The Internet of Things(IoT) can be described as a network of physical objects or people called “things” that are embedded with the network, software, sensors, and electronics which allows these objects to exchange and collect data.
The object of IoT is to elongate the internet connectivity from conventional devices like mobile, computer, tablet to moderately dumb devices like a toaster. IoT makes virtually everything “smart,” by enhancing aspects of our life with the endowment of data collection, AI algorithms, and networks.
How IOT works?
The complete IOT method begins with the devices themselves like Electronic appliances like TV, smartphones, smartwatches, Washing Machine which assists you to interact with the IOT platform.
Here, are four key components of an IoT system:
1) Sensors/Devices: Sensors or devices are an important element that helps you to gather actionable data from the enclosing environment. All this data may hold different levels of complexities. It could be a mere temperature monitoring sensor, or it may be in the form of the video feed.
A device may have different types of sensors that can perform multiple tasks apart from sensing. For example, A cell phone is a device that has many sensors like cameras, GPS but your cell phone cannot sense these things.
2) Connectivity: All the received data is transferred to a cloud infrastructure. The sensors should be connected to the cloud utilizing different means of communication. These communication tools include Bluetooth, WI-FI, mobile or satellite networks, WAN, etc.
3) Data Processing: Once that data is collected, it will be transferred to the cloud, the software executes processing on the gathered data. This method can be used to check the temperature, reading on devices like heaters or AC. However, it too can be sometimes very complicated like recognizing objects, using computer vision on video.
4)User Interface: The data needs to be accessible to the end-user in some form which can be accomplished by triggering alerts on their cell phones or sending them notification through text message or email. The user sometimes might require an interface that actively checks their IOT system. For example, the user has a camera installed in his home. He wants to access video recording with the help of a web server.
Yet, it’s not perpetually one-way transmission. Depending on the complexity and IoT application of the system, the user may also be able to execute an operation that may create cascading effects.
For example, if a user identifies any changes in the temperature of the refrigerator, with the assistant of IOT technology the user should be able to adjust the temperature through their mobile phone.
IOT Best Practices
- Product Design for security and reliability
- Use secure authentication and safety protocols
- Disable non-essential settings
- Assure IoT management hubs & services are secured
- To be active longer.
- To remain active for a longer time, effective algorithms should be designed for the system
Summary
- The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of physical objects or people called “things” that are embedded with electronics, network, Software, and sensors that allow these things to collect and exchange data.
- Four Key components of IoT framework are
1) Sensors/Devices
2) Connectivity
3) Data Processing
4) User Interface
- Several applications of IoT are Activity Trackers, Smart Outlets, Connect Health, Smart Thermostats, Connected Cars, etc
- key benefits of IoT are Reduced Waste, Improved Customer Engagement, Technical Optimization and Improve Data Collection
- key challenges of IoT are Security, Privacy, Compliance, and Complexity.
