TLDR: The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the sprawling network of physical objects, or "things," that are embedded with sensors and software to collect and use our data. From your kitchen fridge to heavy-duty industrial machinery, these gadgets continually trade data through the internet, which is then analyzed for various purposes.
The internet is no longer a place we access through the portal of a desktop computer. Today, the internet is everywhere, accessible by gadgets of every kind. A single trip to the grocery store usually involves a smartphone, often in communication with a Bluetooth-enabled car and GPS device, along with countless apps designed to track steps, play curated music, measure heart rate and process payment at the checkout counter.
According to multinational software corporation Oracle, at least 10 billion devices gather data about our daily lives, and experts expect this stat to grow to 22 billion by 2025. This increasingly interconnected paradigm is known as the Internet of Things (IoT), and it has drastically changed how we interact with our surroundings.
Ahead, this article explores the fascinating nature of IoT, looking at both its benefits and challenges.
As mentioned, the IoT ecosystem includes a vast array of devices, from everyday household objects to sophisticated industrial tools, with over 10 billion connected devices in operation today and counting. If you look around, you’ll likely notice a multitude of everyday objects like kitchen appliances, cars, thermostats and baby monitors connected to the internet through embedded devices. This connection is facilitated by high-throughput hardware, cloud computing, rapid data analytics and mobile technologies.
IoT has become widespread thanks to recent advances in several key technologies. As Oracle describes, the following technologies create the bedrock of IoT:
Affordable and reliable sensors have made IoT technology accessible to a broader range of manufacturers. These sensors are essential for collecting data from the physical world.
Various network protocols have made it easy to connect sensors to the cloud and to other IoT devices, ensuring efficient data transfer.
The availability of cloud platforms has empowered businesses and consumers to access the infrastructure needed for scalability without the burden of managing it themselves.
Advances in machine learning and analytics, along with access to extensive data stored in the cloud, allow businesses to gather insights rapidly and efficiently. These technologies continue to push the boundaries of IoT, while the data produced by IoT devices feeds back into them.
Neural networks and natural language processing have made digital personal assistants like Amazon’s and Apple’s Siri, affordable for home use, further enhancing IoT's capabilities.
Read More: The Future of AI-Assisted Search Engines
The practical use cases of IoT encompass several industries. McKinsey categorizes these real-world applications into a few buckets:
IoT devices are making a significant impact in healthcare, with wearable and ingestible technologies monitoring and maintaining personal well-being, managing chronic conditions like diabetes and more.
Do you remember the Disney movie, Smart House? IoT devices like smart thermostats, lights and security systems enhance home automation and energy efficiency.
Businesses in retail settings are deploying IoT solutions to streamline operations, such as self-checkout, personalized in-store offers and efficient inventory management. And for businesses that ship products of any kind, tracking the location and status of physical assets ensure quick asset location, thereby improving customer service and gaining protection against theft.
IoT applications in office spaces are focused on energy management and building security, with the aim of improving efficiency and safety.
Industries like manufacturing, healthcare and agriculture are leveraging IoT to optimize equipment usage, inventory management and overall operational efficiency. The same applies to more specialized industries like mining, construction and oil and gas exploration, particularly for predictive maintenance and safety initiatives.
IoT plays a vital role in the automotive and transportation sectors, enabling condition-based maintenance, usage-based design and analytics for a wide range of vehicles, from cars to airplanes.
Urban centers are harnessing IoT for adaptive traffic control, smart metering, environmental monitoring and resource management, enhancing the quality of life for residents.
Between planes, trains and automobiles, IoT applications are crucial for real-time routing, navigation and shipment tracking. Imagine self-driving cars and commercial planes communicating with federal aviation authorities. IoT makes it all possible.
While IoT offers numerous benefits, it also raises concerns about privacy, security and data management, as the proliferation of connected devices can increase the attack surface for cyber threats and the potential for privacy violations. Therefore, ensuring the security and privacy of IoT systems is an ongoing challenge.
Scalability is also another major concern of IoT. As the number of IoT devices proliferates, the infrastructure supporting them must evolve in parallel. Conventional centralized solutions can become overwhelmed, resulting in communication bottlenecks and issues with authentication and authorization. There’s also the concern of data centralization, with several lawsuits (Google, Amazon) in process to determine the legality of such market concentration among a handful of massive tech companies.
The Internet of Things is transforming the way we live and interact with our surroundings. It has become an essential part of our daily lives, offering unparalleled conveniences, while urging us to consider our role in (and comfort with!) sharing data.
Read More: Your Personal Data Is More Important Than You Think
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