作 者：Bing chan
排 版: 拾 叄
全文共5690字
5分鐘可讀完
Neil H. Wasserman，喬治華盛頓大學副教授，Fintech4Good董事會成員，致力於區塊鏈健康醫療應用的設計及應用方向研究。Neil教授的區塊鏈課程是喬治華盛頓大學計算機科學學院首創的區塊鏈課程。Neil教授本人本科畢業於康奈爾大學，擁有哈佛大學博士學位。
Neil H. Wasserman教授
今年7月，教授不遠萬里來到中國，先是在深圳做了迅雷區塊鏈應用大賽的評委，又由南到北跑了中國幾所大學。而我們布透社有一位小姐姐，不僅有幸給教授的深圳之旅做了隨行翻譯，也得到了獨家採訪教授的機會。
日常中的教授很慈祥有木有呢~
那麼他們究竟聊了些什麼呢?
我們來看一下以下的訪談實錄。
一
區塊鏈技術究竟能幹點啥？
Bingchan:從之前跟您的接觸也瞭解到，您在喬治華盛頓大學主要教授區塊鏈相關的研究生課程，那在您學生的項目中，有哪些是您覺得非常實用可以推薦大家的?
Bingchan: During our previous communication, you majorly teach blockchain-related graduate courses. Therefore among all those projects conducted by your students, are there any projects that are worthwhile and could be put into real use?
Neil:我現在教授的課程是區塊鏈基礎，這門課程旨在夯實區塊鏈技術基礎，明確區塊鏈應用的商業需求。學生們開發用例，用區塊鏈技術設計商業及科技模型，來解決實際問題。我這個班主要包含計算機科學專業的研究生及其他專業的學生。這些學生富有社會責任感，致力於用項目研究解決實際問題，讓人類生活的更美好。下面我舉幾個我學生的例子。
Neil:The course I teach is called “Blockchain Fundamentals.” It focuses on building skills in both blockchain technology and in analyzing the business requirements for blockchain implementation. The students develop “use cases,” which are basically business and technical designs to use blockchain to solve a problem in the world. The class contains mostly graduate students in computer science, but also students from other departments by invitation. The students work on projects and learn blockchain technology by addressing real problems. I think most of the students are really socially committed, so the problems they choose to address concern issues that make people’s lives better. Here are some examples.
活動中演講的教授
01
一個課題組的項目是利用區塊鏈技術追蹤流浪者，給予他們安全的身份，讓他們消費更加安全；團隊開發了一種對流浪者進行生物識別的方式，這個創意非常棒，因為流浪漢通常不會隨身攜帶手機。利用這個ID，他們就算沒有手機，也可以享受各項服務。這個系統也可以和其他支付系統及政府支持相融合。
One student group developed a simple way of using blockchain to track homeless people, to give them a secure identity and way of spending money. The team developed a biometric means of confirming the identity of the homeless person, which is valuable since homeless people don’t necessarily carry a cellphone. With the biometric ID they can access services without having cellphones. This system can then be integrated with payment systems, distribution of governmental support, etc.
02
還有一個課題組研發出針對大學生群體的二手買賣系統，他們可以出售自己不再需要的傢俱及書籍。他們會利用區塊鏈系統創建交易系統，和EBay類似，但是帶有社交屬性，交易費用也更低。
Another group developed a second-hand trading system for college students, who may have furniture and books they no longer need. The blockchain system will be used to create a trading capability similar to EBay, but with social connections and lower transaction fees.
03
還有一個創新項目是利用區塊鏈技術來跟蹤空間中的物體，減少衝撞的可能性。這個模型也可以應用在其他案例上（改變原本複雜的系統，比如說全球水資源）
One innovative project uses blockchain to track objects in space to reduce the possibility of collisions. This model can also be applied to other examples of slowly changing complex systems, such as global water resources.
二
教授，你怎麼看？
Bingchan:在中國的旅程中，相信您也接觸並瞭解了許多中國國內的區塊鏈項目，那麼您覺得對這些項目來講，最大的落地難點是什麼？您中國的區塊鏈從業者有什麼建議？
Bingchan:During your trip in China, You have gotten in touch with many Chinese domestic blockchain projects and from your point of view, what is the biggest challenge for those projects putting into real use? Do you have any suggestions for Chinese blockchain entrepreneurs?
