Pradyumna Kaushal

DLT-oriented Design Science Research (DSR) contains valuable, reusable architectural knowledge, but that knowledge is fragmented across papers and represented in inconsistent forms. I developed a researcher-facing decision-support system (DSS) for structuring and reusing this knowledge. Rather than relying on vector-only RAG that reduces papers to opaque chunks, the architecture uses an explicit Open Knowledge Format (OKF) with graph-structured concept representation, deterministic multi-stage lexical and structural retrieval, graph traversal, and provenance-bound context for evidence-grounded synthesis.

In parallel, I operationalized this reusable design knowledge on a concrete cross-organizational information systems problem: product and listing fragmentation across e-commerce marketplaces. I studied persistent product identities, smart-contract registries, and distributed trust layers using GS1 Digital Link, GTIN, and ECLASS standards. The system enables verifiable claims and cryptographic commitments for seller, purchase, and review states across organizational boundaries while preserving auditability and privacy.

At the Cyber Security and Resilience Technology (CyberSaR) laboratory, my research focuses on security, privacy, and state continuity in connected cyber-physical systems (CPS) and mobility networks (V2X). The primary challenge is enabling multiple independent parties to verify bounded claims about a physical system's operational and lifecycle state without requiring raw sensor data disclosure or relying on a single centralized authority.

I explore verifier-centric security models where cryptography serves as a systems mechanism. The architecture utilizes zero-knowledge proofs, cryptographic commitments, authenticated Merkle structures, attestations, and selective disclosure to maintain verifiable state across evolving lifecycles. The system is evaluated under adversarial testing and simulated scale to measure verification latency and resilience against compromised nodes.

In research recognized under the NITT Undergraduate Research Fellowship and supporting Government of India initiatives, I developed computational lifecycle-accounting and traceability frameworks for refurbished electronics in MSME environments. Physical product state, component replacements, workshop energy, logistics, and use-phase dynamics are modeled to compute comprehensive Scope 1–3 emissions.

The system, RefurbCarbon, implements a standards-aligned Digital Product Passport (DPP) using 12N QR-based persistent device identities. It integrates ISO 14040/14044 Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) principles, the GHG Protocol Product Standard, and LCI datasets (IDEMAT) to calculate component-level and overall Product Carbon Footprints (PCF). This connects physical shop-floor production engineering with verifiable digital environmental provenance.

At Matter Motor Works, an electric mobility OEM, I worked on industrial data infrastructure for connected electric vehicles. The technical goal was architecting high-throughput ingestion and time-series aggregation pipelines capable of processing continuous vehicle telemetry while strictly enforcing data minimization, auditability, and regulatory sovereignty.

I designed HMAC-authenticated ingestion pipelines using TypeScript/Express, Prisma, PostgreSQL, and TimescaleDB for battery, charging, and vehicle lifecycle analytics. To support cross-organizational mobility workflows without compromising proprietary or user data, I integrated GAIA-X self-description principles, JSON-LD schemas, and scoped access controls aligned with GDPR and Catena-X data space concepts.

As Head of Blockchain Research at Spider R&D, I lead student research and technical initiatives across zero-knowledge systems, decentralized identity, verifiable distributed protocols, and smart-contract security. I have conducted blockchain workshops with 300+ student attendance, organized technical competitions, mentored project teams, and coordinated internal technical code reviews.

I also contribute to external R&D discussions, research proposals, and ecosystem grant/RFP applications involving organizations such as Cedi, Xion, Walrus Foundation, and Yellow Network. My work includes practical exploration of zk-SNARKs/STARKs, authenticated Merkle structures, decentralized identity, state channels, and verifiable state machines.