The Unique Perspective of Women in Emerging Technologies

Women have been increasingly drawn to emerging technology fields like the Metaverse and IoT. These fields are still developing, meaning there is more room for creativity and innovation. Additionally, women are often attracted to areas where they can have a tangible impact on the world around them, and emerging technologies certainly fit the bill in that regard.

The most significant reason women have been drawn to these fields is that they offer a unique opportunity to shape the development of technology in ways that reflect the needs and interests of a broader range of people. Women bring a perspective that is often different from their male counterparts, which can lead to new ideas and approaches that might not have been considered otherwise.

The Metaverse and IoT: The Perfect Tech Match

As the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to expand and evolve, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the Metaverse will play a critical role in shaping how we interact with technology. In essence, the Metaverse is a virtual world that connects all other virtual and physical worlds. It offers a new user experience where individuals can engage with IoT devices and the data they generate in a more immersive and interactive way.

One of the most significant benefits of the Metaverse in the world of IoT is that it can help to break down the barriers between different devices and ecosystems, leading to more efficient and effective use of technologies and more personalized and meaningful user experiences. With the Metaverse acting as a unifying platform, it’s possible to create a seamless experience for users, regardless of the specific devices or systems they’re interacting with.

“Emerging technologies like the Metaverse and IoT offer incredible potential for innovation and progress, but we can’t overlook the critical role that diversity and representation play in shaping the future of these technologies. Women, in particular, bring a unique perspective and approach to these fields that can lead to new ideas, more innovative solutions, and a more inclusive and diverse tech landscape. As we continue to develop and evolve these technologies, we must prioritize diversity and representation at every level, from leadership to product design, to ensure that we’re building technologies that reflect the needs and interests of everyone, not just a select few“

Hannah Gutkauf, the Global Partner and Head of Emerging Tech Team at Manyone

Manyone is a strategy-design hybrid consultancy firm that believes in driving meaningful and fast change led by execution by merging strategy and design into one approach and one team. Founded in 2018 in Copenhagen, Denmark, the company’s manifesto centers on creating a better future for businesses, people, and the planet by being a partner that blends strategy and design execution in one fast process. Manyone values collaboration, optimism, creativity, and being solid as its core principles to drive real impact. The company strives to build a culture of trust and freedom, enabling every team member to play a vital role in creating something new and valuable for the planet.

The Many Benefits of MetaVerse and IoT Across Industries

The Metaverse and IoT offer a range of benefits across various sectors and industries. From healthcare to finance, these emerging technologies transform how we work, interact, and live.

In the healthcare industry, for instance, the Metaverse and IoT can help to create more personalized and effective treatment plans for patients. By integrating wearable devices, medical sensors, and other IoT devices, doctors can gain a more comprehensive view of a patient’s health, leading to more accurate diagnoses and better treatment outcomes. 

The Metaverse and IoT can help create more secure and efficient transactions in the finance industry. Blockchain-based ecosystems, for example, can streamline financial transactions and reduce the risk of fraud or errors. Additionally, the Metaverse can facilitate more immersive and engaging customer experiences, such as virtual banking environments and personalized financial planning.

In the retail industry, the Metaverse and IoT can help to create more personalized and engaging shopping experiences. IoT devices like smart mirrors and shelves can help retailers collect data on customer preferences and behaviors, leading to more targeted marketing and more effective sales strategies. 

The Future of Tech: The Impact of MetaVerse and IoT

As the Metaverse and IoT continue to grow and evolve, they’re poised to significantly impact the future of technology. Here are some of how these emerging technologies are likely to shape the tech landscape:

• Enhanced Personalization: With the Metaverse and IoT, creating more personalized and meaningful user experiences will be possible. By leveraging data from various sources, including wearables, social media, and other IoT devices, companies can create highly tailored products and services that meet individual users’ unique needs and preferences.
• Improved Efficiency: The Metaverse and IoT will enable greater automation and efficiency across various industries and sectors. For example, smart factories and supply chains can optimize production and reduce waste. In contrast, smart cities can manage resources more effectively and improve public services.
• More Immersive Experiences: The Metaverse will enable more immersive and engaging virtual experiences, where users can interact with virtual environments and other users in new and exciting ways. From virtual concerts to virtual shopping experiences, the possibilities are endless.

