The Development of IoT

Posted December 04th, 2019 in IoT, For SMB, trends

The Internet of Things (IoT) has a major development over the years. Keep reading to learn the history, why it's important, and the future of IoT. 

development of iot

 

Let's start this blog post with a quick definition of the Internet of Things (IoT).

IoT applications have sensors and actuators embedded in physical objects that are linked through wired and wireless networks, often using the same Internet Protocol (IP) address that connects to the Internet. 

 

Looking to learn more about the IoT? Here is what every business should know. 

 

History of IoT

The term IoT is approximately 16 years old. However, the actual idea of connected devices has been around longer - since at least the 70s. Back in the 70s, the idea was often called "embedded internet" or "pervasive computing."

The actual term was created by Kevin Ashton in 1999 while he was working at Procter & Gamble. At the time, he came across the RFID technology. Since the internet was the hottest trend at the time and it made sense, he called his presentation for RFID "Internet of Things."

The term didn't get widespread for another 10 years. 

The IoT concept started to gain popularity in the summer of 2010. Information leaked that Google's Street View service had 360-degree pictures, but also stored data of people's Wi-Fi networks. This started the debate of if this was a strategy to index the internet and the physical world. 

That same year, the Chinese government announced that they would make the IoT a strategic priority in their 5-Year Plan. 

 

In 2011, a market research company listed the IoT as one of their emerging phenomenon’s. 

Then in 2012, the theme for Europe's biggest Internet conference was Internet of Things. At the same time, tech-focused magazines - Forbes, Fast Company, Wired - started using IoT as their vocabulary to describe the phenomenon. 

 

In 2013, IDC published a report stating that the IoT would be a $8.9 trillion market in 2020. 

 

The term reached mass awareness in 2014 when Google announced they were going to buy Nest for $3.2 billion.

In that same year, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas had the theme of IoT. 

 

Related Concepts

The IoT is the most popular term to describe the interconnected world. 

Below is a list of terms that relate to each other, but differ from the IoT. 

  • Internet of Things (IoT)

Has a wider reach - it includes connections beyond the industrial context; such as wearable devices. 

  • Machine to Machine (M2M)

The term has been in use for more than a decade and is well known in the Telecoms industry. It used to be one-to-one connection, linking one machine to another. Today, more data can be transmitted through IP networks to a wide range of devices.

  • Industrial Internet (of Things)

Goes beyond M2M since it focuses on connections between machines and human interfaces. 

  • Internet (as we know it)

The internet is pretty small. It only connects people.

  • Web of Things

Solely focuses on software architecture. 

  • Internet of Everything (IoE)

Aims to include all sorts of connections that one can imagine. 

  • Industry 4.0

The term is strongly pushed by the German government is as limited as the industrial internet in reach since it only focuses on manufacturing environments. Industry 4.0 describes a set of concepts to drive the next industrial revolution. It goes further and includes changes to the physical world around us such as 3D printing or new AR hardware.

 

Why the IoT is an Important Development

The IoT refers to a variety of things - physical devices, cars, appliances at home; all things that are used with actuators, electronics, sensors, software and connectivity to enhance connection, collection, and data exchange. 

IoT provides a platform that creates opportunities for people to connect their devices and control them with big data technology. This will promote efficiency in performance, economic benefits, and minimize the need for involvement.

This technology involves the extension of internet connectivity beyond personal computers and mobile devices. IoT can also reach a wide range of non-internet enabled devices. Once these devices have been embedded with technology, they're brought to life and communicate with each other via the internet. This way, the devices can be monitored and controlled remotely.  

 

With the IoT, there has been an evolution with cell phones and appliances that are all connected to the internet. There is now impeccable integrated human communication in ways that we wouldn't have expected. 

These devices can collect meaningful information using commands that are based on data analytics, share data on the cloud, and analyze it to give the required output. 

 

Many companies are utilizing IoT technology to monitor various activities and advance their existing systems. Some companies include: Amazon, Dell, Aviva, John Deere Company, and Walt Disneyland. 

An example of this is Naya Health, a healthcare provider, who uses IoT devices to improve their medical services by inventing better products at a faster pace with low maintenance costs in the process of manufacturing. 

IoT has taken over the manual system of running businesses since it now plays the role of managing the internal process and operations giving high convenience for every task.  

