What is Internet of Things (IoT)? Everything you need to know about IoT and 8 Promising benefits.

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The world as we know, is changing rapidly with the development of smart devices to autonomous self-driving cars and humanoid robots. There are a lot of news flash and online forms talking about these technological advancements. As you go through these news and forms, you might have come across the term “Internet of Things” and must have wondered what it really is.

Google defines “Internet of things” as the network of physical objects embedded with sensors, software, and other technology, used to connect, and exchange date with other devices over the internet. This definition can be a bit too much for people who are not too tech savvy or who are just getting started with technology. So, what really is “Internet of Things” and who does it work? Let’s discuss these topics further in the following sections

What really is “Internet of Things”?

Now a days, we can communicate and control our devices, though our smart phones, with the help of certain sensors and software’s. We can control our home security system and temperature control system just through our smart phones. Moreover, there are autonomous self-driving cars roaming the streets that require minimal human interaction.

These devices along with other billions of other physical devices and sensors around the world, connect over the internet, continuously collecting and sharing data. These devices form a pool of network which is referred to as the “Internet of Things” or “IoT”.

These devices communicate independently over the network, analysing the collected data and adapting to the behaviour of their user with minimal human interaction. This has all been possible due to the development of low-cost computer chips, sensors, and the internet.

Almost every device can be a part of the IoT network with the integration of few chips, sensors, and software’s.

How does ‘Internet of Things’ work?

As we now know that “Internet of Things” is a network of physical devices and sensors that collect and share data from its surrounding. Thanks to the internet, these devices can be accessed and controlled remotely, with the help of applications in our smartphone.

The devices in the network analyse the collected data using machine learning. Machine learning is a branch of computer science and artificial intelligence (AI) that utilizes the collected data to gradually learn and improve the devices accuracy, quite like humans.

IoT devices are basically minicomputer’s with built in sensors and computer processors to run the machine learning system. The system utilizes the collected data to learn about the owners’ behaviours and preferences and adjusts itself accordingly.

The devices on the IoT network ranges from home operation and security systems, smart fridges, smart thermostat all the way to smart cars. Smart phones play a crucial role in the IoT network as many devices in the network can be controlled through apps on our smartphone. Apart from smartphones, there are AI powered virtual assistant devices like Amazon’s Alexa, Apples’ Siri, or Samsung’s Bixby.

What are some of the examples of devices in the IoT network?

Almost any device can be transformed into an IoT device, with the addition of few computer chips, sensors, special software, and a connection to the internet.

IoT has made it possible to control almost all the physical devices around us. The light bulb at our house can be turned on/off using an application in our smartphone. Smart thermostat and security cameras can be controlled remotely with the help of smartphones. Even fridges can connect over the internet and provide information about the items inside the fridge to the user over his/her smartphone.

At a bigger scale, smart cities are being built with embedded sensors all around to gather data, which can be analysed to control the environment. There are sensors being embedded in traffic lights and serval lance cameras to operate and manage traffic conditions with minimal human interaction. On the other hand, there are autonomous self-driving cars roaming the streets, sharing data, and communicating with other similar cars on the road.

Why is ‘Internet of Things’ so important?

IoT has become one of the most important technologies of the 21^st centuries. With the help of the cloud, big data and modern computer and smartphone technologies collect and share data over the internet. The digital system can record, monitor, and adjust each interaction between the connected things.

Everyday devices like cars, thermostat, kitchen appliances, home security monitors can now connect to the internet via embedded devices. This makes the communication between people, processes, and devices much easier and simpler. Those devices can now be interacted and controlled through our smartphones with the help of mobile applications.

Thus, because of IoT, physical world can not only communicate with the digital world but interact with it. It has made the interaction process seamless allowing even remote access to our devices using our smartphones.

What are the benefits of IoT?

“Internet of Things” or “IoT” is designed with the focus on making our lives easier and convenient through the means of automation and connectivity. It allows us to direct interact with different physical devices and automate various tasks with minimal human interaction. Similarly, it enhances the connection within the IoT network, making the access of information easier and faster.

IoT comes with benefits in all different sectors from household to industrial. The benefit include:

1. Task automation and centralized control:

Thanks to the internet, almost all the devices can communicate with each other with minimal human interaction. This digital connection allows the devices to be controlled and operated remotely and wirelessly with the help smartphone. This intern automates all the manual and time-consuming processes, leading to faster and timing output.

