Internet of Things (IoT). What is IoT?

Khalil Hassayoun
4 min readJun 4, 2021

The Internet of Things is defined as the notion of inter-networking of physical devices, connected devices, smart devices, and other devices that are integrated with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity that allow these items to collect and share data.

It means that an object may be detected or controlled remotely over an existing network infrastructure, allowing direct integration of the physical world with computer-based systems, improving efficiency and accuracy while reducing human intervention.

When sensors and actuators are added to the technology, it becomes part of a larger category of cyber-physical systems that includes smart grids, virtual power plants, smart homes, intelligent transportation, and smart cities.

Key Concepts of IoT

Hardware

Billions of networked gadgets with associated sensors and actuators monitor and control the physical environment are at the heart of the Internet of Things. These devices require basic processing and storage capabilities, which are given by a microcontroller or an integrated circuit, such as a System-on-a-Chip (SoC) or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) .

Embedded programming

IoT devices are embedded devices that may be prototyped with commoditized microcontroller platforms like Arduino and afterwards developed with custom printed circuit boards (PCBs).
Circuit design abilities, microcontroller programming, and a thorough understanding of hardware communication protocols such as serial and I2C are all required for prototyping on these platforms..SPI is a communication protocol that connects the microcontroller to the sensors and actuators linked to it.
Embedded applications are frequently written in C++ or C, but Python and JavaScript are becoming more popular for IoT device prototyping.

Security

One of the most pressing concerns in IoT is security, which is strongly linked to data ethics, privacy, and responsibility. It must be considered at every stage of the system’s development. Every day, millions of additional gadgets are connected, increasing the number of possible attack spots.With so much at stake, security engineering capabilities such as threat assessment, ethical hacking, data integrity encryption, network design and application security, as well as event monitoring, activity logging, and threat intelligence, move to the forefront of IoT development projects.

Networking and cloud integration

Because of the sheer numbers of linked devices and the influence that network design decisions can have at scale, network design and management are critical in IoT. Connectivity enables devices to connect with one another as well as with cloud-based applications and services.Despite the fact that cloud computing and the Internet of Things are two completely different technologies, real-time data streaming and cloud integration are critical for the Internet of Things to function properly. Data storage, processing, and analysis, as well as the implementation of the business logic of IoT applications, are all done on cloud infrastructure.

Data analytics and prediction

Every day, the number of IoT devices transmitting data grows, transforming big data into gigantic data. Developers will need to ingest, store, and query massive amounts of heterogeneous data generated by these devices in a secure and reliable manner. Furthermore, because many IoT devices generate latency or time-sensitive data, it is vital to filter or remove unnecessary information.

Machine Learning and AI

Machine learning and AI capabilities are the ultimate must-have ability for IoT developers in order to create value and make sense of the massive volumes of data generated by IoT devices. Big data analytics must include cognitive computing approaches drawn from data mining, modeling, statistics, machine learning, and AI to be genuinely intelligent.These techniques can be used in real time to analyze sensor data streams and make autonomous judgments in response to incoming data. Furthermore, machine learning can be used to find trends or abnormalities in previous data.

IoT and Industry

The impact of the Internet of Things on industrial ecosystems has resulted in the establishment of powerful physical-cyber connection, often known as Industry 4.0 or the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).Physical connected assets, such as those on the manufacturing shop floor and produced linked items, such as connected automobiles or appliances, are all part of the connected ecosystem.Manufacturing’s IoT/IIoT digital transformation is enabling better communication, understanding, and chances for innovation by orchestrating Things, People, and Systems across end-to-end automated value streams.

IoT in Healthcare, or Internet of Medical Things

IoT has the potential to reshape the healthcare sector, just as it has in other industries. The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is a virtual network of medical devices and applications that connect to healthcare information technology systems via online computer networks.The potential of IoMT expands in tandem with the spectrum of its use, whether it’s remote patient monitoring for those with chronic or long-term diseases, tracking patient prescription orders, or patients’ wearable mmHealth devices that can convey information to caregivers.This innovative technique of using IoMT devices to remotely monitor patients in their homes saves them from having to go to the hospital every time they have a medical query or a change in their condition, revolutionizing the healthcare ecosystem and doctor-patient communication settings.Experts believe that by 2020, the Internet of Things will have 30 billion objects. IoT draws an exciting new world for us, starting with a single sensor and progressing to a worldwide network of orchestrated devices, and SciForce is eager to be a part of it. We can help you securely connect smart devices, manage and analyze data, and eventually revolutionize the way your business operates using our expertise.

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Khalil Hassayoun
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Holberton school student . Future software engineer