 

IoT is seen as a significant frontier that can prove almost all activities. Most devices, that haven't been connected to the internet, can be networked and respond the same as smart devices. By the end of next year, the world is set to be completely IoT oriented. 

A few benefits of the IoT are:

  • Promotes efficient resource utilization
  • Minimizes human efforts in many aspects
  • Will reduce the cost of production and maximize returns
  • Makes analytics decisions faster and more accurately 
  • Boosts real-time marketing of products
  • Provides better client experience
  • Guarantees high-quality data and secured processing  

 

The Future of IoT 

Here are a few predictions about IoT in the future.

 

       1. By 2025, it's estimated that there will be 21 billion + IoT devices

In 2016, there were 4.7 billion devices connected to the internet. By 2021, the market will increase to 11.6 billion devices. 

 

       2. Cyber criminals will continue to use IoT devices to carry out DDoS attacks

2016 was the first IoT malware - can infect devices like DVRs, security cameras, etc. This malware was called Mirai. The malware turned devices that were affected into a botnet to carry out a DDoS attack, which aims to overwhelm websites with internet traffic. 

 

       3. IoT based DDoS attacks will take on more dangerous forms

Botnet powers DDoS attacks have used infected IoT devices. IoT devices can be used to direct other attacks. There may be a future of weaponizing IoT devices. 

 

       4. More cities will become "smart"

Cities and companies are adopting smart technology to save time and money. This means that cities will be able to automate, manage remotely, and collect data through devices like kiosks, camera systems, bike rental stations, and taxis. 

 

      5. Cars will get smarter       

The arrival of 5G will shift the auto industry. With the development driverless cars and connected cars already on the road, they will benefit from data moving faster. New cars will analyze data and connect other IoT devices.

 

       6. AI will continue to become bigger

Smart home hubs, thermostats, lighting systems, coffee makers, etc. collect data on habits and patterns of usage. Voice controlled devices, once you set them up, are allowed to record what you say, and the recordings are saved in the cloud. Most times the collected data will help facilitate what is called machine learning.        

 

       7. Routers will become more secure and smarter

Routers are the entry point of internet into your home and could provide protection at this point. A conventional router provides some security; password protection, firewalls, the ability to configure them to allow certain devices onto the network. Manufacturers are likely to continue seeking new ways to boost security.

 

       8. 5G networks will continue to fuel the growth of IoT

Major wireless carriers will continue to roll out 5G networks. 5G promises greater speed and the ability to connect more smart devices at the same time. Faster networks = data accumulated by smart devices will be gathered, analyzed, and managed to a higher degree. This also fuels innovation. 

 

       9. 5G's arrival will open the door to new privacy and security concerns

More 5G IoT devices will connect directly to the network via a Wi-Fi router. This means that those devices will be more vulnerable to an attack. 

For home users - it'll be more difficult to monitor all IoT devices since they will bypass a central router. On a broader scale - increased reliance on cloud-based storage will give attackers new targets to attempt to breach. 

 

       10. Security and privacy concerns will drive legislation and regulatory activity

The increase of IoT devices is just one reason security and privacy concerns are rising. 

 

 

Technology is a part of our lives. It is reinventing the fun of every activity in our lives and the IoT takes a huge share in making that possible. Hopefully you have been able to learn more about the IoT - the history, why it's important, and the future of IoT. If you have any comments or questions, use the section below! 

 

Looking for more information about security awareness? Click below for your security awareness kit. 

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Sources:

Lasse Lueth, Knud. (2014). Why the Internet of Things is called Internet of Things: Definition, history, disambiguation. Retrieved December 3, 2019 from, https://iot-analytics.com/internet-of-things-definition/#:~:targetText=The%20birth%20of%20IoT&targetText=But%20the%20actual%20term%20%E2%80%9CInternet,new%20exciting%20technology%20called%20RFID.

Mallon, Sean. (2018). IoT Is The Most Important Development Of The 21st Century. Retrieved December 3, 2019 from, https://www.smartdatacollective.com/iot-most-important-development-of-21st-century/

Symanovich, Steve. (2019). The future of IoT: 10 predictions about the Internet of Things. Retrieved December 3, 2019 from, https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-iot-5-predictions-for-the-future-of-iot.html

   
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