The Tea on IoTs ☕
What is the Internet of Things and why should I care?
“If you think that the internet has changed your life, think again. The IoT is about to change it all over again!” ~Brendan O’Brian
What does your typical morning look like? Do you wake up annoyed by your alarm and browse instagram in bed for half an hour before getting up? Does getting out of bed to turn the lights on require a will of steel? Do you just barely get yourself to the kitchen to make your coffee?
Even the most motivated of us have had mornings like this. Now imagine you wake up and your alarm stops as soon as you tell it to. Just one command and it automatically opens your blinds, turns your lights on, and starts the coffee maker, all without the need to touch anything. This is all possible today through the use of IoT technology!
So what is it?
Put simply, the term IoT (Internet of Things) refers to a network of devices that can extend beyond computers and smartphones that collect and share data. This has been most recently popularized by companies like Google and Amazon with their respective lines of smart speakers, Google Home and Amazon Alexa. These products triggered a line of compatible smart devices, including lights, outlets, home security systems, and yes, even coffee machines. There are 5 steps involved in using IoT devices: Data Gathering, Transmitting, Processing, Visualizing and Analyzing.
1. Data Gathering
Devices use specialized sensors to gather all kinds of information. This can be anything including GPS data, video feeds, or input from devices like smartphones.
2. Transmitting
These input devices gather raw, unprocessed information that can contain outliers and unnecessary pieces of information. To reduce the amount of data being sent to the cloud, the information collected is processed locally by hardware or software through devices called gateways.
3. Processing
Once the data is filtered locally, it is then sent to cloud to be processed by the IoT platform. The IoT platform essentially compares the information it receives to a set of rules and conditions that vary depending on it’s intended use; for example, if a factory has machines that cannot exceed 100ºC, the IoT platform would compare the temperature of the machine through the sensory input it receives, to whether it is greater than 100ºC and can automatically lower the temperature.
4. Visualization
Once processed information needs to be presented to the end-user. This is often included in a dedicated dashboard application or website that users can access to oversee the status of these devices and receive notifications (for example, if a machine’s temperatures exceeds 100ºC).
5. Analysis and Prediction
Over time, a record of this legacy information is analyzed and used to make decisions and predict future events. This allows humans to efficiently manage and mitigate failures and delays.
Security
As with many emerging technologies, one of the biggest questions regarding IoT acceptance is security. Most IoT devices come with little to no built-in security, which makes them somewhat of a liability to have in the home. One of the attacks that IoT devices are particularly vulnerable to is the Botnet attack, which is when hackers use a collection of devices in a large network (the Internet being a prime example) and use their collective resources to attack companies.
In September 2016, many IoT devices running on the ARC processor became compromised by what is now known as the Mirai Botnet Attack. These systems used default and hardcoded administrator credentials and lacked the infrastructure to change them, which made them vulnerable to hackers. Although the creators of the botnet have been identified, the source code still exists, which triggered a series of copycat attacks such as the Reaper, Gamut and Okiru botnets.
Future
In my opinion, in the near future a new infrastructure will emerge in which IoT automation will regulate city assets; sprinklers will spray just the right amounts of water, city lights will turn on and off automatically, and energy will be distributed more efficiently. IoT devices will drive people to have a higher engagement in actively managing their health, as users will be informed of poor health practices, health risks, etc. Even at the consumer level, new products will allow for a futuristic smart lifestyle that grants a convenient control over our homes and connected devices.
Understandably, the public is reluctant to embrace this kind of intimacy with technology given the vulnerabilities present. Still, with some of the brightest minds in cybersecurity researching and developing ways to secure this technology, we approach a new age in which IoT solutions are trusted to become integral parts of our lives.
