Zypher Research: Zypher builds an efficient full-chain game infrastructure using Expander

Source link: https://x.com/Zypher_Network/status/1871383005505396853

From Goth16 to Plonk, the entire zk industry has been dedicated to designing more efficient proof systems. However, how to objectively evaluate the performance of a zk proof system has always been a complex issue, as there is currently no unified benchmarking standard. In July of this year, StareWare released the next-generation proof system Stwo, which introduced the metric of Hash Proofs Per Second (HPPS) to intuitively measure system performance. Tests showed that Stwo could prove 620,000 Poseidon2 hashes per second on an M3 laptop, making it once regarded as the fastest proof system. However, this record was soon broken. In August, Expander released its latest benchmark report, claiming that on an AMD Ryzen 7950X3D machine, Expander's throughput reached 2,160,000 HHPS, far surpassing Stwo's 960,000 HHPS, thus becoming the fastest prover in the world.

Zypher Network is a full-chain gaming platform driven by AI Agents and ZKP technology, continuously focusing on industry developments and actively introducing efficient proof systems. More efficient proof systems not only significantly enhance user experience but also provide endless possibilities for building high-performance decentralized applications on-chain. Currently, we are collaborating with Polyhedra Network, the inventor of Expander, to actively explore the use of Expander to create the next generation of decentralized infrastructure on-chain, injecting continuous innovative vitality into the full-chain gaming ecosystem. As a leader in the field of zero-knowledge research and applications, Polyhedra has built the cornerstone technology of trust and scalability in AI and blockchain systems through its++EXPchainLayer1++. Leveraging the efficiency of Expander, they have achieved verifiable on-chain AI, providing new possibilities and solutions for industry development.

What is Expander

Most SNARKs use univariate polynomials, primarily determined by their underlying polynomial commitment schemes (such as KZG, FRI), and polynomial commitments are often the main bottleneck in SNARK performance. In recent years, some new proof systems have emerged, such as those based on GKR+sumcheck schemes, which significantly reduce the complexity for provers by cleverly using multivariate polynomials.

The GKR protocol was proposed in 2008 and further improved by Libra, which introduced the first zero-knowledge proof scheme with strictly linear prover time. Based on this, the authors of Libra—the Polyhedra team—developed the Expander proof system. This system combines the efficient GKR protocol with multivariate polynomial-based polynomial commitment schemes (such as Orion and Brakedown), allowing the prover's computations to involve only hash operations and field operations that are linearly related to the size of the polynomial. This proof system does not require FFT operations, enabling the use of currently popular small fields, which also means lower prover overhead and better hardware compatibility. Expander currently mainly supports the following fields:

Writing GKR circuits is relatively complex, so Expander provides a circuit compiler (ECC) that allows circuits written in gnark to be transformed into hierarchical circuits, which can then be proven using the Expander prover. The entire development process is illustrated in the following diagram:

In-depth GKR Protocol

The complete protocol flow is as follows, let:

Zypher Solutions

Expander performs excellently, especially in the AI field. It is reported that Expander can quickly generate proofs for the Llama-3 model with 8 billion parameters using high-performance CPUs in just a few minutes, a remarkable achievement that paves the way for the application of AI Agents. Zypher Network is a full-chain gaming platform driven by AI Agents and ZKP technology, creating intelligent non-player characters, opponents, and powerful game bosses, conducting daily character training, and enabling automated PvP battles.

With the help of Expander, Zypher can achieve more complex practical AI Agents and faster proof generation with fewer computational resources; on the other hand, Zypher can more efficiently verify the behaviors of AI agents and players, ensuring the security and fairness of the system, thus elevating decentralized on-chain gaming to a new level and providing a higher level of user experience.