[NEWS] Meta Akita launches world's first blockchain-based digital pedigree app

Meta Akita, which is working on regional revitalization using Akita dogs, announced on the 19th the world's first digital pedigree using DID/VC (Decentralized ID/Verifiable Digital Certificate).

It is scheduled to be introduced at the Akita Dog Preservation Society, a public interest incorporated association, from the 1st of next month. According to Meta Akita, this will be the world's first case of digital pedigrees using DID/VC technology.

The introduction of digital pedigrees aims to solve the issues that have arisen from the fact that they have only been issued on paper until now.

DID/VC is a combination of "Decentralized Identifier (DID)" and "Verifiable Credential (VC)," and is a method of authentication and verification that utilizes blockchain. In October last year, NTT Data, Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking announced the establishment of the "DID/VC Co-Creation Consortium," which will work on business co-creation using DID/VC, and is attracting attention.

The digital pedigree announced this time was jointly planned and developed with Meta Akita and the US company Heirloom. Through this initiative, Meta Akita and Heirloom have revealed that they have entered into a strategic partnership.

The digital pedigree will provide a management app as a service that can be used on smartphones.

Until now, pedigrees issued on paper have been on the rise in cases of forgery, especially overseas, and it took a long time for applicants to receive their pedigrees, and there was also a risk of them being lost during overseas mailing. By digitizing using blockchain, it is possible to prevent forgery and tampering, as well as significantly improve the speed at which pedigrees can be received, thereby improving convenience.

The usage flow is as follows.

• Users apply to use this service when applying for a new pedigree or updating information.
• Akita Inu Preservation Society/Meta Akita issues a digital pedigree.
• Users download the app and receive the digital pedigree on the app.
• The digital pedigree can be presented to a third party through the digital pedigree holder's "biometric authentication."

▶︎Usage image (source: Meta Akita)

Aiming to expand into academic and medical fields

This service can also be used by Japanese users, but in light of the increasing demand for Akita dogs overseas, the company is looking to expand globally.

Meta Akita stated at a press conference that it will "use its DID/VC technology for academic and medical records," showing its enthusiasm for expanding the service into various fields in the future. It also stated that it "wants to create new use cases and work to revitalize Akita."

Reference:Announcement
Image: Shutterstock

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