Interactive Visualization of Proof-of-Work Consensus Protocol on Raspberry Pi

TL;DR

This paper presents a Raspberry Pi-based Ethereum Proof-of-Work blockchain prototype with visual LCD displays, designed for education and demonstrating blockchain dynamics in a standalone, configurable environment.

Contribution

It introduces a fully functional, easy-to-assemble PoW blockchain network on Raspberry Pi devices with visualization features for educational and demonstrative purposes.

Findings

PoW consensus can be visualized on LCD screens.

Consensus degradation due to topology and latency can be demonstrated.

The system is easy to set up and configure.

Abstract

We describe a prototype of a fully capable Ethereum Proof-of-Work (PoW) blockchain network running on multiple Raspberry Pi (RPi) computers. The prototype is easy to set up and is intended to function as a completely standalone system, using a local WiFi router for connectivity. It features LCD screens for visualization of the local state of blockchain ledgers on each RPi, making it ideal for educational purposes and to demonstrate fundamental blockchain concepts to a wide audience. For example, a functioning PoW consensus is easily visible from the LCD screens, as well as consensus degradation which might arise from various factors, including peer-to-peer topology and communication latency - all parameters which can be configured from the central web-based interface.