How Topcoder is Helping Fujitsu Expand on Blockchain Technology
This summer, Japanese multinational IT company Fujitsu announced their exciting new virtual private digital exchange (VPX) technology. Simply put, VPX is a decentralized digital resource exchange platform that extends blockchain functionality. Historically, companies and various industries have managed their data separately and not shared it with one another. And if they did, they did so within an external environment — in an open space like the cloud. But doing so creates obstacles to the effectiveness of data, particularly in areas of security and data management.
But now, through the use of VPX, companies can send and receive important data without placing it in external environments. Take for instance, confidential medical images. VPX would enable select hospitals to share those images within the confines of their (virtual) walls.
The revolution of VPX is just beginning. Today, Topcoder’s global talent network is preparing to figure out how VPX can best be used across companies and industries. We’re doing so with two crowdsourcing competitions — one focused on ideation and one focused on UI design.
Phase one: ideation work through Topcoder
There are two central questions around VPX: What kind of customer can benefit from using this technology? And for what kind of business process or service? Starting August 24th, Topcoder members will compete to submit the best possible ideation cases for Fujitsu’s new VPX technology. That could mean within the realm of higher education, manufacturing and technology, medicine, and beyond.
The ideation competition will run on Topcoder from August 24th through September 10th, and there will be three winners.
Phase two: UI design work through Topcoder
Once the ideation competition ends and the winners are announced, a UI design competition will begin on September 28th. Designers will be tasked with creating an app based on the business use case developed from the ideation competition. The winning app designs will have a unique, well-designed UI and leverage VPX effectively for a real-world business use case.
The UI design competition will run on Topcoder starting October 12th.
Help Fujitsu take VPX technology to new heights
Fujitsu has already made advancements with its new technology and is looking ahead to future use cases, such as the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Historically, companies in Tokyo’s business district have shied away from sharing information with other companies, for fear of data leaks. But a recent Newsweek article reports that Mitsubishi Estate, which manages 30% of the buildings in the business district, is already working with Fujitsu to leverage secure data sharing between hotels, restaurants, and other attractions — all through blockchain technology.
Beyond helping businesses in Tokyo thrive during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, secure blockchain-based data exchanges means better, more personalized customer experiences. Restaurants would be able to provide real-time information about the number of seats available and shorter wait times, hotels could provide faster check-in services, and so on.
Today, a trial is underway in Daimaruyu, a business district in Tokyo made up of three suburbs. Home to 16 businesses from the Fortune 500, Mitsubishi Estate Senior Manager Hiroyuki Okuyama says it’s on par with New York and London — a good place to see the technology in action before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
With these crowdsourcing challenges on Topcoder, we can effectively serve more organizations across more industries with Fujitsu’s new VPX technology. While only registered Topcoder Community members are eligible to compete in challenges on our platform, it’s easy to get involved and start competing right away. Developers and designers at any point in their career can register for free to compete in Topcoder challenges, learn new skills, and get paid for winning solutions.