Internet of Things(IoT)

What is the internet of things (IoT)?

Usually called by English acronym IoT (Internet of things). Internet of Things (IoT) describes the network of physical objects (things) that incorporate sensors, software and other technologies in order to connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet. These devices range from common household items to sophisticated industrial tools. With more than 7 billion IoT devices connected today, experts forecast this number to rise to 10 billion by 2020 and 22 billion by 2025.

Interoperability is one of the key aspects of the IoT that contribute to its growing popularity. Connected or “smart” devices — as “things” in the IoT are often called — have the ability to gather and share data from their environments with other devices and networks. Through the analysis and processing of the data, devices can perform their functions with little or no need for human interaction (https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/security/definition/internet-of-things)

What technologies have made IoT possible?

While the idea of ​​IoT has been around for a long time, a collection of recent advancements in a number of different technologies has made it practical.

• Access low-cost, low-power sensor technology. Affordable and reliable sensors are making IoT technology possible for more manufacturers.
• Connectivity A host of network protocols for the Internet have made it easy to connect sensors to the cloud and other “things” for efficient data transfer.
• Cloud computing platforms. The increasing availability of cloud platforms enables businesses and consumers to access the infrastructure they need to scale without having to manage everything.
• Machine learning and analytics. With advances in machine learning and analytics, along with access to large and varied amounts of data stored in the cloud, companies can gather information more quickly and easily. On the one hand, the emergence of these allied technologies continues to go beyond the limits of IoT; on the other, the data produced by IoT also powers these technologies.
• Conversational artificial intelligence (AI). Advances in neural networks have brought natural language processing (NLP) to IoT devices (such as Alexa, Cortana, and Siri personal digital assistants) and made them attractive, affordable, and viable for home use.

What is industrial IoT?

It refers to the application of IoT technology in industrial environments, especially with regard to instrumentation and control of sensors and devices that use cloud technologies. Recently, industries have used machine-to-machine communication (M2M) to enable wireless automation and control. But with the emergence of cloud and allied technologies (such as analytics and machine learning), industries can achieve a new layer of automation and with it create new revenue and business models. IIoT is sometimes called the fourth wave of the industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0. Here are some common uses for IIoT:

• Smart Manufacturing
• Connected assets and preventive and predictive maintenance
• Smart electrical grids
• Smart cities
• Connected Logistics
• Smart digital supply chains

5 SCHWAB, Klaus: The fourth industrial revolution. Editorial Debate, Barcelona, 2016.
TORTELLA, Gabriel: Capitalism and revolution. Editorial Gadir, Madrid, 2017.

What industries can benefit from IoT?

The organizations that are in the best position to use IoT are those that benefit from the use of sensor devices in their business processes.

Manufacturing

The manufacturers can enjoy a competitive advantage by using monitoring the production line in order to perform proactive maintenance of equipment when sensors detect an impending failure. The sensors can actually measure when production is compromised. With the help of sensor alerts, manufacturers can quickly verify the accuracy of equipment or remove it from production until it is repaired. This enables companies to reduce operating costs, increase uptime, and improve asset performance management.

Automotive

The automotive industry can gain significant benefits from using IoT applications. In addition to the benefits of applying IoT to production lines, the sensors can detect impending equipment failures in vehicles already on the road and can alert the driver with information and recommendations. Thanks to the added information collected by IoT-based applications, car manufacturers and suppliers can learn more about how to keep cars running and inform car owners.

Transport and logistics

Transportation and logistics systems benefit from a variety of IoT applications. Fleets of cars, trucks, ships and trains carrying goods can be redirected based on weather conditions, vehicle availability or driver availability, thanks to data from the IoT sensor. The merchandise itself could also be equipped with sensors for track and trace, as well as temperature control. The food and beverage, flower and pharmaceutical industries often carry temperature-sensitive merchandise that would greatly benefit from IoT monitoring applications that send alerts when temperatures rise or fall to a dangerous level for the product.

Retail commerce

IoT applications enable retail companies to manage inventory, improve the customer experience, optimize the supply chain, and reduce operating costs. For example, smart shelves equipped with weight sensors can collect RFID-based information and send the data to the IoT platform to automatically monitor inventory and trigger alerts if items are running low. Beacons may send specific offers and promotions to customers to provide an engaging experience.

Also in sectors such as the public sector, health care, general security in all industries, and others.

How is IoT changing the world?

To understand the real impact of IoT, let’s see some real examples of improvement through its use in different industries and businesses:

Fitness First: The first success story comes from the world’s largest gym chain, Fitness First. According to its CIO, Ed Hutt, the company is turning to a digital strategy fully focused on interacting with the customer.
The company has invested in iBeacon technology to know which customers are at its facilities via mobile phones and send them relevant information about their training or about the gym.

Virgin Atlantic: David Bulman, Virgin Atlantic’s IT Director, is also responsible for an IOT success story. Since 2014, the company’s Boeing 787s have taken the Internet of Things to the sky. Literally. All parts of the aircraft are connected to the network. From the wings to the landing gear.

Stanly Black and Decker: When the Stanly Black and Decker factory in Mexico saw its productivity reduced, its CIO Gary Frederick, did not hesitate to establish an IOT solution to address the problem.
An RDFI device was incorporated into the production lines that sent information to the system and to the responsible managers. In case of a problem, the employee could request help with a single button that would send a message to all connected devices.

Disney MagicBands: If we visit Orlando, we cannot miss the opportunity to visit the next IOT success story, and by the way see Disney World. This theme park has become even more magical with RFID technology that has been incorporated throughout the park.
The MagicBand is a bracelet that allows you to maximize the experience inside the park. Among other things, we can pay throughout the park, enter the attractions without queuing, locate our relatives, receive the photos that we take on our mobile and get surprises throughout the park.

(https://www.chakray.com/es/iot-4-casos-de-exito-del-internet-de-las-cosas/)

some of the drawbacks with the internet of things

The privacy issues — 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.

Conclusion

From my perspective the “IoT” is incredibly useful and provides many benefits and improvements to the companies that adopt it.
They still have things to improve, as with the issue of data security, which is one of the most sensitive things that has to be protected, I hope that more companies continue to implement this technology in their products and processes.