Deloitte has used Facebook’s fresh Messenger API to make a new product – the minimum viable product (MVP) – capable of storing warranties on a blockchain and making it possible for users to buy insurance for items even after they’ve been purchased.
This new product was introduced on Friday (click here for the official release) and could be used as a bridge between distributed ledgers and the internet, without the need of new applications download.
According to Deloitte service designer, Frank van de Ven:
“It allows users to add information regarding their purchases and associated warranty information on the blockchain, by using a Facebook Messenger bot.”
Deloitte took advatnage of around 1 billion Facebook Messenger users. Facebook introduced an extensions of its Messenger support through a new send and receive API, allowing for the construction of custom Messenger bots.
“By offering our service through an existing channel we are taking away a huge hurdle in engaging new users,” van de Ven said.
MVP Functionality
This new product allows users to send an image of a specially designed receipt via Facebook Messenger. Built on the bitcoin blockchain using the Colu blockchain toolbox, Deloitte’s product offers a QR code on the receipt and stores the product information on a blockchain. Multiple warranties can then be stored in a profile accessible via a link also transmitted via Facebook Messenger.
Van de Ven added that by uploading the warranty to a blockchain, the warrant bot will let product owners transfer the warranty if the item is resold. The new owners can in-turn track the entire history of the blockchain-logged warranty.
“The ability to store assets in a safe and secure, tamper-proof way, opens up a whole new world for financial institutes, retailers, governments and other industries,” wrote van de Ven, adding:
“What we’ve learned from our hackathon only underlines this belief.”
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