Internet of Things – THE IoT CONCEPT

Internet of things is a fascinating concept which has been gaining popularity for quite some time in next-gen technology & product innovation based discussions. The new mind-boggling concept if realized is laden with numerous opportunities for product manufacturers. But you may ask yourself what is actually internet of things? Well, the name is self-explanatory as it means internet access to anything that has a switch on and switch off mode, it can be equipped with sensors that will accept and share data making that very object smart enough to store and share information.

One of the main reasons for the origin and development of this concept is communication and connectivity between things & people. Anything which can be connected will be connected is the mantra behind the concept. The possibilities that will emerge as a result of IoT are limitless and can be used both at home and at work.

USES & BENEFITS

This concept works on the basic premise of wireless technology & connectivity if a number of things could be connected for data sharing & communication with each other. This will raise the efficiency of operations and savings in terms of time and effort making up for a convenient delightful experience for the user.

This is the same as having a smart office wherein all your devices, things like office desk, stationery, coffee machine, microwave over, printers, your cell phone, laptop all are seamlessly connected and assist you with your daily routine work thus preventing you to spend your time in sundry work related to general office tasks. The same could be replicated at home which sets its temperature automatically according to weather and your liking or turns on water heating system as soon as your alarm clock rings.

IoT can further be applied in large manufacturing units, defense operations and healthcare wherein one will be able to track and analyze information on a micro level and minutest of details will be recorded and analyzed to achieve perfection. For example, sensors placed in drilling machines will be able to monitor and measure at what point drilling was best optimized for its function and which drilling operation will be best suited in future for similar materials. These readings will provide intelligent information to manufacturers and consumers alike.

PRESENT SCENARIO & FUTURE IMPLICATIONS

At present we have smartphones, smartwatches and smart devices that operate based upon its user preferences however the future may come up with smart offices, smart kitchens or smart houses equipped with sensor-based technology that will allow your lamps and lighting to your garden hose to communicate with each other and carry on routine operations in harmony without any need for human intervention.

This also adds much-needed impetus to Smart Cities which could actually use a technology like this to predict the weather, analyze & control traffic readings or monitor women safety on roads. However, everything comes with its own set of pros and cons and one of the major concerns for IoT will be Security. The concept if realized will uncover a plethora of security issues as a lot of information will be generated and shared. This information could be illegally accessed by hackers which in turn may use it against the government, companies or individuals. Thus creating firewalls and embedding security systems towards accessing data will become even more crucial.