Neil:任何來中國的美國人都會被中國學生的活力和創意所震驚，而中國整個國家的活力更是不可估量。能量可以傳染，這些勤勞的人民建地鐵，造大橋，蓋房子，用活力進行科技創新。在美國，許多學生意識到如果他們想要做一些有意義並有趣的事情，他們需要創新。我的建議是從你想要解決的商業問題作為出發點，不要拘泥於技術本身。對於商業模型而言，區塊鏈技術可能並不是必須的，所以過於拘泥區塊鏈是一個需要解決的問題。
Neil: Any American visiting China would be very impressed by the dynamism, creative energy of students, the dynamism of the country in general. Energy is contagious, building subways, bridges and buildings, creating technology with so much energy. In the US as well, most students realize that if they want to do something meaningful and interesting, they have to be innovative. My advice is to start with the business problem you want to solve, not with the technology. Blockchain may or may not be essential to the business model. That is a question that needs to be resolved.
另一個需要明確的事情就是區塊鏈應用其實是多學科項目。區塊鏈應用依賴著數據科學，密碼學，機器學習，法律分析及其他學科。我告訴我的學生，他們不應該只關注區塊鏈，也需要關注區塊鏈和其他學科之間的交互。這樣做的話，當他們在思索區塊鏈應用商業化的這方面才能獨具慧眼。
One important thing to understand about blockchain technology is that blockchain applications are essentially multidisciplinary. Blockchain applications depend on data science, cryptography, machine learning, legal analysis, and other fields. What I tell my students is that they should focus not only on blockchain, but also pay attention to the interface between blockchain and other disciplines. This will enable them to have a unique capability for realizing business value from blockchain applications.
區塊鏈科技是許多法則的集合，而這些法則影響著區塊鏈技術應用：智能合約，商業模型，中心化及去中心化。人工智能可以過濾信息，對人群，數據科學和數字來講也是非常有用的，可以將數據轉化成有意義的信息。
blockchain technology is a collection of technologies relating to multiple disciplines and the disciplines that inform the application of blockchain technology: smart contract, business models, decentralization and centralization, AI to filter information that might be useful for the population; data science and data livings. Be able to focus, turn data into meaningful, action information.
我告訴我的學生們他們的關注點應該不僅僅是區塊鏈，還應該是區塊鏈及其他規則的連接。這樣一來，相較於只關注於區塊鏈，鏈接多種規則會比僅僅關注區塊鏈更有效一些。
What I told my students is that they should focus not only in blockchain, but also the interface between blockchain and other disciplines which make them much more valuable comparing with just focusing on blockchain.
三
莎士比亞終極問題：區塊鏈獨角獸，存在/不存在？
Bingchan:現在我們可以看到雖然現在已經有很多區塊鏈應用，但是獨角獸企業少之又少。對於有野心想成為區塊鏈行業獨角獸的區塊鏈企業，您認為它們需要具備什麼樣的特點和優勢？
Bingchan: Now there are still a few blockchain applications, and there's not any unicorn in the world. So for a blockchain technology-based initiative with an ambition to become a unicorn, what kind of qualities shall it equip with?
Neil:在虛擬貨幣及區塊鏈界的確存在著很多獨角獸。虛擬貨幣（以太坊）的早期投資者以及在區塊鏈平臺上建立的生意已經創造了數十億美元的價值，但是不對我的學生而言，我的建議是：不要執著於做所謂的獨角獸。之所以他們被稱之為獨角獸，是因為只有很少的企業存活了下來。如果如果是把商業模式規劃的合理現實一點，比如說實現一億的價值，還是可取的。主要的目標應該是為世界創造價值，從用戶的角度出發進行商業實踐。最重要的是，產品是否有使用價值以及應用區塊鏈的方式是否足夠創新及連貫，能夠解決實際問題。
Neil: Actually, there are unicorns in the worlds of cryptocurrency and blockchain. A number of early investors in cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and businesses built on blockchain platforms have attained valuations of more than $1 billion. But I would advise my students not to try to be unicorns. They are called unicorns because few of them exist, and it is far more sensible to aim to be successful in building a business that attains more reasonable valuation of, say, $100 million, which is rare in itself. The key objective should be to create something of value in the world, to follow a business model that makes sense from the customer’s point of view. The focus should be on creating real value and applying blockchain techniques in a way that is both innovative and consistent with solving an important problem and providing a new capability.
