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A Survey on the Integration of Blockchain Smart Contracts and Natural Language Processing

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Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Computer Engineering and Networks (CENet 2023)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering ((LNEE,volume 1127))

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Abstract

Smart contract is an automated contract system based on blockchain technology, which is self-executing, tamper-evident and decentralized. The writing and analysis of smart contracts still face several challenges, including complex programming languages and potential security vulnerabilities. Natural Language Processing (NLP) as a discipline that studies the interaction between natural language and computers, can provide strong support for the development and analysis of smart contracts. This paper explores the cross-application of blockchain, smart contracts and NLP. First, this paper introduces the basic principles of blockchain technology and the concept of smart contracts. Then it points out the problems in the development process of smart contracts, and focuses on the analysis and summary of the relevant research results of NLP technology in the generation of smart contract code and annotation generation, and summarizes and analyzes the important role of NLP technology on the efficiency of smart contract development, the correctness, reliability, readability, and maintainability of the code. Secondly, for the security of smart contracts, the research related to smart contract vulnerability detection using NLP technology is summarized. Finally, the advantages, challenges and future development directions of combining natural language processing with blockchain smart contracts are pointed out to provide reference and inspiration for research and application in related fields.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by the National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2021YFB2700600); in part by the Finance Science and Technology Project of Hainan Province (No. ZDKJ2020009); in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 62163011); in part by the Research Startup Fund of Hainan University under Grant KYQD(ZR)-21071.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Cyberspace Security, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China

    Zikai Song, Pengxu Shen, Chuan Liu, Haoyu Gao & Hong Lei

  2. The Blockhouse Technology Limited, Oxford, OX2 6XJ, UK

    Chao Liu

  3. Oxford-Hainan Blockchain Research Institute, Chengmai, 571924, China

    Haoyu Gao

  4. SSC Holding Company Ltd, Chengmai, 571924, China

    Hong Lei

Authors
  1. Zikai Song
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  2. Pengxu Shen
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  3. Chuan Liu
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  4. Chao Liu
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  5. Haoyu Gao
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  6. Hong Lei
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hong Lei .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Wuxi University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China

    Yonghong Zhang

  2. College of Computer Science and Technology, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, Shandong, China

    Lianyong Qi

  3. School of Computer and Software, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China

    Qi Liu

  4. School of Information and Software Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China

    Guangqiang Yin

  5. School of Computing, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK

    Xiaodong Liu

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Song, Z., Shen, P., Liu, C., Liu, C., Gao, H., Lei, H. (2024). A Survey on the Integration of Blockchain Smart Contracts and Natural Language Processing. In: Zhang, Y., Qi, L., Liu, Q., Yin, G., Liu, X. (eds) Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Computer Engineering and Networks. CENet 2023. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, vol 1127. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-9247-8_46

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-9247-8_46

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-99-9246-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-99-9247-8

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

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