The Canadian tech firm formerly known as BlackBerry is no longer a leader in the mobile device sector, but this has not stopped the company from working on interesting and innovative projects. BlackBerry still offers a few select smartphones, which include ultra-basic and ultra-secure models, but the company is also involved in other interesting technology projects. A recent press release published by BlackBerry indicates that the company is currently working on a blockchain project that does not focus on digital currency or even financial technology; instead, the project provides various solutions designed for the healthcare sector. BlackBerry has chosen a tech firm dedicated to the health sciences as a partner for leveraging the power of cryptography ad distributed ledgers; the goal is to develop an ecosystem for medical information and healthcare data to be entered, stored, updated, and shared. Various data formats will be accepted into this system, from medical records to patient data collected by internet-connected devices, and a chain of custody will be implemented for security purposes. The BlackBerry Spark blockchain system will allow medical workers to input data into a distributed ledger system that is able to remove personally identifying information; by doing this, medical researchers would be able to access the data in real-time and without compromising patient privacy. In addition to Spark, BlackBerry is also working on adapting its QNX real-time operating system, which is currently used by automakers, so that it can be used in programming and operating robotic surgical devices. Furthermore, QNX can also be utilized by biotechnology firms that manufacture advanced medical devices.
Data privacy has been one of the most challenging aspects of implementing IT solutions in the healthcare field, and BlackBerry sees this as a business opportunity. Ever since losing a significant share of the mobile device sector, the company has been redirecting its efforts into creating solutions that can truly keep data safe. One of the most ambitious efforts undertaking in this regard is the development of digital document access technologies that will defeat the coming wave of quantum computing, a paradigm that would be able to break the encryption schemes in use today.