四
醫療+區塊鏈，我們怎麼活的更健康？
Bingchan:我們都知道您致力於研究健康醫療及人類行為變化，隨著區塊鏈技術的發展，區塊鏈勢必會在健康醫療中發揮至關重要的作用。那麼您覺得在區塊鏈主導下，醫療方面的主要的場景應用有哪些？
Bingchan: I know that you are interested in healthcare, especially the healthcare research about population-based behavior change. I strongly agree that blockchain will play a huge role in health care. Therefore as far as you are concerned, in a blockchain-oriented world, what are the major application scenes in the respect of health care?
Neil:在健康醫療的應用上，區塊鏈潛力頗高，因為在任何商業模型中，健康醫療都取決於交易，包括支付，數據調取，服務傳送以及其他以交易為中心的商業進程。區塊鏈讓可以讓交易記錄更加有效，更容易調取因為任何授權的人或系統都可以和區塊鏈環境相聯結，而這些獨立於中央權威。
Neil: There are many potential applications for blockchain in healthcare. In a sense healthcare, like any business depends upon transactions, including payments, access to data, delivery of services, and other transaction-based business processes.
區塊鏈可以為病患及提供方提供特定的行為激勵，也可以為醫療產品管理供應鏈相關問題，包括藥品和設備相關。健康醫療系統中的一個主要挑戰是許多提供方可能是連接著特定的病人。舉例來講，一個典型的老年患者患有多種慢性病：心臟病，糖尿病，腎衰竭和其他需要注意的疾病。
Blockchain can make such transactions more efficient and more accessible since any authorized person or system can connect to the blockchain environment, and this can be accomplished independent of a central authority. Blockchain can be used to provide incentives for desired behaviors on the part of patients and providers, and it can be used to manage supply chains for medical products, including drugs and devices. One major challenge in the healthcare system is that multiple providers may be associated with a given patient. The typical older patient, for example, has multiple chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney failure and other diseases requiring attention.
但是健康醫療產業的侷限性就是：數據保持私密不互通，而對病人來講，打通這些壁壘非常重要。區塊鏈的潛力在於可以幫助構建一個融合的環境，打通數據源及多方提供者，從整體上更好地治療病人。理想狀態下，區塊鏈環境可以聯結多方參與者，病人，提供者，寫作者和保險者。在這樣一個系統中，這些一定是可以算作有效激勵，包括對信息提供者的激勵。我認為，購買服務的人群需要構建合作關係，這樣一來，病人，提供方及政府可以確保健康服務可以非常好的利用區塊鏈科技。
But the health care industry is structured to create walls between disciplines associated with a particular chronic condition. Proper care for the patient may require bridging those gaps. Blockchain has the potential to help create an integrated environment in which access to multiple sources of data and multiple providers can treat the patient as a whole. Ideally, the blockchain environment can connect to all participants in the care of the patient, , the providers, the care coordinators, the insurers. There must be incentives for participation in such a system, including incentives for shared access to data. Eventually, I think there will partnerships among the people who pay for services, the patients, the providers, and the government to ensure that health services can take advantage of these technologies.
五
亙古不變的問題：區塊鏈VS虛擬貨幣
Bingchan:區塊鏈技術作為數字貨幣的底層技術，一直吸引著全球金融界的高度關注。現在一些國家已經開始進行加密貨幣支付，您認為加密貨幣支付會是未來的一個趨勢嗎？您怎麼看待加密貨幣和區塊鏈技術之間的關係？
Bingchan: As the infrastructure technology of crypto currency, blockchain has always caught the attention from global financial sectors. At present some countries have already launched crypto currency payment and do you think it will be a future trend? How do you regard the relationship between crypto currency and blockchain technology?
