Blockchain-Based Mobile Digital Identification for Older Adults in Peru

Wilver Arana; Aldo Pastrana; Juan Lopez Aleman

doi:10.48084/etasr.17039

Authors

Wilver Arana Department of Engineering Faculty, Software Engineering, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Peru
Aldo Pastrana Department of Engineering Faculty, Software Engineering, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Peru
Juan Lopez Aleman Department of Engineering Faculty, Information Systems Engineering, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Peru

Volume: 16 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 35988-35998 | June 2026 | https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.17039

Received: 18 December 2025 | Revised: 29 January 2026 and 12 March 2026 | Accepted: 23 March 2026 | Online: 6 June 2026

Corresponding author: Juan Lopez Aleman

Abstract

The transition of key services to digital platforms has increased demand for secure, accessible digital identification mechanisms. Older adults, particularly in rural and low digital literacy contexts, face important barriers to adopting such systems. This study presents the design, implementation, and pilot validation of a blockchain-based mobile digital identification system tailored for older adults. The solution integrates a Flutter mobile application, a Spring Boot backend, and Ethereum smart contracts to ensure secure identity registration and auditability. A user-centered design methodology was applied, followed by iterative pilot evaluations. Usability was assessed using the System Usability Scale (SUS) with older adults (n = 16), obtaining a mean score of 60.78 (SD = 13.68), indicating acceptable usability. In post-use evaluations (n = 41), participants completed 100% of planned tasks with high satisfaction (5/5 in the second round; NPS +100). From a performance perspective, system latency met the non-functional requirement of under 2 s, with observed p50 ≈ 500 ms and p95 ≈ 1500 ms under good network conditions. Blockchain anchoring successfully generated verifiable transaction hashes for identity registration and audit events, ensuring traceability and integrity. The results demonstrate the technical feasibility, usability, and auditability of a blockchain-based digital identification system designed specifically for older adults, contributing to digital inclusion in rural municipal contexts.

Keywords:

blockchain, digital identification, older adults, mobile application, usability, accessibility, digital inclusion

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