The influence of women in emerging MetaVerse and IoT technologies is significant and growing. They bring unique perspectives, leadership styles, and skill sets to these fields, which are essential for creating inclusive, equitable, and effective technologies. By supporting and empowering women in these fields, we can ensure that emerging technologies reflect the needs and interests of diverse communities and contribute to a more equitable and sustainable future for all.

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However, with great innovation comes great responsibility, and ensuring the security, functionality, and reliability of these IoT devices is critical.

This is where IoT testing comes into play, and it’s a field that’s rapidly evolving to keep pace with the ever-expanding landscape of IoT devices.

IoT testing is a complex and challenging process, but it’s also a fascinating world full of unexpected challenges and opportunities. So, let’s explore the framework, challenges, types, and tools of IoT testing.

Let’s dive in!

IoT Testing Framework

When it comes to IoT testing, having a solid testing framework is crucial. Think of it as the backbone of your testing process. A framework provides a structured approach to testing that ensures that every aspect of your IoT device is tested thoroughly.

The framework helps testers identify potential issues early on, allowing for more efficient and effective testing.

In simpler terms, the framework is like the recipe for baking a cake. Just as you need to follow a recipe to ensure that you have all the ingredients in the right quantities, a testing framework ensures that all aspects of your IoT device are tested in a structured and organized manner.

So, what makes a good IoT testing framework?

A good testing framework should have the following characteristics:

Modularity: An IoT system is made up of several components that work together. A modular framework allows testers to focus on one component at a time and ensure that it works as intended before moving on to the next.

Reusability: A good framework is designed to be reusable, meaning that testers can reuse the same testing scripts and test cases across different devices or versions of the same device.

Scalability: A testing framework should be able to handle the increasing complexity and diversity of IoT devices. It should be able to handle the large volumes of data generated by IoT devices and ensure that the testing process remains efficient and effective.

Flexibility: A good framework should be flexible enough to adapt to the specific needs of different IoT devices.

Types of IoT Testing

Testing IoT devices is a complex and challenging process that requires a range of different testing approaches. The following are the different types of testing in IoT that are commonly used:

Unit Testing: This approach focuses on testing individual components of an IoT device, ensuring that each one works correctly and integrates seamlessly with the others.

Functional Testing: This type of testing verifies the overall functionality of the IoT device, ensuring that it meets the intended purpose and end-user requirements.

Integration Testing: Integration testing evaluates the interoperability of various components in the IoT device, ensuring that they work together seamlessly.

Performance Testing: This approach focuses on testing the IoT device’s performance, including its response time, scalability, and capacity.

Security Testing: Security testing is crucial in IoT testing to ensure that the device is secure, and user data is protected from unauthorized access.

Compatibility Testing: Compatibility testing ensures that the IoT device is compatible with different platforms and operating systems, which is essential since IoT devices operate across various platforms and systems.

Usability Testing: This type of testing ensures that the IoT device is user-friendly and easy to use, which is critical to the device’s overall success.

Challenges in IoT Testing:

Testing IoT devices is no easy feat. It comes with its own set of unique challenges that can make testing a complex and time-consuming process.

Some of the common challenges that testers face when testing IoT devices are:

Complexity: IoT devices have intricate structures that require multiple components to work in harmony. The complexity of these devices makes testing challenging as testers need to ensure that every component is thoroughly tested to ensure the device’s reliability and functionality.

Diversity: IoT devices have diverse applications and are used across various industries and sectors, each with unique requirements. As such, testers must ensure that the device meets the specific requirements of each industry or sector, making testing a challenging task.

Scalability: As the number of IoT devices continues to grow, scalability is becoming an increasingly important challenge for testers. IoT devices generate large volumes of data, which can make testing resource-intensive and time-consuming.

Security: Security is a critical concern when it comes to IoT devices. The interconnected nature of IoT devices makes them vulnerable to security breaches and cyber-attacks. Testers must ensure that IoT devices are thoroughly tested for security vulnerabilities to prevent data breaches and protect users’ privacy.

Interoperability: IoT devices need to work seamlessly with other devices and systems, which can be a challenging task. Interoperability testing is essential to ensure that the device integrates smoothly with other components and meets user expectations.

Connectivity: IoT devices rely on connectivity to function. However, connectivity can be unreliable and unstable, making testing challenging for testers. Ensuring that the device works under various connectivity conditions is essential to guarantee user satisfaction.

