What is “Internet Of Things”(IOT)
What is the IoT?
The IoT is the acronym for Internet Of Things (Internet of Objects in French). The term IoT first appeared in 1999 in a speech by Kevin ASHTON, a British engineer. It was used to designate a system where physical objects are connected to the Internet. They are also systems capable of creating and transmitting data in order to create value for its users through various services (aggregation, analytics, etc.).
According to the ITU (International Telecommunications Union), the Internet of Things is defined as “a global infrastructure for the information society, which provides advanced services by interconnecting objects (physical or virtual) using technologies existing or evolving interoperable information and communication ”.
Over time, the term has evolved and it now encompasses the entire ecosystem of connected objects. This ecosystem encompasses manufacturers of sensors, software editors, incumbent or new operators, integrators… This eclecticism makes it so rich.
How does IoT work and what does makes them smart device?
It basically depends on two things to transform a normal device into IoT smart device.
They are:
- The device which has the capability to connect with the internet in any way.
- The device which is integrated with technology like sensors, functional software, some inbuilt technology which support network connections and also actuators.
When both these functionalities are combined together an IoT device is formed. Earlier only simple watches were only used to see the time and date, but now the smart IoT watches allow a user to see heartbeat rate, calorie count, steps walked etc.
The market for IoT devices is expanding rapidly day by day and becoming more popular as well with the drastic increase in the number of users who use them daily.
IoT Life Cycle:
IoT has a very simple lifecycle of development.
Deployment followed by monitoring, servicing, managing, which is followed by regular updates and decommissioning at the end.
Apart from these information’s, there are some advantages and disadvantages of the Internet of Things devices which may have a great impact on the current and future generation of mankind.
Why pursue an IoT strategy?
Today, in order to remain competitive, companies are required to create value either for:
Develop and increase turnover,
Rationalize its processes to improve profitability.
In many cases, the businesses of companies could be optimized or developed by having information available that until then was not available.
I know that the air conditioner in such and such a place vibrates abnormally, and the other in a nearby location uses more than 15% electricity than usual. So I will be able to send a maintenance agent with the appropriate parts depending on the symptoms that the IoT Hub has communicated to me.
This will prevent me from waiting for the air conditioners to break down, sending a maintenance agent twice, the first to diagnose, the second to intervene with the right part, and this for both sites (4 trips)
You can easily see the ROI, reduction in the number of trips (1 instead of 4) and customer satisfaction because I am able to intervene before the failure.
Driving an IoT strategy on your own is not easy. It is necessary to constitute a multidisciplinary team and to surround yourself well in order to optimize the production lead times. Indeed, in the IoT sector we are seeing more and more companies flourish that can be classified into two categories:
Those who develop their solutions and create new markets are more like start-ups,
Those who position themselves only in consulting in order to help their clients implement IoT solutions in line with market needs.
DIGORA, through its multidisciplinary skills (InformationTechnology, Operational Technology and Hardware), is positioned in another category that allows us to provide a global IoT solution to our customers through support, from the definition of the idea to ‘’ operating and maintaining environments in operational condition.
Some examples of IoT applications:
In this article, we have discussed some rather general public uses: electronic toll badges, connected watches, household appliances … But as we also said previously, the IoT contributes to the optimization or the creation of new uses for companies. . Some business sectors have strong development potential:
Industry with predictive maintenance, automated alert management, process optimization, improved yields and supplies …
Cities with the management of parking lots, optimization of traffic flows, management of public lighting, management of energy consumption …
Transport with the optimization of passenger flows, the optimization of delivery rounds …
Retail with fraud reduction, inventory optimization, automated stock management …
There are several top devices in the market. Smart Mobiles, smart refrigerators, smart watches, smart fire alarm, smart door lock, smart bicycle, medical sensors, fitness trackers, smart security system etc., are few examples of IoT products.
The 5 components of the IoT:
*Objects (sensors),
*The network (connectivity),
*Data,
*Information,
*Operating applications.
IoT − Advantages:
The advantages of IoT span across every area of lifestyle and business. Here is a list of some of the advantages that IoT has to offer −
- Improved Customer Engagement − Current analytics suffer from blind-spots and significant flaws in accuracy; and as noted, engagement remains passive. IoT completely transforms this to achieve richer and more effective engagement with audiences.
- Technology Optimization − The same technologies and data which improve the customer experience also improve device use, and aid in more potent improvements to technology. IoT unlocks a world of critical functional and field data.
- Reduced Waste − IoT makes areas of improvement clear. Current analytics give us superficial insight, but IoT provides real-world information leading to more effective management of resources.
- Enhanced Data Collection − Modern data collection suffers from its limitations and its design for passive use. IoT breaks it out of those spaces, and places it exactly where humans really want to go to analyze our world. It allows an accurate picture of everything.
