How It Works

In this section we will discuss the Robonomics Network scenario.

There are few main parts in the Robonomics network:

  • IPFS for the messages exchanging
  • the Ethereum blockchain for storing new liability contracts
  • a provider that is responsible for matching messages
  • an agent

Let’s have a look at the following diagram that describes the scenario without any additional details:

The main scenario

There are three types of messages in IPFS: Demand, Offer, Result.

Below there is the specification for a Demand message:

Field Type Description Example
model ipfs_common/Multihash CPS behavioral model Identifier QmfXHZ2YkNC5vRjp1oAaRoDHD8H3zZznfhBPasTu348eWC
objective ipfs_common/Multihash CPS behavioral model parameters in rosbag file QmUo3vvSXZPQaQWjb3cH3qQo1hc8vAUqNnqbdVABbSLb6r
token ethereum_common/Address Operational token address 0xbD949595eE52346c225a19724084cE517B2cB735
cost ethereum_common/UInt256 CPS behavioral model implementation cost 1
lighthouse ethereum_common/Address Lighthouse address 0xa1b60ED40E5A68184b3ce4f7bEf31521A57eD2dB1
validator ethereum_common/Address Observing network address 0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
validatorFee ethereum_common/UInt256 Observing network commission 0
deadline ethereum_common/UInt256 Deadline block number 6393332
sender ethereum_common/Address Message sender address 0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
signature std_msgs/UInt8[] Sender’s digital signature 0x23bc…c617

An Offer message has the same fields but instead of validatorFee there is a lighthouseFee field. This field determines the amount of fee for a lighthouse.

Now let’s have a look at the following diagram and walk step by step from the moment of publishing messages to a liability finalization.

Detailed scenario

A liability contract is created only if the following fields match: model, objective, token, cost. A provider of Robonomics Network watches every message and finds those ones that have a match. After the match is found the provider calls createLiability(demand, offer) method from the contract factory where demand and offer are serialized.

Below is the package diagram for the Robonomics communication stack:

Scenario

The factory deserializes arguments and recovers promisee and promisor addresses from signatures.

Next step is token transfer. The factory transfers cost tokens from the promisee address and validatorFee and lighthouseFee from the promisor address to the new liability address.

Note

You should approve sufficient amount of tokens for the factory.

Note

It’s not required to approve tokens from the promisor address if fees are null.

Now the factory emits a NewLiability event with the liability address. An agent gets the address, reads fields, perform a task and at the same time writes a log file in rosbag format.

When the work is done the agent sends a Result message with the following fields: hash of the rosbag file, a success flag, a signature. If the validator field is not null it means that only validator is able to finalize the liability.

After the successful liability finalization the agent gets cost tokens. Otherwise, the promisee gets tokens back.