2. Improved productivity and reduced human labour:

As IoT facilitates automation, complex and time-consuming tasks can be automated to employ human resources more towards tasks that require critical thinking and creativity. It not only increases productivity of the workforce but reduces labour time spent on difficult tasks.

3. Cost management and better use of resources:

Through the implementation of automated scheduling and monitoring, interconnected sensors and devices can maintain efficient use of resources and improve power management and consumption. It interns reduces time, supply of raw materials and other manufacturing requirements resulting in higher production rate and profit.

4. Improved safety:

The automatic and scheduled maintenance ensures operational safety and compliance with the required regulations. Similarly, automating risky and difficult tasks not only increases productivity but reduces risks to the life of those human resources. Similarly, unlike humans, machines are less prone to uncertainties and mistakes making them follow the maintenance procedure with precise result.

5. Better Quality of life:

All the applications of the technology culminate in increasing comfort, convenience, and better management, thereby improving the quality of life.

Some of the benefits of IoT in our household are as follows.

• Smart voice assistants can play desired music or add something to the grocery list with a simple voice command.
• Security systems and monitoring systems can be controlled using our smartphones even from a different state.
• Devices like AC’s can be controlled through our smartphone to adjust the perfect temperature when you get home from work.

What are some disadvantages of IoT?

Like every other thing, IoT too has some down sides. There are certain drawbacks that needs to be looked at before diving into the “Internet of Things” network and its channel of smart devices and sensors. Some of the disadvantages include:

1. Security Flaws:

As smart devices collet and share confidential information, insufficient security measures can costly, disastrous, and even tragic consequences, data loss, identity theft, loss of corporate secrets, equipment or product, sabotage etc. IoT devices don’t yet have adequate encryption protocols or required anti-tampering technologies to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.

2. Associated costs:

Implementation of IoT infrastructure comprises of building an extensive network comprising multiple smart devices and the associated technical infrastructure including power supply grid and communication network. This requires a significant amount of capital for installation, maintenance, and gradual expansion of the network to meet the future needs.

3. Network dependency:

IoT facilitates the interconnection between various sensors and smart devices over the global network. This not only requires constant and uninterrupted access to the internet but infrastructures for both wired and wireless facility.

4. Power supply dependency:

Along with an uninterrupted access to the internet, IoT devices need a stable and sustainable source of electricity. Apart from the traditional source, it includes different Ups devices, surge protections and other equipment’s with relevant ingress protection (IP) ratings.

5. High skills required:

As with other technologies, smart devices too are vulnerable to cyber security and hacking. So, it is crucial to have an experienced professional to develop and implement the hardware and software of the IoT network. Deploying, setting up, maintaining, and changing the scale of IoT solutions in a business enterprise demand highly skilled administrations who may be hard to find and recruit as they would expect respectively high salaries. All personals who deal with the implementation of the network must be well-trained and set of instructions. So, while IoT reduces the need for human resources, the remaining staff must be well trained to now disrupt the operation of smart devices and nit to cause the “snowball effect”

What technologies have made IoT possible?

While the idea of IoT has been in existence for a while, the recent technological advancement and technologies has helped to make it a reality.

• Low-cost computing technologies: High performing, affordable and reliable IT technologies have made it possible to access the digital world.
• Internet: A digital space where all the devices can communicate and share data with each other. Internet and its network protocols has made it easy for sensors to connect and share data over the IoT network.
• Cloud computing platforms: The increase in cloud computing platforms enables the access of infrastructure’s needed to scale without the having to manage the network.
• Machine learning: with the vast amount of data stored in the cloud and advancement of machine learning and analysis, devices on the IoT network can rapidly learn and adapt to the owner’s preference.
• Conversational artificial intelligence (AI): Advancement in neural network has brought natural-language processing (NLP) to IoT devices (such as personal assistants like Siri and Alexa), which has made them more affordable, appealing, and viable for home use.

History of Internet of Things. Everything we know!

