Internet of things
The Internet of things describes physical objects that are embedded with sensors, processing ability, software, and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet or other communication networks. The IoT encompasses electronics, communication, and computer science engineering. "Internet of things" has been considered a misnomer because devices do not need to be connected to the public Internet; they only need to be connected to a network and be individually addressable.
The field has evolved due to the convergence of multiple technologies, including ubiquitous computing, commodity sensors, increasingly powerful embedded systems, and machine learning. Traditional fields of embedded systems, wireless sensor networks, and control systems independently and collectively enable the Internet of Things.
While in the consumer market, IoT technology is most synonymous with "smart home" products—including devices and appliances like thermostats and smart speakers—the technology's largest applications are in the business and industrial sectors. Commercial asset tracking and fleet management represent the largest single application of IoT, accounting for 22% of the total market, driven by the need to monitor mobile assets like vehicles and shipping containers. Other major applications include industrial monitoring, smart metering in utilities, and connected healthcare.
However, several concerns exist regarding the risks associated with the growth and diffusion of IoT technologies and products, particularly in the areas of privacy and security. Consequently, several industries, technology companies, and governments of many countries have taken multiple steps and implemented a variety of precautionary measures to address these concerns adequately and minimize safety risks, including the development and implementation of international and local standards, guidelines, and regulatory frameworks. Due to their interconnected nature, IoT devices are vulnerable to security breaches and privacy concerns. At the same time, the way these devices communicate wirelessly creates regulatory ambiguities, complicating jurisdictional boundaries of the data transfer.
Background
Around 1972, for its remote site use, the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory developed a computer-controlled vending machine, adapted from a machine rented from Canteen Vending, which sold for cash or, through a computer terminal, on credit. Amongst its products were beer, yogurt, and milk. It was named Prancing Pony, after the name of the room, which was named after an inn in J. R. R. Tolkien's epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. A successor version still operates in the Computer Science Department at Stanford, with updated hardware and software.History
In 1982, an early concept of a network connected smart device was constructed as an Internet interface for sensors installed in the Carnegie Mellon University Computer Science Departments departmental Coca-Cola vending machine, supplied by graduate student volunteers, provided a temperature model and an inventory status, inspired by the computer controlled vending machine in the Prancing Pony room at Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. While it was initially accessible only on the CMU campus, it gained prominence as the first ARPANET-connected appliance.Mark Weiser's 1991 paper on ubiquitous computing, "The Computer of the 21st Century", as well as academic venues such as UbiComp and PerCom, produced the contemporary vision of the IoT. In 1994, Reza Raji described the concept in IEEE Spectrum as " small packets of data to a large set of nodes, so as to integrate and automate everything from home appliances to entire factories." Between 1993 and 1997, several companies proposed solutions, such as Microsoft's at Work or Novell's NEST. The field gained momentum when Bill Joy envisioned device-to-device communication as part of his "Six Webs" framework, which was presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 1999.
The concept of the "Internet of things" and the term itself first appeared in a speech by Peter T. Lewis to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Legislative Weekend in Washington, D.C., published in September 1985. According to Lewis, "The Internet of Things, or IoT, is the integration of people, processes, and technology with connectable devices and sensors to enable remote monitoring, status, manipulation, and evaluation of trends of such devices."
The term "Internet of things" was coined independently by Kevin Ashton of Procter & Gamble, later of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Auto-ID Center, in 1999, despite preferring the phrase "Internet for things." At that point, he considered radio-frequency identification an essential component of the Internet of things, as it would effectively enable computers to manage all individual things. The primary defining characteristic of the Internet of things has been considered its ability to embed short-range mobile transceivers in various gadgets and daily necessities, enabling new forms of communication between people and things, as well as between things themselves.
In 2004, Cornelius "Pete" Peterson, CEO of NetSilicon, predicted that "The next era of information technology will be dominated by devices, and networked devices will ultimately gain in popularity and significance to the extent that they will far exceed the number of networked computers and workstations." Peterson believed that medical devices and industrial controls would become dominant applications of the technology.
Defining the Internet of things as "simply the point in time when more 'things or objects' were connected to the Internet than people", Cisco Systems estimated that the IoT was "born" between 2008 and 2009, with the things/people ratio growing from 0.08 in 2003 to 1.84 in 2010.
