HOW IOT WORKS

1) Sensors/Devices
First, sensors or devices collect data from their environment. This data could be as

simple as a temperature reading or as complex as a full video feed.

We use “sensors/devices,” because multiple sensors can be bundled together or

sensors can be part of a device that does more than just sense things. For example,

your phone is a device that has multiple sensors (camera, accelerometer, GPS, etc),

but your phone is not just a sensor since it can also perform many actions.

However, whether it’s a standalone sensor or a full device, in this first step data is

being collected from the environment by something.

2) Connectivity
Next, that data is sent to the cloud, but it needs a way to get there!

The sensors/devices can be connected to the cloud through a variety of methods

including: cellular, satellite, WiFi, Bluetooth, low-power wide-area networks

(LPWAN), connecting via a gateway/router or connecting directly to the internet via

ethernet (don’t worry, we’ll explain more about what these all mean in our

connectivity section).

Each option has tradeoffs between power consumption, range, and bandwidth.

Choosing which connectivity option is best comes down to the specific IoT

application, but they all accomplish the same task: getting data to the cloud.
3) Data Processing
Once the data gets to the cloud (we’ll cover what the cloud means in our data

processing section)), software performs some kind of processing on it.

This could be very simple, such as checking that the temperature reading is within

an acceptable range. Or it could also be very complex, such as using computer

vision on video to identify objects (such as intruders on a property).

But what happens when the temperature is too high or if there is an intruder on

property? That’s where the user comes in.

4) User Interface
Next, the information is made useful to the end-user in some way. This could be via

an alert to the user (email, text, notification, etc). For example, a text alert when the

temperature is too high in the company’s cold storage.

A user might have an interface that allows them to proactively check in on the

system. For example, a user might want to check the video feeds on various

properties via a phone app or a web browser.

However, it’s not always a one-way street. Depending on the IoT application, the

user may also be able to perform an action and affect the system. For example, the

user might remotely adjust the temperature in the cold storage via an app on their

phone.

And some actions are performed automatically. Rather than waiting for you to adjust

the temperature, the system could do it automatically via predefined rules. Rather
than just call you to alert you of an intruder, the IoT system could also automatically

notify security teams or relevant authorities.

LATEST TECH (CURRENT )

IoT devices are the innovative creation of human beings to give us a luxury lifestyle.
From research, 7.2 billion people are present on Earth and around 20 billion smart
devices are used by humans. Since 2015, the demand for IoT devices is rapidly
increasing. It is found out that a huge number of IoT headquarters are present in the
USA and also the people of western countries are adopting this technology.  

Let’s concentrate on the following sectors where IoT works best. 

1. Wearable
2. Smart homes
3. Vehicles
4. Manufacturing
5. Supply chain
6. Agriculture
7. Healthcare
8. Energy

Top 10 IoT devices: 

1.    Google smart home:

Google smart home voice controller has a lot of interesting features. You can start your day
with it. You can plan and track your day as per your wish just with your voice. You can
manage alarm, media, lights, volume, planning, and entertainment automatically within a
second. 

 
 

2.    Amazon dash button: 

Amazon dash button is a small IoT device which is used for ordering consumer goods
through online. It has a barcode scanner as well as a voice command device.
Generally, it helps the house owners to reorder the necessary product that they use
frequently. This must be configured to the particular item that needs to be frequently
ordered. By linking to a Wi-Fi signal, you can do all these processes. 

3.    Amazon echo plus voice controller: 

Again, Amazon’s echo plus is a very good Amazon IoT product that helps you
achieve control over your home. To get your job done, you can offer the device voice
command. For you, it can play music and also connect to external gadgets such as
speakers or headphones. 

4.    Kuri mobile robot: 

Kuri is a famous, tiny and adorable home robot. When you give a command, it will
follow directions. It is generally intended to capture your everyday moments in your
home. It has a sensor touch and HD camera to capture the moments and with its
evolving colour, you can also understand its state of mind. 

5.    Doorbell cam:

The intelligent doorbell cam is an innovative IoT invention that helps homeowners by
notifying them when visitors arrive at the doorway or pressing the doorbell. It enables
owners to watch the visitors and speak to them. Some smartphone apps can make it
possible nowadays. 

