Internet of things (IoT)

Nowadays everything is connected and that is what basically the Internet of things is about. Simply it refers to the tons of physical devices around the world that are now connected to the Internet. Thanks to computer chips even the most smaller thing can get connected so let’s see what it is about.

A little bit of history

The idea was often called “embedded internet” or “pervasive computing”. But the actual term “Internet of Things” was coined by Kevin Ashton in 1999 during his work at Procter&Gamble. Ashton who was working in supply chain optimization wanted to attract senior management’s attention to a new exciting technology called RFID. Because the internet was the hottest new trend in 1999 and because it somehow made sense, he called his presentation “Internet of Things”.

Computer chips

To talk about these chips. We need to know and to understand that there are integrated circuits but what is it? Let’s check it out. An integrated circuit (IC) is a set of electronic circuits on one piece (the chip), those chips are nowadays used around the world in all electronics in order to create types of equipment that have revolutionized everything related with technology, principally electronics such as mobile phones, computers and even home appliances.

Internet

The Internet is the wider computer global network providing a lot of information and communication facilities. The result is basically a mass of cables, computers, servers, repeaters, satellites and wifi towers that allows digital information to travel all around the world.

But how does it work? How everything gets connected? Continue reading to find it out.

Ecosystem of IoT

• Sensors (included on devices)
• Connectivity to the network
• Protocols for exchange between sensors and for data processing
• Data hosting infrastructure (the cloud)
• Interface for daily usage

Sensors

Almost everything related to IoT works with sensors. It is a component that detects changes or events in its environment by doing that it sends the information collected to other devices so it does something. The best example of a sensor I can give you is for instance when you walk through a sensor and it rings or a bulb lights in.

As I wrote before currently almost everything you can imagine is connected to the Internet. Meaning that now you can turn lights on by tapping a button on your cellphone. Let’s check IoT appliances and how everything is connected to each other.

Wireless network

A wireless network is what allows us to stay connected to the network without having wires between our devices and the router (the device which provides access to the Internet). It has a lot of benefits such as convenience, mobility, productivity, easy setup, expandability, security (if you know your access point) and reduced costs.

The cloud

The cloud is just a metaphor for the Internet and in simple terms what it allows us is to store data by keeping it online. In other words, it’s all the things we have access remotely, when something is on the cloud it means that it is stored in the internet servers instead of the computer’s hard drive.

Internet of things and smart houses

This is one of the best benefits of IoT applied to our life day-by-day. Our houses play an important role in our time nowadays thanks to IoT, it has made easy all tasks and chores you can imagine starting from turning on a light to mop the floor. You can “stay in contact with the place you live in” by only press some buttons and that is what the technology is about, making our lives easier and having much more time to share with others. The best appliance of IoT is for helping handicaps and older people, healthy and safety come with this revolution of the Internet.

Raspberry pi

This device is a series of small single-board computers developed in the United Kingdom and basically it is used for robotics. To have the clearest use of raspberry pi look at the following things that have been made with it

• A desktop PC can be replaced by using it.
• Print with it, Airprint has been added too in this category in order to support a server.
• A retro gaming machine has been built using this wonderful device.
• Controlling robots.
• Create a Twitter bot and so on

But what does the raspberry pi have to do with IoT? Well basically by adding a device like this robotics and everything you can imagine in this domain can be possible.

Internet of things and security

As everything that has a connection to the Internet is hackable and we all know that security is vital since it is what the customer looks for and trust in. The automatization of all devices that are around is a topic that should be handle in a careful way. To improve security, an IoT device that must be directly accessible via the internet must be segmented into its own network and have restricted access to the network and that’s what many people do.

Internet of things and privacy

As we have talked before, IoT devices are more likely to be hacked since they are online all the time. In accordance with the following post on the new york times, cybersecurity has been affected through the states by hacking cams that are connected due to IoT. To a hacker is not an impossible mission to get throughout the “security” you think you have at home.}

Internet of things and 5G networks

First of all. Let’s see what the 5G network is about.

5G network

It is the fifth-generation wireless technology, thanks to this standard that will transport a huge amount of data much faster than its predecessor the fourth-generation (4G LTE) speed of downloading and uploading will be increased to 100Mbps and 50Mbps respectively.

IoT devices use a variety of methods to connect and share data such as WiFi, Zigbee, Bluetooth, and even Ethernet. In a few years, undoubtedly 5G technology will support IoT projects since it offers the capacity to fit more than one million 5G devices in a square kilometer.

The previous gif means that it will be possible to use a considerable number of sensors in a very small area then it makes a large scale industrial deployments in IoT.

Internet of things and artificial intelligence

If you do not have any idea what artificial intelligence is about. You can read a blog I wrote about it and machine learning here. By saying that and knowing that all data in IoT has to be collected, stored and analyzed. AI systems like Alexa by Amazon take all that IoT and use it to make predictions and its job in the right way.

Alexa is a virtual assistant AI technology developed by Amazon is capable of voice interaction, music playback, to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, playing audiobooks, and providing weather, traffic, sports, news, and other real-time information. Alexa can also control several smart devices using itself as a home automation system. It was released 5 years ago exactly on November the 6th in 2016.

Industry 4.0

This industry is about the significant transformation taking place in the way goods are produced and delivered moving towards industrial automation and flexible factoring. To stay competitive what many factories have opted is to enter on IoT by the digitalization becoming much more agile and efficient.

We all might know that currently, almost all the industries have access to automated processes but not all of them have full access to IoT. Secure wireless connectivity empowers factory automation so to make industrial automation possible on a much large scale is by creating a digital change or foundation, industrial automation would increase productivity and performance also.

Ubiquitous computing

It is a concept in software engineering and computer science where computing is made to appear anytime and anywhere. It is relatively related to the Internet of things since it is what it basically does (its magic is that all devices are working every single minute and they communicate with each other without being there manipulating them, simply they help humanity to automatized tasks).

Ubiquitous computing can occur using any device, the underlying technologies to support this concept include the Internet, advanced middleware, operating system, mobile code, sensors, microprocessors, new I/O, new user interfaces, networks, mobile protocols, location and positioning, new materials, and so on.

Let’s see some examples of how IoT has changed the world.

• Healthcare is changing with the addition of IoT and one of the biggest company in the world Johnson & Johnson is using it to connect all the medical elements together to improve their efficiency and efficacy with a holistic approach.
• Bluetooth sensors in public bathrooms to assist custodians with determining when soap, towels and toilet paper needs to be replaced.
• Samsung ARTIK has been working on IoT security by using its platform (ARTIK) in order to build the best security end-to-end.
• The company Silver Springs Network works in a new developer program to allow easier deployment of solutions for IoT.
• ActiveScaler has been working hard to make data useful for service providers which are important to IoT and smart cities. Cities nowadays use all the recollected data to solve the biggest challenges for citizens.
• The Internet of things for industries connects all sectors of it like mining, automotive, smart metering, logistics, factories, and warehouses by boosting the industries’ efficiency, safety, reliability and ultimately profitability.

That’s all. Thanks for reading it.

Sources:

[1]: Neil Vigdor. (December 16, 2019). Somebody’s Watching: Hackers Breach Ring Home Security Cameras for The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/15/us/Hacked-ring-home-security-cameras.html

[2]: Matt Burgess. (February 16, 2018). What is the Internet of Things? WIRED explains https://www.wired.co.uk/article/internet-of-things-what-is-explained-iot

[3]: Jacob Morgan. (May 13, 2014). A Simple Explanation Of ‘The Internet Of Things’ https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2014/05/13/simple-explanation-internet-things-that-anyone-can-understand/#788e86bc1d09