The history of “Internet of Things” goes as far as 1982 with the concept of smart devices being discussed during the modification of Coca-Cola vending machines (source: Wikipedia ). The discussion was to make the machine able to report its inventory status and the temperature of the drinks. As technology progresses, computers were able to manage individual things and form a network to communicate and share data. Thus, Kevin Ashton coined term “Internet of things” in 1999. The main theme of IoT was to embed short-range transceivers in various gadgets and daily necessities to enable new form of communication between people and things and between themselves.

Where is “Internet of Things” applicable?

As we have discussed earlier, “Internet of Things” is a network of interconnected smart devices and sensors, collecting and sharing data. These devices can be communicated and controlled through our applications in our smartphones. IoT allows the automation of various processes and devices reducing human interaction and increasing productivity time. IoT is applicable in almost all the sectors of our daily life including consumer, commercial, industrial and infrastructure spaces.

Consumers application:

A growing portion of IoT devices are created for consumer use including connected vehicles, home automation, wearable technology, connected health and appliances with remote monitoring capability:

Smart homes:

IoT devices have grown to become a large part of home automation that includes lighting, camera and security system, air conditioning system, media etc. Large tech companies like Apple and Google are actively participating in the development of IoT network and applications. IoT in terms of home automation can be platform based or hubs that control the smart devices and applications. For instance, with Apple’s HomeKit, different home products and accessories can be controlled by an application on any IOS devices. Similarly, Google Home, Amazon Echo and Samsung’s SmartThings Hub are some of the other IoT network providers. In addition to the commercial system, there are many non-proprietary, open-source ecosystem inkling Home Assistant, Penha, Domoticz.

Elder care:

One of the key applications of smart home is to

One of the key applications of smart home is to aid with those with disabilities and elderly people. These home systems use assistive technology to accommodate an owner with specific disabilities. Voice control can assist users with sight and mobility limitation while alert systems can be connected directly to cochlear implant worn be hearing impaired users. They can also be equipped with additional safety features. These features can include sensors that monitor for medical emergencies such as fall or seizures.

Organizational applications

Medical and healthcare:

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is an application of the IoT for medical and health related purposes, data collection and analysis for research and monitoring. Th IoMT has been referred as “Smart Healthcare” as the technology for creating a digital healthcare system, connecting available medical resources and healthcare services.

The devices in the IoT network can range from heart rate and blood pressure monitor to pacemakers. These devices can remotely monitor health and activate a notification system in case of emergency.

Transport:

 IoT can assist in the integration of communication, control, and information processing across various transportation system. Dynamic interaction between these components of a transport system enables inter- and intra-vehicular communication, smart traffic control, smart parking, electronic toll collection system, logistics and fleet management, vehicle control, safety, and road assistance.

Industrial applications

Also known as “Eliot” or “Industrial Internet of Things, industrial IoT devices acquire and analyse data from connected equipment, operational technology, location, and people, combined with operational technology monitoring devices, Iao helps regulate and monitor industrial systems. Also, the same implementation can carry out automatic record updates of asset placement in industrial storage units and the size of the asset can vary from small screw to the whole motor spare parts and misplacement of such assets can cause a percentile loss of manpower time and money

Manufacturing

Digital control systems to automate process control, operation tools and service information system to optimize plant safety and security are the purview of IIoT. IoT can also be applied to asset management via prediction maintenance, statical evaluation and measurement to minimize reliability. Industrial technology can be integrated with smart grid enabling energy optimization. Measurement, automated control, plant optimization, health and safety management and other functions are provided by networked sensors.

Agriculture:

There are numerous IoT applications in farming such as data collection on temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind speed, pest infection and soil content. This data can be used to automate farming techniques, take informed decisions to improve quality and minimize risk and waste, and reduce effort required to manage crops. And the list of applicability of “Internet of Things” goes on and on.

IoT privacy and security: Can it be hacked?

As with any technology, IoT too has the potential of having both good and bad sides.

Although having the ability to control all your devices with a simple touch can be quite appealing, IoT also opens door to cybercrimes. Cyberattacks are already able to obtain data like bank details or credit card numbers but IoT opens a separate opportunity to the hackers.

Smart devices connect over the network, sharing and learning from the information gathered from their surroundings. This gives a huge access to the privacy and personal information of the owner. This information are many times exploited by cybercriminals for ransom and other serious crimes.

One of the best ways to defend the network against such vulnerabilities is creating a strong and secure internet connection. It can be done using strong Wi-Fi passwords, user of VPNs and a secure router connection.