Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
IF YOU HEARD about the Internet of Things before, it’s understandable if you glossed over it as the term has been around for a while.
It’s a sector that’s been bubbling underneath for a few years now, but this years has seen a huge push from some of the major players in the technology space. Google, Apple, Microsoft and Samsung are just some of the companies that are muscling their way into the area.
It’s going to impact everyone’s lives sooner or later as more items and industries adapt it and chances are you might own something that has these capabilities.
Ok, so what exactly *is* the internet of things (IoT)?
IoT is where machines and devices can talk to each other to carry out actions without human input. By using WiFi or 3G/4G, sensors and software, they can exchange information with each other improving their usefulness and efficiency.
In layman’s terms, it’s making traditional objects like your thermostat, fridge, oven, and TV smarter by giving them extra functionality, so you can interact with them remotely and they can learn from this so it better suits your needs.
Currently, a number of devices you use in your day-to-day life are designed with smart capabilities in mind. Your smartphone, your PC/Mac, your console, maybe your TV. That number is going to grow and will include items you would never have associated with the web. But these are siloed and at best link to one item (eg: smartphone and smartwatch or fitness tracker).
IoT will give those items, the mundane, everyday ones you use, extra intelligence so they serve you better. It’s not a case of just slapping WiFi connected capabilities to it for the sake of it (although some might feel that way), the end goal is to make them more useful by learning your preferences.
Ok, so why should I be thinking about it now?
If for no other reason, devices you’re going to buy over the next few years will come with this functionality. For now, you have to specifically look for specific devices if you want smart capabilities and for now, the majority of them are controlled through your smartphone.
In the future, items like your smartphone, your TV, thermostat, fridge, washing machine, oven and car could be communicating with each other, and sharing information to make each other more efficient. Your car could tell your thermostat you’re on the way home so it would warm the house up for your arrival for example.
Ok, how about some example of items already available?
Well, to start off with the home itself, you have Nest, a smart thermostat which learns through your own input to get the right temperature for you and help save your heating bill. Then there are others like Philips has a smart lightbulb which adjusts lighting and/or hue from your phone or tablet as well as set preferred settings.
A smart lightbulb? How riveting!
Glad you feel that way. But the real potential is what happens beyond the home. For example, one of the major areas looked at right now are vehicles. The majority of cars are left stationary and have enough energy to run different functions while they’re in this state.
Some of the potential uses include using them as WiFi hotspots, or an emergency response service where sensors will activate when it senses an accident or gas leak and alerts the relevant authorities. Other cars could communicate with each other and share this info, giving authorities a better idea of the situation.
In an industrial context, prototyping, manufacturing and development can end up being more efficient since different manufacturing devices, which don’t even have to be in the same area, can communicate with each other.
And even areas you wouldn’t consider like health (think fitness trackers), town policy and planning, and farming. For the latter, keeping track of livestock and crops, analysing conditions like crops, soil, temperature, humidity and other factors to determine the best time to plant and harvest crops as well as improving productivity and reducing waste could help increase output and make the process more efficient.
The real question isn’t what areas it will impact, it’s what areas won’t be affected by this development.
So what are the issues facing IoT?
One problem is most of these devices don’t communicate with each other, only your phone.
For that, there needs to be a common language which allows these devices to communicate with each other. That’s where companies like Google, Apple, Samsung and Microsoft are trying to enter the market.
It’s no good having such functionality if they’re unable to talk, and by acting as the middleman, these companies hope to become the lynchpin for these devices to chat to each other.
Great, but I mean real issues like security? More devices must mean more chances for compromise, right?
It’s a massive problem and to be honest, the likelihood of a major breach happening is high since (a) there’s no such thing as airtight security, especially online, and (b) we won’t truly know what flaws surround IoT devices until they’re exposed. When a major incident occurs, it will cause everyone to reassess their security measures, but until then, we won’t learn much.
Back in March, we spoke to Bitdefender’s senior threat analyst Bogdan Botezatu about this and since we’re still in the very early stages, it means there are a few incidents just waiting to happen.
We’re at version one [with smart devices] and version one is always prone to failure. We’re going to see a lot of incidents in this space from the early adopters [and there's] going to be an incident so massive, it’s going to make everybody do better with their security.
Until then, I don’t think that vendors are going to give too much thought on the security side… I’m looking forward to that mistake to happen sooner rather than later as it’s going to be less data exposed.
This becomes more striking when you consider the words of Misha Glenny, a British journalist who specialises in cybersecurity, back in 2011 which are more relevant now than they were before.
A friend of mine from the security industry told me the other day that there are two types of companies in the world: those that know they’ve been hacked, and those that don’t.
As more connections are added to our devices, this problem is only going to grow.
(sigh) Anything else we need to know?