IoT Testing Tools

Testing IoT devices is a critical task that requires a diverse range of tools to ensure that the device functions correctly and is ready for deployment.

Here are some of the commonly used IoT testing tools that testers rely on:

JUnit: JUnit is a widely used unit testing framework designed for Java applications. With JUnit, testers can write and execute automated tests for IoT devices.

Selenium: Selenium is a popular testing tool for web applications that allows testers to automate testing tasks and ensure that IoT devices work seamlessly with web applications.

SoapUI: SoapUI is a powerful testing tool for web services that enables testers to evaluate the performance and security of IoT devices that rely on web services.

Apache JMeter: Apache JMeter is a robust testing tool that allows testers to simulate various scenarios and test the scalability of IoT devices.

Postman: Postman is a testing tool for APIs that enables testers to verify the functionality of IoT devices that rely on APIs.

Wireshark: Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer that enables testers to inspect the network traffic generated by IoT devices and identify potential issues.

Appium: Appium is a widely used testing tool for mobile applications. With Appium, testers can automate testing tasks and ensure that IoT devices work seamlessly with mobile applications.

By using these IoT testing tools, testers can streamline their testing efforts and ensure that IoT devices meet their quality and performance requirements before deployment.

Conclusion

IoT testing is a critical aspect of the IoT ecosystem that helps to ensure that devices are thoroughly tested and ready for use. IoT testing frameworks, types, and tools are all essential components of a comprehensive IoT testing strategy.

By using these tools and techniques, testers can identify and address issues early in the IoT mobile app development cycle, ensure that devices meet the required standards for scalability, security, and interoperability, and ultimately provide users with a seamless and reliable experience.

As the world becomes increasingly connected, the importance of IoT testing will only continue to grow, making it a crucial area for developers, testers, and businesses to focus on.

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Case in point, this year’s Consumer Electronics Show provided a glimpse at whiz-bang technology and gadgets, as well as what might be the first in a whole new generation of premium VR headsets from some big brands as well as upstarts.

However, what everyone and all industries continue to fail to take into account is that none of this technology means anything unless the platforms they run on is ready to take off. Because of this, 2023 shouldn’t be viewed as the year of hardware and gadgets, but instead it’s the year of the platform for these technologies.

What Is Meant by Platform?

Look at it this way, imagine if you took today’s latest iPhone and ran it on the operating system from 2009. Even though the hardware is amazing, its performance would virtually make the user experience meaningless. The same has been the case for AI, and much of the immersive mixed reality technologies that comprise AR/VR.

Enterprise-grade high-quality AR/VR platforms require both performance and scale. However, existing systems such as MS HoloLens and others are severely limited in both aspects. Most enterprises have a rich repository of existing complex 3D CAD/CAM models created over the years, which is a critical part of the digital thread being laid out. These 3D models may vary in their complexity (such as poly count, hierarchy, details, etc.), making it difficult to run on standalone devices, restricted by device limitations. This forces developers to decimate and optimized the models to work on limited resources available on these devices, breaking the digital thread.

Businesses need to know that as these virtual environments become richer and larger, the problem of scalability continues to compound. This cycle is repeated for each of the different hardware platforms, making it difficult for any enterprise to move from experiments and pilots to full-scale deployable solutions, thus stunting the speed of innovation and effectiveness.

The device limitations also severely restrict the capability of existing AR/VR systems to generate and work within most cloud environments, which is essential to collocate and precisely fuse the virtual objects on top of physical objects in the real world with complex surfaces, and varied lighting and environment.

Businesses in 2023 are finally overcoming this significant challenge by leveraging AR/VR platforms that are based on distributed cloud architecture and 3D vision-based AI. Up until 2023 many of these platforms were not cloud-based and relied on datacenter technology on premise – which for years had slowed the process and compute capacity to a point in which the user experience was not ideal for today’s requirements. However, in 2023 these cloud-based platforms now provide the desired performance and scalability to drive innovation in the industry at speed and scale.

Businesses today are experiencing the next wave of technology innovation that will fundamentally alter the way they operate. This transformation is primarily driven by merging of the digital and physical world to create a better, smarter and more efficient way of operating. Immersive technologies such as AR/VR are playing a pivotal role in this transformation. The organizations that take a leadership role will be the ones that not only leverage these technologies, but they will partner with the right technology provider to help scale appropriately without having to stunt technological growth.

