Assignment: Internet of Things

Nyasha Samyn
2IBM
E-Skills

Five questions and answers about the Internet of Things:

Will it impact sustainability?

The internet of thinks will have a significant impact on sustainability. All the devices that are
connected to the internet will need energy to be powered. Companies want to be able to
establish their IoT networks and then forget about the devices themselves, working only
with the data they bring in. The less the networks need to be maintained, the better. The
answer to this is sustainable energy. Devices being able to harness energy themselves on
which to function not only solves the maintenance issue but would significantly mitigate the
energy usage concerns of the booming industry (2019, Primalbase). The IoT will also support
sustainability true its devices. Smart grids track energy supply and demand, collecting usage
data and applying it to energy networks. Smart lighting recognizes when natural light has
reached the point at which artificial light is needed. So, instead of coming on at a certain
time in the evening, smart street lights come on when they are needed. Water monitoring
because water quality is also important. WaterBot, for example, connects water to the
internet using a retrofit Wi-Fi device and Huawei ‘s smart water solution adopts a grid-based
water meter system, monitoring pipelines and detecting faults. The IoT is helping
organizations to learn when and where pollution is at its worst, and what it is caused by.
Tracking air quality can aid in identifying pollution sources and forming a strategy to address
them (2018, Disruption). All these functions will help people live more sustainable.

- https://disruptionhub.com/5-ways-iot-supports-sustainability/
- https://medium.com/primalbase/the-internet-of-things-will-depend-on-sustainable-
energy-65b10815a925
- https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/6-ways-the-internet-of-things-is-
improving-our-lives/
- https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/effect-technology-sustainability-sdgs-
internet-things-iot/
- https://youtu.be/52YKJ31pde0

What effect will the internet of things (IoT) have on our daily lives?

The IoT will have a huge impact on our lives. It will be everywhere. Health care will be easier
since IoT helps doctors gain faster access to patients’ data. Wearable, Internet-connected
sensor devices that track a patient’s heart rate, pulse, or even blood pressure are
increasingly affordable, compact and accurate (2018, Weforum). Transportation will
become more sufficient, information about public transport will be more accessible as for
example you will know where the bus is and if there is still space (Managementstudyguide).
Home automation offers several advantages. Imagine being able to set the lighting and
temperature of your room without even moving out of your chair. Imagine a system that
can store these settings and can always have the lights and temperature set up based on
the weather. Also, imagine if you could remotely trigger your appliances so that your clothes
can be washed at a specific time or your brewed coffee can be ready just when you reach
home! All this is possible with the Internet of Things (Managementstudyguide). Smart cities
are also great incubators for IoT-based systems that make urban life more attractive, such
as fast, convenient transportation systems, safe street lighting and energy-efficient buildings
(2018, weforum).

- https://www.managementstudyguide.com/how-internet-of-things-will-impact-our-
daily-lives.htm
- https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/6-ways-the-internet-of-things-is-
improving-our-lives/
- https://decisiont.com/decision-tree-consulting-tulsa-internet-things-iot-affects-life/
- https://www.opustech.co.uk/how-will-the-internet-of-things-affect-our-daily-lives/
- https://www.futurescope.co/internet-of-things-iot/

What’s the biggest risk associated with the Internet of Things?

The biggest risks associated with the Internet of Things is privacy. Everything will be
connected to the internet so that also means that it can be hacked. Privacy is an important
aspect in most people their life, but this will become vulnerable. Another thing is that
people aren’t always aware of where they’re information is going and what it is being used
for. One of the main IoT challenges is that the devices often record, have access to, and
stream sensitive data. Security systems such as cameras and doorbells are increasingly a
part of small business networks and can quickly create major issues if hacked by a
cybercriminal. Office equipment, such as printers, are also potential access points - a
compromised printer could easily mean that the attacker can view everything that is printed
or scanned in an office (Avast Blog).

- https://blog.avast.com/iot-security-business-risk
- https://www.techopedia.com/2/32104/trends/big-data/the-key-risks-associated-
with-iot-and-how-to-mitigate-them
- https://hackernoon.com/a-look-at-the-security-risks-of-iot-devices-f0d6ffe1441d
- https://internetofthingsagenda.techtarget.com/blog/IoT-Agenda/The-hidden-
dangers-of-IoT-devices
- https://sol-is.com/iot-devices-security-risks/

Why is IoT important?

The internet of things helps people live and work smarter as well as gain complete control
over their lives. In addition to offering smart devices to automate homes, IoT is essential to
business. IoT provides businesses with a real-time look into how their companies’ systems
really work, delivering insights into everything from the performance of machines to supply
chain and logistics operations.

IoT enables companies to automate processes and reduce labor costs. It also cuts down on
waste and improves service delivery, making it less expensive to manufacture and deliver
goods as well as offering transparency into customer transactions.

IoT touches every industry, including healthcare, finance, retail and manufacturing. Smart
cities help citizens reduce waste and energy consumption and connected sensors are even
used in farming to help monitor crop and cattle yields and predict growth patterns.

As such, IoT is one of the most important technologies of everyday life and it will continue
to pick up steam as more businesses realize the potential of connected devices to keep
them competitive (2019, TechTarget).

- https://internetofthingsagenda.techtarget.com/definition/Internet-of-Things-IoT
- http://avancer.in/internet-of-things-is-important/
- https://mojix.com/internet-of-things-everyday-lives/
- https://www.smartdatacollective.com/iot-most-important-development-of-21st-
century/
- https://medium.com/zeux/the-internet-of-things-iot-5-reasons-why-the-world-
needs-it-125fe71195cc

What do you regard as the most interesting use of the Internet of Things?

Health care. It is becoming easier and more accessible to monitor yourself.

While technology can’t stop the population from ageing or eradicate chronic diseases at
once, it can at least make healthcare easier on a pocket and in term of accessibility.
Medical diagnostic consumes a large part of hospital bills. Technology can move the
routines of medical checks from a hospital (hospital-centric) to the patient’s home (home-
centric).
The right diagnosis will also lessen the need of hospitalization (Peerbits).

- https://www.peerbits.com/blog/internet-of-things-healthcare-applications-benefits-
and-challenges.html
- https://www.peerbits.com/blog/internet-of-things-healthcare-applications-benefits-
and-challenges.html
- https://www.intellectsoft.net/blog/iot-in-healthcare/
- https://mojix.com/healthcare-iot/
- https://www.i-scoop.eu/internet-of-things-guide/internet-things-healthcare/

Conclusion

The Iot will be the next big revolution in history. It is already being used by various people. A
good example are smartwatches. The use of Iot devices will only increase, benefitting a lot
of people, companies and the world. Healthcare will be easier to monitor, sustainable
devices are made in order to make the world more sustainable and companies will be able
to gather a lot more data. The downside of this is that there is a threat of devices being
hacked. They are all connected to the internet and this is a risk to take into consideration.

Sources:

- https://medium.com/primalbase/the-internet-of-things-will-depend-on-sustainable-
energy-65b10815a925
- https://disruptionhub.com/5-ways-iot-supports-sustainability/
- https://www.managementstudyguide.com/how-internet-of-things-will-impact-our-
daily-lives.htm

- https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/6-ways-the-internet-of-things-is-
improving-our-lives/
- https://blog.avast.com/iot-security-business-risk
- https://internetofthingsagenda.techtarget.com/definition/Internet-of-Things-IoT
- https://www.peerbits.com/blog/internet-of-things-healthcare-applications-benefits-
and-challenges.html