Neil:我覺得虛擬貨幣和區塊鏈技術的緊密關係有利有弊。好的方面就是說虛擬貨幣讓區塊鏈技術本身的潛力對投資者和創新者可視化，而許多參與其中的人也在很短的時間內賺了不少錢。這個現象同互聯網繁榮時代非常相似，但相當一部分早期的互聯網公司現如今也停滯不前了。現在幣圈的所謂的一夜暴富投機論調已經在削減。
弊端是有些人之所以對區塊鏈技術感興趣僅僅是因為他們覺得這個技術能產生虛擬貨幣，有賺錢的機會。區塊鏈技術的價值和虛擬貨幣真的是完全分開的，虛擬貨幣只是區塊鏈技術的一個應用，能夠產生多種交易記錄並可以在去中心化環境中達成共識。到現在，中國政府也沒有智齒虛擬貨幣的應用，這倒也許是件好事因為它激勵著人們關注區塊鏈的商業價值，而非被虛擬貨幣操控。
針對你提的關於虛擬貨幣未來的問題，我認為虛擬貨幣會在支付系統，激勵政策和財政方面起到很重要的作用。虛擬貨幣和區塊鏈應用相結合，如果用在商業模型中冰為區塊鏈應用環境中的參與者提供實用價值的話，定會大放異彩。
給一個東西創造價值的方式有很多種，不論是黃金，美元或者其他幣種。然而現在虛擬貨幣給公共服務和政府帶來了挑戰，因為包含虛擬貨幣或者區塊鏈的交易有時候可能會隱藏在常規政府監管之外，而政府收入是最需要公開透明的，政府需要明確公共收支平衡，鼓勵個體的創新，給予他們動力。
Neil:I think it is both good and bad that blockchain is associated with cryptocurrency. The good part is that cryptocurrency made the potential of blockchain visible to investors and innovators because some people made a lot of money very quickly. This is similar to what happened with the dotcom boom and the Internet. But very few of the original dotcom companies are still around. Now the get-rich-quick opportunities with cryptocurrency may be fading. The bad part is that sometimes people became interested in blockchain technology for the wrong reasons. The value of blockchain technology is really separate from cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency is simply one application of blockchain, an example of the ability to create multiple transaction records and arrive at consensus in a decentralized environment. For now, the Chinese government has not supported the use of cryptocurrency. That may be a good thing because it encourages people to focus on the business value of blockchain as opposed to manipulation of cryptocurrency. Regarding the future of cryptocurrency, I think it will play a significant role in payments, incentives and financing. Integrating cryptocurrency with blockchain applications may be useful if it is part of the business model, providing real value to participants in the blockchain application environment. There are multiple ways of creating an object that represents value whether it is a gold coin, dollar or other currency. Nevertheless, cryptocurrency presents challenges for public services and governments because transactions that involve cryptocurrencies can be hidden from normal government regulatory oversight. Government revenue typically depends on transparency of transactions. Government has to pay attention to making sure that public needs are balanced against the opportunities for encouraging private initiative and innovation.
我認為，虛擬貨幣不是區塊鏈技術最重要的應用。個人來講，我的關注點不在虛擬貨幣上，而是利用區塊鏈科技來創造商業價值，提升大家的生活水面（譬如：健康醫療，氣候變化這些主要挑戰），我的學生們致力於用區塊鏈技術改善普羅大眾的生活水平。
注：是因為很多人希望利用虛擬貨幣構建“獨角獸企業”來賺錢，但實際上關注虛擬貨幣的人們對實業並不感興趣，只關注最火的那幾個“獨角獸”，並不理會其他那些不成功的項目。每個人都希望自己是獨角獸而虛擬貨幣在這條路上越走越遠，比特幣，以太坊，瑞波幣和其他貨幣亦如是。他們漲幅很快，這也讓很多眼饞的人覺得自己也該創造個虛擬貨幣出來賺錢。
In summary, cryptocurrency is not the most important application of blockchain. Personally, my focus is not on cryptocurrency but on using blockchain to create business value and improve people’s lives by addressing critical challenges in areas such as healthcare and climate change. My students share that commitment to using blockchain to improve the conditions under which people live.
個人來講，我不太知道市場上太多種類的數字貨幣，除非一些和我有聯繫的公司，他們有時候會給我一些他們的虛擬幣，不過我覺得他們價值甚微，我所關注的還是能給世界真正帶來影響的區塊鏈技術應用。
Personally I don’t know any crypto currency except for a few companies I connect, they give me some of their crypto currency as part of relationship, but I don’t think it works, my focus is the application of blockchain that could exerts impacts on the world.
● 完事了？不，教授還有話要講~
Comment:在我的中國之行中，我學習到了政府機構，投資者，企業家，商業領袖和和知名大學的學者一起協作，構建了一個可持續創新並支持經濟正常的基礎設施環境。我非常想深入的瞭解中國社會的這些元素是怎麼一同協作，並同商業機構及傳播媒體構建緊密聯繫。未來我希望能夠和中國認識的夥伴們一起，同美國乃至世界上的夥伴們一起創造出一些有用的產品造福社會。
Comment: One thing I learned in my travels in China is the synergy among government agencies, investors, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and researchers at the major universities to create an environment that sustains innovation and supports an infrastructure for economic growth. I would like to understand at a deeper level how these elements of Chinese society work together to create both physical connectivity and economic connectivity with communications and active business networks. I look forward to building on the friendships I made in China to create productive partnerships with initiatives in the US and other parts of the world.
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