/?utm_source=forklog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">developer wiki<\/a>;<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.aira.life?utm_source=forklog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Robonomics blog<\/a>;<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/discord.gg\/4UVJRCBqUG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">robotics school community on Discord<\/a>;<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/robonomicsru\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Russian-language Robonomics community on Telegram<\/a>;<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/robonomics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">English-language Robonomics community on Telegram<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Robonomics is an open-source IoT platform that supports Web 3.0 technologies: IPFS, Ethereum and Polkadot.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37388,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"select":"2","news_style_id":"1","cryptorium_level":"2","_short_excerpt_text":"","creation_source":"","_metatest_mainpost_news_update":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2113],"tags":[2114],"class_list":["post-37387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cryptorium","tag-101-decentralization"],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"views":"52","promo_type":"2","layout_type":"1","short_excerpt":"","is_update":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37387","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37387"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37387\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37389,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37387\/revisions\/37389"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37388"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37387"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37387"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37387"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}