monitoring , drug delivery and management are two significant applications of IoT in the health sector . In addition , artificial intelligence ( AI ) and machine learning and sensor driven computing are becoming two well-liked areas of applications of IoT . DATA AND SECURITY - CHALLENGES IoT has already set a new rule for the future ; “ Anything that can be connected – will be connected ”. On the other hand , this raises a question about the security of the data that we exchange . It is common knowledge that an enormous amount of data is transferred online every second as you read this . Ultimately , we are left with the question “ Who owns the data ?”. Is it the device or the user ? Is it the owner or the manufacturer of the device ? If we look back at the restrictions imposed on digital publishing , we come across Digital Rights Management ( DRM ). DRM has been around since the beginning of digital publishing and is essentially copyright protection for digital media . And interestingly , it seems quite possible to reuse most of the approaches found in DRM and to apply them to IoT data issues . “ If you have a promiscuous sensor in a smart city , a Digital Rights Management contract [ will say ] ‘ I actually own the rights and I allow you to use it under the following terms ’. It ’ s actually a pretty good methodology for controlling some of this ,” says Andy Mulholland . However , with a lot of outstanding benefits , there are a number of challenges that this concept has to face . The biggest challenge of all is security and data protection . With billions of internet enabled devices connected together , what could guarantee or ensure the safety of the multitude of information that is exchanged every single second ? Can these systems be hacked ? Obviously , this exposes companies to more security threats than ever . Companies have now realized that security of the information they exchange must be considered more seriously . The main reason behind the insecurity is the absence of clear and agreed architectures for building the connected systems . Sources say that Intel ’ s DK300 Series Gateway allows its users to securely analyze , share and filter encrypted data that passes between devices . With the data protocol being secured , or at least with an additional layer of protection , it now falls to businesses taking relevant steps to protect customer data . Different devices have different levels of data security encryptions . They might have different wireless protocols too . One device may use Zig-Bee while all the others will rely on Bluetooth or Wi-Fi . Bridges to connect across all these options will escalate in no time . WHAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED ? However , under these circumstances , there are steps that can be taken to bring order to the disorder that the IoT generates itself . Common methodology that has been accepted so far to overcome the many challenges faced by IoT are : - agreement on system architecture - development of open standards reflecting the best architectural choices - creation of a test bed where best practices can be designed and perfected It should be noted that IoT can go way beyond smart home energy meters and smart cities . Services like the NHS ( National Health Service ) of the UK could vastly benefit from IoT functionality . Even at an administration level , the NHS can relay vital information to patients and doctors saving time and money . Research Gartner Inc . DHL and Cisco Systems offer even higher estimates . Their 2015 trend report sets the current number of connected devices at about 15 billion ; amidst industry expectations , the tally will increase to 50 billion by 2020 .
Source : www . internetsociety . org
Despite all these pros and cons that go hand in hand , IoT is still a hot topic of conversation which opens a pathway to a “ connected ” world . While everybody is getting busy making improvements to IoT in future , 2015 will be remembered as the Year of the Internet of Things — the tipping point during which IoT emerged from the back rooms of the technology world to become a cornerstone .
NAVEENA AMANDANI JAYARATHNE Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering ( Third Year )
References :
1 . Christina Mercer . ( 2015 ). What is the Internet of Things ? Everything you need to know about IoT . [ Online ] Available at : http :// www . techworld . com / big-data / what-is-internetof-things-3631109 / [ Accessed on September 09th , 2016 ] 2 . Knud Lasse Lueth . ( n . d .). The top 15 Internet of Things cities in the world . [ Online ] Available at : https :// iot-analytics . com / top-15-internet-of-things-cities / [ Accessed on September 09th , 2016 ] 3 . Sanjay Sarma . ( 2016 ). The Internet of Things : Roadmap to a connected world . [ Online ] Available at : https :// www . technologyreview . com / s / 601013 / the-internet-ofthings-roadmap-to-a-connected-world / [ Accessed on September 09th , 2016 ]
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