Cat In A Box - Democratizing Citizen Science 🧬

ETHGlobal Bangkok 2024 Multi-Winner

• 🏆 ETHGlobal Bangkok 2024 Finalist
• 🥇 Protocol Labs - Filecoin Foundation: Storage & Retrieval (1st place)
• 🥇 Phala Network - Best Use of TEE in Blockchain
• 🥇 Zircuit - Best project on Zircuit (1st place)
• 🏆 Blockscout - Blockscout Explorer Big Pool Prize

Overview

Cat In A Box is a revolutionary DeSci (Decentralized Science) and SocialFi platform that bridges the gap between scientific research and everyday users. By combining user-owned health data, privacy-preserving computation, and gamified social features, it creates an ecosystem where anyone can participate in meaningful scientific experiments while maintaining complete control over their personal data.

The Problem

Scientific discoveries face critical bottlenecks in reaching practical applications:

• Accessibility Gap: Most health insights remain confined to scientists or biohackers, inaccessible to average users seeking personalized solutions
• Participation Barriers: Low public engagement in scientific studies due to lack of incentives, understanding, and social engagement
• Data Shortage: Limited diverse, high-quality datasets hinder innovation in personalized healthcare
• Privacy Concerns: Users hesitant to share sensitive health data without proper control and compensation

The Solution

Cat In A Box democratizes science by creating a platform where:

For Individual Users:

• Earn While Contributing: Participate in studies with minimal cost and earn crypto rewards
• Personalized Health Insights: Engage in pharmacogenomics, nutrition, and personalized healthcare experiments
• Complete Data Ownership: Maintain full control over health data while contributing to collective knowledge

For BioDAOs & DeSci Communities:

• Easy Project Setup: Seamlessly create and manage citizen science projects
• Participant Recruitment: Access to engaged user base interested in health research
• Transparent Experimentation: Foster open, verifiable data collection and analysis

Key Features

🔐 100% User-Owned Data

• Health data encrypted and stored on Filecoin's decentralized network
• Single user wallet controls all data access and permissions
• Immutable ownership records on blockchain

🎯 Granular Data Sharing

• Selective Sharing: Users share only specific data points (e.g., single SNP for genetics studies)
• Crypto Rewards: Earn tokens for each data contribution
• TEE Processing: All data processing occurs in Trusted Execution Environments for maximum privacy

🚀 Intuitive DeSci UX/UI

• Social Login: Easy onboarding via Dynamic wallet for individuals and communities
• Experiment Creation: Scientists can seamlessly design and deploy studies
• AI Assistant: Helps users understand participation requirements and interpret results

🎮 Social Engagement Features

• Community Comparison: Compare personal data insights with aggregated community data
• Leaderboards: Gamified participation tracking and rewards
• Social Sharing: Share anonymized results and achievements with friends

🧪 Scientist-Led Experimentation

• Anonymous Participation: Scientists can guide experiment design while maintaining privacy
• Collaborative Research: Multi-party experiments with transparent methodologies
• Real-time Results: Live data analysis and insights generation

Technical Architecture

Blockchain Infrastructure

• Zircuit Network: Primary deployment for experiment management and payments
  • Main Contract: 0x0074690aC91AbF6a5E2c1E410160582D92E6a2bE
  • Token Contract: 0x0AEB92fB117206D3ae314dFC442db6Bcd98b4309
• Scroll Testnet: Secondary deployment verified on Blockscout
  • Main Contract: 0xb636c074c42F383EE418a3fFF57e07b67274730A

Privacy & Storage Stack

• Filecoin + Lighthouse: Encrypted, decentralized data storage with user-controlled access
• Phala Network TEE: Trusted Execution Environment for privacy-preserving computation
• Dynamic Wallet: Seamless user onboarding and wallet management

Frontend Technology

• Next.js + TypeScript: Modern React framework for optimal performance
• Tailwind CSS: Responsive, accessible design system
• AI Integration: Natural language processing for user assistance

Technical Innovation

Privacy-First Data Sharing

The platform implements a sophisticated data sharing model:

1. Encrypted Storage: All health data encrypted before storage on Filecoin
2. Selective Decryption: TEE environment processes only requested data points
3. Event-Driven Processing: Smart contracts trigger TEE computation based on experiment requirements
4. Secure Results: Processed insights returned to blockchain without exposing raw data

Multi-Chain Architecture

• Primary Chain (Zircuit): Experiment management, access control, and payments
• Storage Layer (Filecoin): Decentralized, encrypted data persistence
• Computation Layer (Phala): Privacy-preserving data analysis
• Verification Layer (Blockscout): Transparent contract verification and monitoring

Impact & Use Cases

Real-World Applications

• Pharmacogenomics Research: Understanding drug responses based on genetic variations
• Nutrition Studies: Personalized dietary recommendations based on genetic and lifestyle data
• Lifestyle Medicine: Correlating behavior patterns with health outcomes
• Preventive Healthcare: Early detection and intervention strategies

Target Communities

• Health-Conscious Individuals: People seeking personalized health insights
• Research Institutions: Universities and labs needing diverse datasets
• BioDAOs: Decentralized research organizations
• Healthcare Providers: Clinics interested in population health data

Awards & Recognition

Cat In A Box achieved exceptional recognition at ETHGlobal Bangkok 2024:

• ETHGlobal Finalist: Selected among top projects from hundreds of submissions
• Protocol Labs Winner: Best implementation of Filecoin storage and retrieval (1st place)
• Phala Network Winner: Outstanding use of Trusted Execution Environment technology
• Zircuit Winner: Most innovative project deployed on Zircuit network
• Blockscout Prize: Excellence in blockchain transparency and verification

Team & Collaboration

Core Team:

• @zanastas: Product design, frontend development, UI/UX architecture
• @0xAkuti: Backend infrastructure, smart contract development, TEE integration

Collaborative Development:

• Cross-functional expertise in DeSci, privacy technology, and user experience
• Open-source approach encouraging community contributions
• Integration with leading Web3 infrastructure providers

Future Development

Technical Roadmap

• Multi-Chain Expansion: Support for additional EVM and non-EVM networks
• Advanced TEE Features: Enhanced privacy-preserving computation capabilities
• Mobile Application: Native iOS/Android apps for broader accessibility
• AI Enhancement: More sophisticated health insights and recommendations

Research Expansion

• Clinical Trial Integration: Partnerships with pharmaceutical companies
• Academic Collaborations: University research program integrations
• Regulatory Compliance: HIPAA and GDPR-compliant data handling
• Global Health Initiatives: Support for public health research in developing regions

Links

• ETHGlobal Showcase: Cat In A Box Project Page
• GitHub Repository: zanastas/CatinaBox
• Zircuit Explorer: Main Contract
• Blockscout Verification: Scroll Contract

Cat In A Box represents the future of participatory science - where individual health data becomes a powerful tool for collective discovery while remaining under complete user control.