Conference paper on Digital Transformation and Transparency in Wine Supply Chain

Project DIPOL was featured in the paper “Digital Transformation and Transparency in Wine Supply Chain Using OCR and DLT” by S. Cakic, A. Ismailisufi, T. Popovic, S. Krco, N. Gligoric, S. Kupresanin, and V. Maras. More about the conference at the following link.

ABSTRACT – This paper describes an effort to utilize IoT, OCR, and blockchain technology to create wine track and trace system evaluated in a real-life environment. The research is focused on digital transformation in traditional wine supply chain, using computer vision to read the existing serial numbers labeled on bottles, so as to uniquely identifying individual bottles of wine and track the item life-cycle. The system provides mobile app to allow end consumers to scan each wine bottle and learn more about that particular product instance, its origin, authenticity, rating and potentially other characteristics. Status of each bottle is updated every time it has been scanned. To ensure the transparency of the recorded data and information immutability, the blockchain technology is used to record all relevant information into the ledger, e.g. all status updates for each item. The developed service enables tracking of a bottle throughout the supply chain, from a producer to a consumer, where traceability story is still not finalized. The consumed serial numbers are kept in the ledger, to avoid counterfeit scenario when one “bottle” (i.e. one serial number) is being sold multiple times. The life-cycle of bottle and its status changes are recorded, and the authenticity ensured facilitating verifiable identity of the authorized handlers and cutting edge cryptography, thus providing additional trust in the solution and transparency to all stakeholders. The paper is available through IEEE Xplore database at the following link.

The paper was presented by mr Stevan Cakic from UDG

Master Thesis: Blockchain and applications in food supply chain

This is one of major outputs of the project – Ms Aida Ismailisufi just defended her Master thesis titled “Blockchain and applications in food supply chain”. The work focuses on Blockchain and practical demonstration based on an open source platform called Multichain. The research considers potential uses in food supply chain, more specifically the use in wine industry for counterfeit prevention.

Ms Ismailisufi defended her thesis on Blockchain and the use in food supply chain

ABSTRACT –

Digital transformation brings great changes on a daily basis in almost all industries that are manifested in the improvement of business processes as well as in the creation of new innovative business models. The research described in this paper considers the digital transformation in the agricultural industry and the food supply chain. The focus is on Blockchain technology, its capabilities and characteristics, as well as on aspects of the practical implementation of a prototype for monitoring data on food products from the manufacturer to the end user. More specifically, the research consider possibility of using Blockchain technology to create a platform for prevention and detection of counterfeits in food industry. Implementation of the system with the use of Blockchain technology provides for monitoring and secure keeping of the historical data on each instance of the product, in this example wine, thus creating a foundation of a decision support system capable of detecting potential problems and wine counterfeits.
In the first part, the paper presents the basics of digital transformation, Blockchain technologies, advantages, significance and possible applications in the agricultural and food industry. After that, a review of the applied Blockchain systems for the prevention of counterfeiting in the wine industry is given and the practical realization of the prototype based on the MultiChain platform is described. The system has been verified for the main case of using validation and the necessary Blockchain functionalities. Finally, the advantages and possible weaknesses of the system based on this technology were discussed, as well as further directions of system development with the application of mobile applications, the use of QR code and advanced interaction with consumers.

Important output of the project

Master Thesis: AI and applications in agriculture

This is one of major outputs of the project – Mr Dejan Savićević just defended his Master thesis titled “AI and applications in agriculture”. The work focuses on AI and possible uses in agriculture. The thesis advisor was dr. Marko Simeunovic.

Mr Savicevic defended his thesis on AI and applications in agriculture

ABSTRACT –

Artificial Intelligence(AI) is an academic discipline which is contained of specific technologies, and it stands out as one of the main topics in Information Technologies. It is not very actual as it should be, and less developed areas of the world are true evidence. In this work there are AI technologies counted, with examples of their use. Specifically, this area of IT depends directly on data, and could not exist without it. Artificial Intelligence could be use almost everywhere, but in this work, word is about its use in agriculture, with various examples. This work has academic value, but is also very valuable to use, because the main topic about real problems and suggestions for solutions.

An important milestone for the project.

Workshop on Academia-Industry Cooperation

DIPOL project was featured in a presentation given by UDG at the Academia-Industry Cooperation workshop organized withing VIRAL project. UDG presented several projects in the domain of smart agriculture including H2020 TagItWine, DIPOL, H2020 DEMETER, and VIRAL. More info on VIRAL website link.

Over 50 attendees were following the workshop organized by VIRAL
DIPOL was featured as an example of successful academia-industry cooperation