The growing synergy between our world and the IoT
What is the IoT?
The “Internet of things” (IoT) is becoming an increasingly growing topic of conversation. It’s a concept that not only has the potential to impact how we live but also how we work. But what exactly is the “Internet of things” and what impact is it going to have on you, if any? Simply put, its the concept of connecting any device to the Internet. This includes everything from cellphones, coffee makers, washing machines, headphones, lamps, wearable devices and almost anything else you can think of. By combining these connected devices with automated systems, it is possible to “gather information, analyze it and create an action” to help someone with a particular task, or learn from a process. [1]
How does it work?
“It’s about networks, it’s about devices, and it’s about data,” Caroline Gorski, the head of IoT at Digital Catapult explains. IoT allows devices on closed private internet connections to communicate with others and “the Internet of Things brings those networks together. It gives the opportunity for devices to communicate not only within close silos but across different networking types and creates a much more connected world.” [1]
What’s in store for the future of IoT?
The new rule for the future is going to be, “Anything that can be connected, will be connected.” But why on earth would you want so many connected devices talking to each other?, But on the other hand there are clear upsides to this; the IoT can be applied to things like transportation networks: “smart cities” which can help us reduce waste and improve efficiency for things such as energy use; this helping us understand and improve how we work and live. The IoT allows for virtually endless opportunities and connections to take place, many of which we can’t even think of or fully understand the impact of today. [2]
What are the potential drawbacks of this technology?
Security is a big issue that is oftentimes brought up. With billions of devices being connected together, what can people do to make sure that their information stays secure? Will someone be able to hack into your toaster and thereby get access to your entire network? The IoT also opens up companies all over the world to more security threats. Then we have the issue of privacy and data sharing. [3]
Conversations about the IoT are taking place all over the world as we seek to understand how this will impact our lives. We are also trying to understand what the many opportunities and challenges are going to be as more and more devices start to join the IoT. For now the best thing that we can do is educate ourselves about what the IoT is and the potential impacts that can be seen on how we work and live. [2]
Bibliography
[1] Burgess, M. (2018, February 16). What is the Internet of Things? WIRED explains. Retrieved from https://www.wired.co.uk/article/internet-of-things-what-is-explained-iot
[2] Morgan, J. (2017, April 20). A Simple Explanation Of ‘The Internet Of Things’. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2014/05/13/simple-explanation-internet-things-that-anyone-can-understand/#1a9684111d09
[3] Rayome, A. D. (n.d.). What is the future of IoT? Retrieved from https://www.techrepublic.com/article/what-is-the-future-of-iot/
One comment on “The growing synergy between our world and the IoT”
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Great overview of IoT! Security is a really important concern nowadays when a lot of things, sometimes unnecessarily, are connected to the internet. Hackers are not only taking advantage of weak security to place viruses and malware, but they are subtly using our devices’ power to mine cryptocurrencies, in a process known as cryptojacking. That raises many questions and considerations when thinking of exchanging your toaster for a smart toaster. Just because we can connect something to the internet, it doesn’t mean we should. Nonetheless, we shouldn’t be paranoid about installing smart devices, but we need to make sure that they meet sufficient security standards.