The WIR! – Blockchain – Blockchain‑based eSports Profiling project, funded under the German grant code 03WIR1313, ran from 1 January 2021 to 31 March 2023. Its goal was to create a combined motion‑simulator, driver‑identification system and blockchain infrastructure that would prevent manipulation in digital racing events. The effort was carried out in partnership with the Living Lab of Hochschule Mittweida and several industry collaborators, who contributed hardware expertise, software development, and data‑collection support. The project team delivered a two‑seat motion‑simulator, a custom motion‑control application, a data‑reduction pipeline, a digital‑fingerprint engine based on a spiking neural network, and an Ethereum‑based blockchain for immutable storage of driver fingerprints. A hardware dongle was also designed to secure the integrity of the simulator’s hardware and software components.

Technically, the motion‑simulator was built with actuators controlled by a bespoke steering software. The motion‑control application records telemetry during races in a proprietary xBloks format and forwards the data to a data logger and the driver‑identification service. A data‑reduction module filters out incomplete laps and extracts key parameters for each track segment, storing the results in a file‑storage system that is part of the overall data‑management architecture. The driver‑identification service automatically processes the reduced telemetry with a spiking neural network, generating a unique digital fingerprint for each participant. Fingerprints are hashed and written to an Ethereum test network, ensuring tamper‑resistance. The system also includes a web‑based platform built with Django, a native application that integrates the motion‑control interface, and a user‑management interface for profile handling and event organization. Over the course of the project, 46 participants supplied telemetry data, and synthetic manipulated datasets were generated via a dedicated script for training the neural network. The hardware dongle, identified as product ID 14, acts as a secure key for accessing system functions and monitors the integrity of the simulator’s components.

Performance results are reported in terms of data volume and system reliability rather than raw speed metrics. The data‑reduction pipeline successfully removed noisy laps and retained essential driving characteristics, enabling the neural network to distinguish between legitimate and manipulated driving patterns with high confidence. The blockchain integration demonstrated that digital fingerprints could be stored and retrieved with negligible latency, and the immutability of the Ethereum ledger was verified through multiple test transactions. The hardware dongle was shown to detect unauthorized firmware changes and prevent unauthorized access to the simulator’s control interface. The project also produced a scientific publication, a teaching concept, and a series of media products that showcased the demonstrator at public events.

Collaboration was structured around distinct work packages: blockchain technology development, motion‑profile creation and analysis, platform development, project management, demonstrator construction, and supporting measures. Each package was assigned to specific partners, with the Living Lab providing the physical test environment and participant recruitment, while software partners handled the web framework, machine‑learning pipeline, and blockchain smart contracts. The project’s timeline included an initial development phase, a testing phase that extended into March 2023, and a final evaluation period that assessed the system’s readiness for deployment in eSports competitions. The funding body’s support enabled the procurement of hardware, the hiring of research staff, and the organization of public demonstrations, ensuring that the project’s outcomes were both scientifically robust and practically applicable.