6.    Smart light switches: 

Smart light switches allow you to remotely control the light of any room (anywhere)
via a smartphone application. Your light should be connected to the Wi-Fi network, so
you can only do that. You can also alter your choice of light colour. Easy to install and
restart. 

 
 

7.    Smart Lock:  

A smart lock is also a commonly used IoT tool to prevent strangers from keeping your
home secure. These devices are designed to allow you to access it from anywhere
without any trouble. It also provides you with the update, whether or not the gate is
successfully locked. If the door is not locked accurately, then you can lock it right
away through the mobile application. There’s no chance of missing the keys. When
approaching the gate, the smart lock can feel the presence of the user. 

8.    Air pollution monitor: 

Air pollution monitor measures the purity of the air that we breathe. It enables us to
identify the polluted region and it shows all the information related to air pollution. 

9.    Easy temperature control: 

This smart temperature control enables smart temperature controlling according to our
daily routine. It has so many smart features to control the temperature remotely. It
saves energy and compatible with a lot of other devices. 
 

10.    Smart plug: 

Smart plug allows its user to automatic turn on/off the devices remotely from
anywhere. Installation is very easy and is compatible with many other devices like
Alexa and free voice control from Google. 

 the top 10 emerging IoT technologies are:

1. IoT Security. Security technologies will be required to protect IoT

devices and platforms from both information attacks and physical
tampering, to encrypt their communications, and to address new
challenges such as impersonating "things" or denial-of-sleep attacks
that drain batteries. IoT security will be complicated by the fact that
many "things" use simple processors and operating systems that may
not support sophisticated security approaches.
2. IoT Analytics. IoT business models will exploit the information
collected by "things" in many ways, which will demand new analytic
tools and algorithms. As data volumes increase over the next five
years, the needs of the IoT may diverge further from traditional
analytics.

3. IoT Device (Thing) Management. Long-lived nontrivial

"things" will require management and monitoring, including device
monitoring, firmware and software updates, diagnostics, crash
analysis and reporting, physical management, and security
management. Tools must be capable of managing and monitoring
thousands and perhaps even millions of devices.

4. Low-Power, Short-Range IoT Networks. Low-power, short-

range networks will dominate wireless IoT connectivity through 2025,
far outnumbering connections using wide-area IoT networks.
However, commercial and technical trade-offs mean that many
solutions will coexist, with no single dominant winner.

5. Low-Power, Wide-Area Networks. Traditional cellular

networks don't deliver a good combination of technical features and
operational cost for those IoT applications that need wide-area
coverage combined with relatively low bandwidth, good battery life,
low hardware and operating cost, and high connection density.
Emerging standards such as narrowband IoT will likely dominate this
space.

6. IoT Processors. The processors and architectures used by IoT

devices define many of their capabilities, such as whether they are
capable of strong security and encryption, power consumption,
whether they are sophisticated enough to support an operating
system, updatable firmware, and embedded device management
agents. Understanding the implications of processor choices will
demand deep technical skills.

7. IoT Operating Systems. Traditional operating systems such as

Windows and iOS were not designed for IoT applications. They
consume too much power, need fast processors, and in some cases,
lack features such as guaranteed real-time response. They also have
too large a memory footprint for small devices and may not support
the chips that IoT developers use. Consequently, a wide range of IoT-
specific operating systems has been developed to suit many different
hardware footprints and feature needs.
 8. Event Stream Processing. Some IoT applications will generate
extremely high data rates that must be analyzed in real time. Systems
creating tens of thousands of events per second are common, and
millions of events per second can occur in some situations. To address
such requirements, distributed stream computing platforms have
emerged that can process very high-rate data streams and perform
tasks such as real-time analytics and pattern identification.

9. IoT Platforms. IoT platforms bundle many of the infrastructure

components of an IoT system into a single product. The services
provided by such platforms fall into three main categories:

 Low-level device control and operations such as

communications, device monitoring and management, security, and
firmware updates;
 IoT data acquisition, transformation and management;
 IoT application development, including event-driven logic,
application programming, visualization, analytics and adapters to
connect to enterprise systems.

10. IoT Standards and Ecosystems. Standards and their

associated application programming interfaces (APIs) will be essential
because IoT devices will need to interoperate and communicate, and
many IoT business models will rely on sharing data between multiple
devices and organizations. Many IoT ecosystems will emerge, and
organizations creating products may have to develop variants to
support multiple standards or ecosystems and be prepared to update
products during their life span as the standards evolve and new
standards and APIs emerge.