Cloud Platforms Enable “Digital Twins”

It is this sort of platform that is finally enabling today’s IT leaders to build the Metaverse – knowledge workers and things being represented by “digital twins” – a virtual world where people, consumers, workers all gather to communicate, collaborate, and share through a virtual presence on any device. This means companies will build immersive virtual spaces, aka metaverses, and it will allow employees to virtually collaborate using their digital twin through chats, emails, video calls and even face-to-face meetings.

Well-known companies like Microsoft, Accenture, and Facebook, which itself is now called Meta, are all paving the way toward this new reality of business with their headsets and hardware, but none of it can truly excel and perform without the right platform working behind the scenes building immersive reality, modeling and simulation technologies that will ultimately power this new metaverse and virtual environments for business and enterprise use.

In 2023, platforms will finally breathe life into these technologies based on the following specifications, all made possible by their cloud-based environments as the engine:

1. Virtual Reality Space Convergence

• Ultra-low Latency High Fidelity Rendering: Low latency is extremely critical to provide an immersive experience in virtual environments. AR/VR partners provide unparalleled realism of environments by leveraging ultra-low latency remote rendering on cloud/on premise in full fidelity and wirelessly streaming the solution to affordable commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) devices – HMD, Tablet and Desktop.
• High Precision 3D Artificial Intelligence (AI) based Spatial Mapping: Uses high-fidelity remote spatial mapping with high fidelity 3D scene reconstruction, scene segmentation and 3D object recognition using 3D vision and deep learning-based AI with precise fusion of the real and virtual worlds to merge real world and virtual worlds.

2. Communications and Computing Infrastructure

• Cloud computing/edge computing: Industrial enterprises will subscribe to multi-cloud, edge cloud. Depending on different factors like data sensitivity, latency, cost, different parts of the environment need to be run at different clouds/edge in a distributed manner.
• Messaging framework: In the distributed Metaverse there is a need to update the Metaverse at global scale so users can collaborate seamlessly. AR/VR partners have messaging framework updates distributed to the Metaverse at global scale. 

3. Fundamental Common Technology

• Security and privacy: Security and privacy is one of the biggest issues facing today’s world. Since digital twins are an integral part, these environments will have much richer data. The security and privacy in virtual environments cannot be solved by traditional security tools. AR/VR partners have built tools that handle security and privacy related to digital twins.

Technologies like AI, IoT and AR/VR have been hyped for years. But 2023 is the year of the cloud-based platform that finally enables each of these technologies to power business and consumer applications.

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What Is the Internet of Things?

Internet of Things (IoT) is the concept of a data network between devices. Inside the IoT, people can communicate with “things,” and “things” can communicate with each other. The Internet of Things connects devices to a computer network and allows them to collect, analyze, process and transmit data to other entities through software, applications, or technical devices.

IoT devices function independently, although people can configure them or provide access to data. Devices on the Internet of Things collect a lot of information, that is why the Internet of Things is a significant factor in the growth of Big Data.

What Is the Connection Between IoT and Big Data?

Big Data and IoT are two completely different yet complementary concepts. Big Data describes everything related to data or information that people receive and share. It’s all about the ability of organizations to use as much data as possible in their daily business activities.

IoT describes the devices, solutions, and services associated with those devices and solutions. This is everything related to data collection, their analysis in real-time for events, or samples of interest for a new understanding of all business components. According to International Data Corporation (IDC) forecast, there will be 55.7 billion devices connected to the Internet of Things by 2025, which would generate 73.1 zettabytes of data.

Benefits of Using the Internet of Things in the Workplace

In recent years, there has been a steady increase in connected devices. Here are just a few main results of a competent approach to integrating IoT solutions:

• Reduction of production costs.
• Informed management decisions.
• Growth in labor productivity.

The consulting company Accenture notes that by 2030 the total contribution of the Internet of things to the economy will be estimated at 14 trillion dollars.

Improving the Efficiency of Business Processes Using IoT Technology

Creating a Comfortable Working Environment

Staff often have problems with the temperature in the workplace, and the concept of comfort here is often a source of controversy among colleagues. And yet, this problem is easily solved with a combination of various IoT applications and Big Data.

You can install an IoT system at each workplace and set personal temperature, air humidity, and other parameters for a particular employee. The air conditioning system will learn to maintain these settings over a long period based on the initial settings and then adapt the results to provide a comfortable environment.

