Internet of Things

The question is no longer “what is connected”, but instead “what isn’t”.

What is the Internet of Things?

If you did not know already, anything with an on or off switch to the Internet, either through Wi-Fi or through an Ethernet cable, becomes another strand on the ever-growing, network-connected web called the Internet of Things (IoT) [1].

It began with common Internet devices, where people were connecting computers and phones to the Internet and each other. However, today, unusual devices such as a coffee maker, nightlight or even a fridge, people can also connect them to the Internet. Thus, the result of the Internet of Things.

Internet of Things: Transforming the routine | TED Institute

Ted Institute explains the usefulness of the Internet of Things and shows just how important it can be to both utilize smart devices and to stay connected [2].

What can the Internet of things do for the average person?

Have you ever woken up one morning and realized that you forgot to buy groceries for the party you have planned in a few hours? Leave it to the Internet-connected fridge to take care of that for you. As soon as the fridge detects your food supply is becoming low, it will then start ordering food items through automatic online purchases.

Have you ever needed to make an extremely important phone call while driving, but do not have the time to pullover? Leave it to your connected car to dial the person for you, hands-free [3]. Have you ever left the house and then realized that you may have left the oven on? Leave it to smart outlets that will allow you to enable or disable any plugged in device with the push of a button [4]. Developers have made all of these convenient devices possible through the Internet of Things.

Fortune Magazine has created a video that exhibits the new and upcoming smart devices introduced at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) last year [5].

Example of internet of thingsThe History of the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things made its first appearance in the mid-1990s [6], and has been growing exponentially ever since. Kevin Ashton, a British technological pioneer [7], was the first to coin the phrase “Internet of Things”. However, the Internet of Things was around long before it was given a name. Dating back to 1832, a man named Baron Schilling invented an electromagnetic telephone device. Then, years later in 1844, Samuel Morse sent Morse code, the first of its kind, wirelessly to a distant location [8].

Although the Internet of Things is not a new fad, it is only within recent years that companies and organizations have been taking full retail advantage of this idea, because of the efficiency and usefulness that stems from the IoT.

The Ever-Present Dangers of Being Connected

Although the concept of the Internet of Things may seem to provide efficiency and ease of access on the surface, there are dire consequences that accompany having all devices connected to the network. With people constantly connecting their devices to the same network as other people, it cannot only result in an overreliance in the devices being connected, but can also lead to a loss of security and privacy.

Example of internet security

1. Security

A user’s overall security can be at great peril when they connect multiple devices to a network. Although having all devices connected provides immense convenience for you, it also provides convenient access to other, shady people- hackers. In today’s society, with Bluetooth and constant connection to the internet, people intending to hack devices do not even need to have physical possession of your devices in order to access your information [9]. Before opting for the digital option, ask yourself these two questions: how important is this information of mine that I am going to be dealing with, and how unfortunate would it be if someone else got their hands on it?

2. Privacy

Big Data has become a very valuable resource to large corporations, where the term Big Data refers to the action of monitoring your habits and preferences so that they can offer you personalized deals and offers. This term, Big Data, defines the collectable data from users that organizations can access to make strategic decisions and business moves  [10]. Essentially, be careful the next time you are having a personal conversation with Siri or Alexa, and take care when googling on your smartphone and shopping online— someone is always 'watching'.

Learn more about the many ways to improve your Internet security and privacy, where the Huffington Post explains the many useful techniques to stay protected when connected [12].


3. Overreliance Example of over reliance on technology

On the surface, smart devices appear to be helpful tools to automate tasks and provide efficient ways to make doing things in general, easier. But what happens when we become too reliant on technology? What happens when the self-driving car malfunctions and drives itself off a bridge? What happens when the Smart Oven does not turn itself off and the house catches fire? With these devices, there are too many variables; too many parts of the device that could go wrong and too much that could be lost, either from an overcooked meal, to the loss of a human life.

The Overall Benefits of Being Connected

Although these have the capability of being very severe issues for people, it is not to say that the Internet of Things is bad for society— quite the opposite actually. The obvious reason is that it saves time. For example, knowing when you are out of groceries because your fridge automatically sends you an email can save users a lot of time. Another reason is that it provides safety; machines and artificial intelligences have taken over countless monotonous and potentially dangerous tasks, to spare the lives of employees in the workplace.

Furthermore, through a variety of smart devices, homeowners can monitor their homes, to watch for changes in the routines of the elderly, so that any emergencies can be recognized and dealt with accordingly. Finally, the Internet of Things can help people save money; through allowing appliances to communicate so they operate in an energy-efficient way is just one example [11]. Therefore, even with its shortfalls, the Internet of Things is a necessary development of our digital lifestyle, and it shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.

References

[1] A Simple Explanation of 'The Internet of Things' (2014, May 13). Retrieved January 29, 2018, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2014/05/13/simple-explanation-internet-things-that-anyone-can-understand/#75694f191d09

​[2] Internet of Things: Transforming the routine (2016, November 15) Retrieved January 29, 2018 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qjf_VuGW7A&t=6s

[3] Internet of Things devices, applications & examples (2016, December 19). Retrieved January 19, 2018 from http://www.businessinsider.com/internet-of-things-devices-applications-examples-2016-8

[4] An Internet of Things (n.d.). Retrieved January 30, 2018, from
https://www.postscapes.com/internet-of-things-examples/

[5] Here’s Our Favorite Smart Home Tech From CES 2017 (2017, January 07). Retrieved January 29, 2018 from http://fortune.com/video/2017/01/07/heres-our-favorite-smart-home-tech-from-ces-2017/

[6] Meet Kevin Ashton, the father of the Internet of Things (2015, February 26) Retrieved January 30, 2018 from
http://www.newsweek.com/2015/03/06/meet-kevin-ashton-father-internet-things-308763.html

[7] Kevin Ashton (n.d.). Retrieved January 30, 2018 from http://ethw.org/Kevin_Ashton

[8] Internet of Things (IoT) History (n.d.). Retrieved February 01, 2018 from https://www.postscapes.com/internet-of-things-history/

[9] 7 Reasons why the Internet of Things is Doomed (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2018, from https://www.wired.com/insights/2014/07/7-reasons-internet-things-doomed/

[10] Big Data: What it is and why it matters (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2018, from https://www.sas.com/en_ca/insights/big-data/what-is-big-data.html

[11] Advantages - The Internet of Things (n.d.). Retrieved February 01, 2018, from https://sites.google.com/a/cortland.edu/the-internet-of-things/advantages

[12] Improve Your Internet Privacy In 15 Minutes (2015, April 13). Retrieved February 01, 2018 from https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/improve-internet-privacy_n_6902622