Here are 10 predictions about the future of IoT.

1. By 2025, it is estimated that there

will be more than to 21 billion IoT
devices
A quick look back shows where IoT devices are going. Consider: In 2016, there were
more than 4.7 billion things connected to the internet, according to IOT Analytics.
Fast-forward to 2021? The market will increase to nearly 11.6 billion IoT devices.
2. Cybercriminals will continue to
use IoT devices to facilitate DDoS
attacks
In 2016, the world was introduced to the first “Internet of Things” malware — a strain
of malicious software that can infect connected devices such as DVRs, security
cameras, and more. The Mirai malware accessed the devices using default
password and usernames.
What happened next? The malware turned the affected devices into a botnet to
facilitate a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, which aims to overwhelm
websites with internet traffic. The attack ended up flooding one of the largest website
hosting companies in the world, bringing a variety of major, well-known websites and
services to a halt for hours.
This particular strain of malware is called “open source,” which means the code is
available for anyone to modify.

3. More cities will become “smart”

Consumers won’t be the only ones using IoT devices. Cities and companies will
increasingly adopt smart technologies to save time and money.
That means cities will be able to automate, remotely manage, and collect data
through things like visitor kiosks, video camera surveillance systems, bike rental
stations, and taxis.

4. Artificial intelligence will continue

to become a bigger thing
Smart home hubs, thermostats, lighting systems, and even coffee makers collect
data on your habits and patterns of usage. When you set up voice-controlled
devices, you allow them to record what you say to them and store those recordings
in the cloud. In most cases, the data is collected to help facilitate what is called
machine learning.
Machine learning is a type of artificial intelligence that helps computers “learn”
without someone having to program them. The computers are programmed in a way
that focuses on data that they receive. This new data can then help the machine
“learn” what your preferences are and adjust itself accordingly. For instance, when a
video website suggests a movie you might like, it’s likely learned your preferences
based on your past choices.
5. Routers will continue to become
more secure and smarter
Because most consumer IoT devices reside in the home and can’t have security
software installed on them, they can be vulnerable to attacks. Why? A lot of
manufacturers work to get their IoT products to market quickly, so security may be
an afterthought. This is where the home router plays a very important role. The
router is essentially the entry point of the internet into your home.
While many of your connected devices cannot be protected, the router has the ability
to provide protection at the entry point. A conventional router provides some security,
such as password protection, firewalls, and the ability to configure them to only allow
certain devices on your network.
Router makers will likely continue to seek new ways to boost security.

6. 5G Networks will continue to fuel

IoT growth
Major wireless carriers will continue to roll out 5G networks. 5G — fifth-generation
cellular wireless — promises greater speed and the ability connect more smart
devices at the same time.
Faster networks mean the data accumulated by your smart devices will be gathered,
analyzed and managed to a higher degree. That will fuel innovation at companies
that make IoT devices and boost consumer demand for new products.

7. Cars will get even smarter

The arrival of 5G will shift the auto industry into a higher gear. The development of
driverless cars — as well as the connected vehicles already on the road — will
benefit from data moving faster.
You might not think of your car as an Internet of Things device. But new cars will
increasingly analyze your data and connect with other IoT devices — including other
high-tech vehicles on four wheels.

8. 5G’s arrival will also open the door

to new privacy and security concerns
In time, more 5G IoT devices will connect directly to the 5G network than via a Wi-Fi
router. This trend will make those devices more vulnerable to direct attack.
For home users, it will become more difficult to monitor all IoT devices, because they
will bypass a central router.
On a broader scale, the increased reliance on cloud-based storage will give
attackers new targets to attempt to breach.

9. IoT-based DDoS attacks will take

on more dangerous forms
Botnet-powered distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks have used infected IoT
devices to bring down websites. IoT devices can be used to direct other attacks.
For instance, there may be future attempts to weaponize IoT devices. A possible
example would be a nation shutting down home thermostats in an enemy state
during a harsh winter.

10. Security and privacy concerns

will drive legislation and regulatory
activity
The increase in IoT devices is just one reason security and privacy concerns are
rising.
In mid-2018, the European Union implemented the General Data Protection
Regulation. GDPR has led to similar security and privacy initiatives in several nations
around the world. In the United States, California recently passed a tougher privacy
law.