Blockchain protocols using zero-knowledge proof (ZK-proof) technology could tap into a new open-source GPU acceleration framework to optimize encryption technology.

Decentralized Web3 data service Space and Time announced that its recently developed graphics processing unit (GPU) acceleration framework is publicly available to the wider Web3 ecosystem.

ZK-proofs are cryptographic protocols that enable a party to prove specific information or data to another party without revealing the information itself. The technology ensures data confidentiality while validating its accuracy.

The company’s co-founder and research head Jay White tells Cointelegraph that open-sourcing its accelerator, Blitzar, aims to enable “faster, more robust ZK-proofs” while benefiting from community improvements to its repository.

Related: Decentralized Web3 data service taps ZK-proofs for tamper-proof SQL queries

White explains that GPU accelerators work by offloading computationally-intensive tasks to GPUs to optimize the performance of ZK-proof generation. ZK-proofs are computationally demanding and hardware acceleration frameworks optimizes the process.

Blitzar is designed specifically for GPUs, which are proficient in handling heavy computational workloads like ZK-proof generation. GPUs also offer an efficient memory structure for handling large datasets which are a key component of ZK-proofs.

Space and Time’s framework is now open to any projects that are looking for performance improvements relating to multi-scalar multiplication:

“One of the most expensive portions of producing a ZK-proof is multi-scalar multiplication, which we have focused on accelerating with Blitzar.”

As previously reported, Space and Time service provides structured query language (SPL) programming functionality for smart contract blockchains that makes use of ZK-proof technology.

Related: Are ZK-proofs the answer to Bitcoin’s Ordinal and BRC-20 problem?

Its proprietary Proof of SQL ZK-proof tool generates a SNARK cryptographic proof of a query within its decentralized data network, allowing users to trust that a data query is accurate and has not been manipulated.

Proof of SQL allows decentralized applications (DApps) to run a query to Space and Time’s data warehouse and create a rollup of the result to a smart contract. The Proof of SQL ensures trustless verified proofs of efficient and privacy-preserving data.

The technology is set to provide tamper-proof on-chain and off-chain data to blockchain services, advanced computing, artificial intelligence and large language models.

White adds that Space and Time leverages NVIDIA GPUs for Proof of SQL, and both the ZK-proof and Blitzar development has been supported by its partnership with the hardware manufacturer.

Related: ‘The year of ZK-proofs: 4 layer 2s that helped Ethereum scale in 2023

The co-founder also said that Blitzar could be leveraged by Ethereum layer 2 protocols like Polygon zkEVM and zkSync Era to optimize their ZK-proof generation. 

“Proof of SQL’s development is progressing aggressively, and recently we’re even seeing sub-second runtimes. The protocol is still in alpha and has been adopted by a handful of Space and Time customers,” White explains. 

ZK-proof protocols made headlines throughout 2023, particularly in the Ethereum ecosystem. Several protocols went live that enable fast and low-fee transactions to DApps and services operating on the Ethereum blockchain. 

Magazine: Beyond crypto: Zero-knowledge proofs show potential from voting to finance