This book serves as a reference for scholars, researchers and practitioners to update their knowledge on methodologies, theoretical analyses, modeling, simulation and empirical studies on blockchain technologies and cryptocurrencies. Chapters on the evolving theory and practice related to distributed ledger technologies and peer-to-peer digital currencies are intended to provide comprehensive coverage and understanding of their uses within the technological, business, and organizational domains.The contributions from this volume also provide a thorough examination of blockchains and cryptocurrencies with respect to issues of management, governance, trust and privacy, and interoperability.Contributed by a diverse range of authors from both academia and professional fields, this reference book presents frontier research in the fields of blockchains and cryptocurrencies.

Blockchain technology has great potential to radically change our socio-economic systems by guaranteeing secure transactions between untrusted entities, reducing costs, and simplifying many processes. However, employing blockchain techniques in sustainable applications development for smart cities still has some technical challenges and limitations. Blockchain Technologies for Sustainable Development in Smart Cities investigates blockchain-enabled technology for smart city developments and big data applications. This book provides relevant theoretical frameworks and the latest empirical research findings in the area. Covering topics such as digital finance, smart city technology, and data processing architecture, this book is an essential reference for electricians, policymakers, local governments, city committees, computer scientists, IT professionals, professors and students of higher education, researchers, and academicians.

The book discusses the various ways that blockchain technology is changing the future of money, transactions, government, and business. The first two chapters walk through the foundation of blockchain. Chapters 3–12 look at applications of blockchain in different industries and highlight its exciting new business applications. It show why so many companies are implementing blockchain, and present examples of companies who have successfully employed the technology to improve efficiencies and reduce costs. Chapter 13 highlights blockchain’s powerful potential to foster emerging markets and economies including smart cities, value-based healthcare, decentralized sharing economy, machine to machine transactions, data-sharing marketplace, etc. Chapter 14 offers a conceptual model, provides information and insights, and covers a step-by-step approach to plan and develop blockchain-based technology.

This book addresses main issues concerned with the future learning, learning and academic analytics, virtual world and smart user interface, and mobile learning. This book gathers the newest research results of smart learning environments from the aspects of learning, pedagogies, and technologies in learning. It examines the advances in technology development and changes in the field of education that has been affecting and reshaping the learning environment. Then, it proposes that under the changed technological situations, smart learning systems, no matter what platforms (i.e., personal computers, smart phones, and tablets) they are running at, should be aware of the preferences and needs that their users (i.e., the learners and teachers) have, be capable of providing their users with the most appropriate services, helps to enhance the users' learning experiences, and to make the learning efficient.

Blockchain technology and artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to transform how the accounting and financial services industries engage with the business, stakeholder and consumer communities. Presenting a blend of technical analysis with current and future applications, this book provides professionals with an action plan to embrace and move forward with these new technologies in financial and accounting organizations. It is written in a conversational style that is unbiased and objective, replacing jargon and technical details with real world case examples.

As we enter the Industrial Revolution 4.0, demands for an increasing degree of trust and privacy protection continue to be voiced. The development of blockchain technology is very important because it can help frictionless and transparent financial transactions and improve the business experience, which in turn has far-reaching effects for economic, psychological, educational and organizational improvements in the way we work, teach, learn and care for ourselves and each other. Blockchain is an eccentric technology, but at the same time, the least understood and most disruptive technology of the day. This book covers the latest technologies of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology and their applications. This book discusses the blockchain and cryptocurrencies related issues and also explains how to provide the security differently through an algorithm, framework, approaches, techniques and mechanisms. A comprehensive understanding of what blockchain is and how it works, as well as insights into how it will affect the future of your organization and industry as a whole and how to integrate blockchain technology into your business strategy. In addition, the book explores the blockchain and its with other technologies like Internet of Things, big data and artificial intelligence, etc.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking an increasingly important role in our society. From cars, smartphones, airplanes, consumer applications, and even medical equipment, the impact of AI is changing the world around us. The ability of machines to demonstrate advanced cognitive skills in taking decisions, learn and perceive the environment, predict certain behavior, and process written or spoken languages, among other skills, makes this discipline of paramount importance in today's world. Although AI is changing the world for the better in many applications, it also comes with its challenges. This book encompasses many applications as well as new techniques, challenges, and opportunities in this fascinating area.