IoT − Disadvantages:
Three of the main concerns that accompany the Internet of Things are the breach of privacy, over-reliance on technology, and the loss of jobs. When anything is put on the internet it will always be there. Of course there are security measures that are taken to protect information, but there is always the possibility of hackers breaking into the system and stealing the data. For example, Anonymous is a group of individuals that hacked into federal sites and released confidential information to the public. Meanwhile the government is supposed to have the highest level of security, yet their system was easily breached. Therefore, if all of our information is stored on the internet, people could hack into it, finding out everything about individuals lives. Also, companies could misuse the information that they are given access to. This is a common mishap that occurs within companies all the time. Just recently Google got caught using information that was supposed to be private. Information, such as the data collected and stored by IoT, can be immensely beneficial to companies.
The privacy issues also leads to the question of who will control the Internet of Things? If there is only one company, that could potentially lead to a monopoly hurting consumers and other companies. If there are multiple companies that are given access to the information acquired, doesn’t that breach consumers privacy? Also, where is the information going to be stored? Phone service suppliers such as Verizon and AT&T are no longer offering unlimited data usage for mobile phones because it is too costly, yet by 2020 it is expected that 50 billion devices will be connected, collecting and storing data (Evans, 2011).
Another argument against IoT is the over-reliance on technology. As time has progressed, our current generation has grown up with the readily availability of the internet and technology in general. However, relying on technology on a day to day basis, making decisions by the information that it gives up could lead to devastation. No system is robust and fault-free. We see glitches that occur constantly in technology, specifically involving the internet. Depending on the amount that an individual relies on the information supplied could be detrimental if the system collapses. The more we entrust and the more dependent we are on the Internet could lead to a potentially catastrophic event if it crashes.
Finally the connecting of more and more devices to the Internet will result in the loss of jobs. The automation of IoT “will have a devastating impact on the employment prospects of less-educated workers” (Schumpeter, 2010). For example, people who evaluate inventory will lose their jobs because devices can not only communicate between each other, but transmit that information to the owner. We already are witnessing jobs being lost to automated machines, such as the checkout line in supermarkets and even ATM’s. These disadvantages can be largely devastating to society as a whole, as well as individuals and consumers.
security measures you can take to help secure your devices:
IoT technologies pose potential dangers to your internet safety. News reports have ranged from an IoT botnet taking down portions of the Internet to hackers exploiting baby monitors.
That’s why it’s a good idea to protect your digital life by securing your IoT-connected devices. Here are ten ways to do that.
- Install reputable internet security software on your computers, tablets, and smartphones. For instance, Norton Security Deluxe can provide real-time protection against existing and emerging malware, including ransomware and viruses.
- Use strong and unique passwords for device accounts, Wi-Fi networks, and connected devices. Don’t use common words or passwords that are easy to guess, such as “password” or “123456.”
- Be aware when it comes to apps. Always make sure you read the privacy policy of the apps you use to see how they plan on using your information and more.
- Do your research before you buy. Devices become smart because they collect a lot of personal data. While collecting data isn’t necessarily a bad thing, you should know about what types of data these devices collect, how it’s stored and protected, if it is shared with third parties, and the policies or protections regarding data breaches.
- Know what data the device or app wants to access on your phone. If it seems unnecessary for the app’s functionality or too risky, deny permission.
- Use a VPN, like Norton Secure VPN, which helps to secure the data transmitted on your home or public Wi-Fi.
- Check the device manufacturer’s website regularly for firmware updates.
- Use caution when using social sharing features with these apps. Social sharing features can expose information like your location and let people know when you’re not at home. Cybercriminals can use this to track your movements. That could lead to a potential cyberstalking issue or other real-world dangers.
- Never leave your smartphone unattended if you’re using it in a public space. In crowded spaces, you should also consider turning off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth access if you don’t need them. Some smartphone brands allow automatic sharing with other users in close proximity.
What technologies are used in IoT products?
The technologies used in these devices are low energy wireless and Bluetooth, NFC, LTE, ZigBee, wireless protocols etc.
Internet of Things — Identity Protection:
IoT devices collect data about their environment, which includes people. These benefits introduce heavy risk. The data itself does not present the danger, however, its depth does. The highly detailed data collection paints a very clear picture of an individual, giving criminals all the information they need to take advantage of someone.
People may also not be aware of the level of privacy; for example, entertainment devices may gather A/V data, or “watch” a consumer, and share intimate information. The demand and price for this data exacerbates the issue considering the number and diversity of parties interested in sensitive data.
Problems specific to IoT technology lead to many of its privacy issues, which primarily stem from the user’s inability to establish and control privacy