Applications
The extensive set of applications for IoT devices is often divided into consumer, commercial, industrial, and infrastructure spaces.Consumers
A growing portion of IoT devices is created for consumer use, including connected vehicles, home automation, wearable technology, connected health, and appliances with remote monitoring capabilities.Home automation
IoT devices are part of the broader concept of home automation, which generally includes lighting, heating and air conditioning, media and security systems, and camera systems. Moreover, long-term benefits could include energy savings by automatically ensuring lights and electronics are turned off or by making the residents in the home aware of usage.A smart home, also known as an automated home, could be based on a platform or hubs that control smart devices and appliances. For instance, using Apple's HomeKit, manufacturers can have their home products and accessories controlled by an application in iOS devices such as the iPhone and the Apple Watch. This could be a dedicated app or iOS native applications such as Siri. This can be demonstrated in the case of Lenovo's Smart Home Essentials, which is a line of smart home devices that are controlled through Apple's Home app or Siri without the need for a Wi-Fi bridge. There are also dedicated smart home hubs that are offered as standalone platforms to connect different smart home products. These include the Amazon Echo, Google Home, Apple's HomePod, and Samsung's SmartThings Hub. In addition to the commercial systems, there are many non-proprietary, open source ecosystems, including Home Assistant, OpenHAB, and Domoticz.
Elder care
One key application of a smart home is to assist the elderly and individuals with disabilities. These home systems use assistive technology to accommodate an owner's specific disabilities. Voice control can assist users with sight and mobility limitations while alert systems can be connected directly to cochlear implants worn by individuals with hearing impairments. They can also be equipped with additional safety features, including sensors that monitor for medical emergencies such as falls or seizures. Smart home technology applied in this way can provide users with more freedom and a higher quality of life.Organizations
The term "Enterprise IoT" refers to devices used in business and corporate settings.Medical and healthcare
The Internet of Medical Things is an application of the IoT for medical and health-related purposes, data collection and analysis for research, and monitoring. The IoMT has been referenced as "Smart Healthcare", as the technology for creating a digitized healthcare system, connecting available medical resources and healthcare services.IoT devices can be used to enable remote health monitoring and emergency notification systems. These health monitoring devices can range from blood pressure and heart rate monitors to advanced devices capable of monitoring specialized implants, such as pacemakers, Fitbit electronic wristbands, or advanced hearing aids. Some hospitals have begun implementing "smart beds" that can detect when they are occupied and when a patient is attempting to get up. It can also adjust itself to ensure appropriate pressure and support are applied to the patient without the manual interaction of nurses. A 2015 Goldman Sachs report indicated that healthcare IoT devices "can save the United States more than $300 billion in annual healthcare expenditures by increasing revenue and decreasing cost." Moreover, the use of mobile devices to support medical follow-up led to the creation of 'm-health', which is used to analyze health statistics.
Specialized sensors can also be equipped within living spaces to monitor the health and general well-being of senior citizens, while ensuring that proper treatment is administered and assisting people in regaining lost mobility via therapy as well. These sensors create a network of intelligent sensors that are able to collect, process, transfer, and analyze valuable information in different environments, such as connecting in-home monitoring devices to hospital-based systems. Other consumer devices to encourage healthy living, such as connected scales or wearable heart monitors, are also a possibility with the IoT. End-to-end health monitoring IoT platforms are also available for antenatal and chronic patients, helping one manage health vitals and recurring medication requirements.
Advances in plastic and fabric electronics fabrication methods have enabled ultra-low-cost, use-and-throw IoMT sensors. These sensors, along with the required radio-frequency identification electronics, can be fabricated on paper or e-textiles for wireless powered disposable sensing devices. Applications have been established for point-of-care medical diagnostics, where portability and low system complexity are considered essential.
, IoMT was being applied in the clinical laboratory industry.
IoMT in the insurance industry provides access to better and new types of dynamic information. This includes sensor-based solutions such as biosensors, wearables, connected health devices, and mobile apps to track customer behavior. This can lead to more accurate underwriting and new pricing models.
The application of the IoT in healthcare plays a fundamental role in managing chronic diseases and in disease prevention and control. Remote monitoring is made possible through the connection of powerful wireless solutions. The connectivity enables health practitioners to capture patients' data and apply complex algorithms in health data analysis.