The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of physical objects
or "things" embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and
network connectivity, which enables these objects to collect and exchange data.
IoT has evolved from the
convergence of wireless technologies, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and the Internet. The concept may also be referred to as
the Internet of Everything. A thing, in the Internet of Things, can be a person
with a heart monitor implant, a farm animal with a biochip transponder, an automobile that has
built-in sensors to alert the driver when tire pressure is low -- or any other
natural or man-made object that can be assigned an IP address and provided
with the ability to transfer data over a network. So far, the Internet of
Things has been most closely associated with machine-to-machine (M2M) communication in manufacturing and power,
oil and gas utilities. Products built with M2M communication capabilities are
often referred to as being smart. IoT term was
first coined by British entrepreneur Kevin Ashton in 1999 making the statement
that every object in the future will be cotrolled by electronic chips and is
going to be connected to the internet where we can operate all the functions
automatically literally without any human intervention.
This is going to lead
humans into a wonder land such that we see automatic garrage opening system,
watering of plants whenever the ground sensors detect the inadequacy of ground
water for plants to survive, low energy consumed automatic electronic productcs
so on and so forth. All these systems
are being developed to make human life much more simpler to live in and one
could be able to handle complex mechanisms with or without remote systems.
Google’s innovation of driver less car, automatic car parking system etc come
under the tree of IoT.
IoT is mainly classified into
five types. They are:
·
smart wearable
·
smart home
·
smart city
·
smart environment and
·
smart enterprise
These smart products will be used by humans in the near
future where technology is rapidly pacing with its rapid positioning power.
Here is a small graph through which growth of IoT products being explained by
CISCO, an IT and technology giant.
By
2020, it is estimated that the number of connected devices is expected to grow
exponentially to 50 billion. The main driver for this growth is not human
population; rather, the fact that devices we use every day (e.g.,
refrigerators, cars, fans, lights) and operational technologies such as those
found on the factory floor are becoming connected entities across the globe.
This world of interconnected things - where the humans are interacting with the
machines and machines are talking with other machines (M2M) — is here and it is
here to stay.
The
Internet of Things (IoT) can be defined as "a pervasive and ubiquitous
network which enables monitoring and control of the physical environment by
collecting, processing, and analyzing the data generated by sensors or smart
objects."
The
concepts and technologies that have led to the IoT, or the interconnectivity of
real-world objects, have existed for some time. Many people have referred to
Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications and IoT interchangeably and consider
them one and the same. In reality, M2M can be viewed as a subset of the IoT.
The IoT is a more encompassing phenomenon, which includes Machine-to-Human
communication (M2H), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Location-Based
Services (LBS), Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) sensors, Augmented Reality (AR), robotics
and vehicle telematics. Many of these technologies are the result of
developments in military and industrial supply chain applications; their common
feature is to combine embedded sensory objects with communication intelligence,
running data over a mix of wired and wireless networks. In a broader context,
the architecture encompasses the Internet of Things plus business engineering
insights captured from the information transmitted by these so-called
"smart objects."
Concerns
with IoT:
Concerns have been raised that the Internet of Things is being
developed rapidly without appropriate consideration of the profound security
challenges involved and the regulatory changes that might be necessary.
According to the BI (Business Insider) Intelligence Survey conducted in
the last quarter of 2014, 39% of the respondents said that security is the
biggest concern in adopting Internet of Things technology. In particular, as the Internet of Things spreads
widely, cyber attacks are likely to become an increasingly physical (rather
than simply virtual) threat. In a January 2014 article in Forbes,
cybersecurity columnist Joseph Steinberg listed many Internet-connected
appliances that can already "spy on people in their own homes"
including televisions, kitchen appliances, cameras, and thermostats. Computer-controlled
devices in automobiles such as brakes, engine, locks, hood and truck releases,
horn, heat, and dashboard have been shown to be vulnerable to attackers who
have access to the onboard network. In some cases, vehicle computer systems are
internet-connected, allowing them to be exploited remotely.
Children and the Internet of Things:
Young people are the target of a range of policy initiatives
designed to realise the benefits of new developments in the internet while
minimising the potential risks. These are often developed, of necessity, in the
absence of rigorous empirical data, making an informed assessment of access,
attitudes, skills and uses essential. The key ideas that reveal the complex
dynamic between online opportunities and online risks include:
·
Digital in/exclusion
·
Learning and literacy
·
Peer networking and
privacy
·
Civic participation
·
Risk and harm
This research raises key questions regarding identity, literacy,
privacy, participation and risk which are all key issues in relation to IoT
developments.
Data capture, or Big Data, is a key starting point whilst considering the effects of
the IoT on young people.
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