The other issue that ties into this is privacy. Most people will feel a little creeped out by the idea of numerous devices gathering different information and sharing them with each other (and possibly the companies responsible for said devices). While the initial purpose is to make all items more efficient, they also come with their own concerns, some more legitimate than others.
For example, the controversy surrounding Facebook Messenger on phones and Samsung’s Smart TVs proves that there is a lot of distrust among these services. As these items require data to properly function, it’s more important than ever that consumers know exactly what’s required and how that data is used.
So what you’re really saying is keep as many dumb items as you possibly can?
Maybe not that extreme, but it’s important to note that such a future isn’t as immediate as one might think.
There are smart items but there’s no real ecosystem built around them yet, but over time, more will arrive on the market so it’s worth keeping in mind. It will gradually happen over time so so it’s better to be aware of it at least.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
I have bulimia, ..without the vomiting.
You can read minds?
Thats binge eating also an eating disorder.. Most sufferers are very overweight :/
Parents must take responsibility for their own kids health until they’re old enough to understand the consequences of poor nutrition.
Would any parent knowingly give their kids diabetes ? Probably No, and yet they do in their 1000′s, due primarily to laziness and habit. The irony is that the good unprocessed food is on average cheaper, and yet some blame low household income for being obese.
Like most problems in life responsibility for the solution must start at home.
That’s the thing though – the processed junk isn’t cheaper – it’s just easier.
Anyone who makes their own meals from scratch knows that this ultimately works out cheaper than buying processed junk. But the rub is knowing what to cook and how to cook it.
While some people will watch cookery programmes, with the exception of the likes of Jamie Oliver very few focus on stuff that is easy to make. And there are some people out there who look at cooking a healthy meal from scratch vs throwing a pizza in the oven and some chips in the deep fat fryer and they really don’t see any reason to put in the effort.
There’s no excuse these days, there’s apps and websites and cookery programmes everywhere you look – it’s about the desire to actually do it. That’s what we need to figure out how to change.
As we speak I’m eating a healthy tasty salad. Prep time – not even 5 minutes.
Exactly – if you know what you’re doing it’s really not hard, and it tastes better.. It’s just getting people motivated to move away from ready made and back to home made.
Actually fresh organic food is much more expensive than processed or “fast” foods, Wherever your finding that information it’s illegitimate.
Eating disorders me hole. It’s vanity with those men. Preening themselves.
I am sure the little bo***x Fistpatrick has no problem feeding his own with good food .
Robert – I am as shocked and appalled as you, but, can you just wait for the trial to finish so you can comment otherwise, you’ll just about everyone to the point that they’ll dismiss you when the correct time comes.
In the interim, there are plenty of discussion boards you can go to to vent your frustration.
Yes I know but I just don’t like censorship , if it was some poor guy lock up for not paying his tv license we could all make a comment because the journal know that the guy could not sue them one law for the big boy and the rest of us can f**k of.
I think its more to do with the fact that the trial is still ongoing. If someone is convicted then there is no issue with commenting.
The problem is that there is a fear that the defence of the others could try to argue that it is not possible for them to get a fair trial due to media coverage, contents etc.
I agree there is a serious chill effect on the irish media arising from our defamation laws but, that won’t change in time for comment on the bollix in question.
I agree but you and I know that the little bo**x Fitzpatrick will walk away with a big smile on his face as he knows to much ,and the powers at be don’t wont the people to know just what happen .
He always had the best chance to get off, based on whistleblower evidence. However he will be back in court this year, which thejournal.ie could easily post on.
http://m.rte.ie/news/touch//2013/0708/461236-sean-fitzpatrick-court/
My two little fellas wont eat fruit nor veggies, apart from chips an bananna sandwiches
They must have an eating disorder *sarcasm
“I don’t make my children eat healthy balanced meals”
Fixed your comment Jacinta.
Ever think to stop feeding them that sh1t and when they’re hungry they’ll soon eat all the fruit and veg you want. Might have a few tantrums but the right thing is rarely easy.
With a name like Jacintha what do you expect?!
I see where you are going with that buckwheat but normal people are also called Jacinta
Takes to long to make veggies, better ta get chipper or frozen pizza
I see what you did there Jacintha – you got me. The profile is good, if a tad un-inventive. The picture is hilarious and, even funnier is the thoughts of her actually saying ‘fruit NOR veggies’ …
Good stuff!
Is bulking and cutting a disorder?. Makingabeast syndrome ?.
If it’s done properly no, but some of these guys are off the wall with the way they bulk and cut. They cut in a way which causes malnutrition and uses massive amounts of caffeine( eh where’s your vegetables) then when they are finished cutting and have no idea as to the damage they are doing to their bodies they go and do a dirty bulk and start wolfing pizza. A lot of them are worried about their hearts and rightly so but it’s just doesn’t seem to be taken seriously.
have your say