One good example of such an IoT system is Google’s Nest Thermostat. It considers users’ preferences when they manually set the parameters of living conditions so that they can independently adapt to their needs. In addition, the system saves electricity by as much as 60%.

Virtual Interaction

IoT technology can be used to implement the concept of virtual presence. In this way, you can interact with people thousands of miles away, as if their workplace was nearby.

Based on IoT, self-guided robots have been developed that imitate a personal meeting and movement that a remote user sets. For a more realistic interaction, IoT uses motion tracking sensors, the so-called eye-tracking, motion tracking systems, and 3D controllers that allow you to work in three-dimensional space. The Internet of Things provides such a level of feedback that the user literally feels his presence during a virtual meeting. This allows managers and administrators to be constantly in the work process, wherever they are.

Optimization and Performance Improvement

IoT-based solutions will enable employees to do more in less time. Technology can help people complete large-scale tasks faster without making mistakes.

The Internet of Things helps to control the entire production process in real-time, from checking and monitoring inventory to managing workers. All it takes is connecting IoT sensors to the tools and devices. Now they are IoT-enabled and can be connected to a centralized system that manages the workflow. All this increases the company’s overall productivity, thus creating better conditions for its development.

Workplace Safety

With the help of IoT, it is easy to create the proper level of comfort for each employee. But if you add connected devices that help increase the efficiency of operations performed, we can talk about an increase in labor productivity. Also, by controlling the workflow, IoT devices will warn in time about equipment failures or dangerous situations at work.

However, another critical aspect that requires serious attention is the security of data generated and stored by connected devices. This data and arrays of Internet traffic can be used for practical purposes. This is why privacy and security issues are fundamental when implementing IoT and Big Data.

Access Control Systems

IoT technology can replace the system of access control. Many companies already use modern electronic access control systems that do not need any key. They don’t even need a password or access card to allow employees to enter their workplace.

Development of a Digital Work Environment

In the workspace or outside it, the value of technology and applications depends on whether the data is useful, valid, and complete. Too little or incorrect information can lead to misleading and useless analysis; too much data creates a problem, giving managers an ocean of numbers but no understanding of how to prioritize or act.

Before equipping your employees with smart devices and ID badges, you should carefully consider your goals: what problem are you trying to solve? Start with the business problems you want to solve, and then decide what data you need.

IoT and Big data are bringing significant changes to the workflow of companies and enterprises, freeing up time from unproductive activities and increasing labor productivity. However, in addition to the advantages, such as the creation of comfortable working conditions and the possibility of remote interaction, privacy and security issues are waiting to be resolved.

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In fact, Vodafone’s Spotlight Research states that IoT has played an instrumental role in business resilience during the COVID-19 crises. The great majority of businesses (approx. 84%) said this technology had ensured business continuity in uncertain times.

This echoes that IoT is a powerful element that businesses not only need today but also in the future to respond to changing market needs and use IoT data collection to make informed business decisions.

So, What Is the Internet of Things?

The Internet of Things is the network of various internet-connected devices or “things” that have built in sensors, electronics, or other technology for connecting and exchanging data with other devices over the Internet. These devices range from household objects to enterprise assets, agriculture tools to manufacturing equipment, and the list goes on.

It is worth noting that the number of IoT devices is expected to reach 22 billion by 2025, up from 10 billion in 2020.

The statistics clearly show that IoT is going to become a key driver in business and customer experience strategies. The combination of sensors, communication devices, analytics, cloud and low-cost computing is going to create a mesh of interconnected solutions and products that is building a new age of automation for businesses.

How Are Businesses Adopting IoT?

As IoT development continues to evolve, businesses, whether small or large, will find new horizons to embed tech, ramp up productivity, and increase efficiency. In fact, many businesses or enterprises have started to step into the digital world with IoT. For example, General Tools, a company specialized in manufacturing a full line of precision instruments, electronics, and measurement tools, has leveraged IoT to build a ToolSmart application. This mobile app finishes customer projects with precision on time & within budget. The app enabled Bluetooth connected tools capture data and update customers about the project completion time as well as cost on the fly. This is bringing about a revolution regarding the determination of the scope of jobs.

Other industry areas adopting IoT include:

• Banks are leveraging IoT technology to bring on-demand services closer to customers through kiosks, resulting in increased accessibility of services.
• Agriculture machinery companies are applying IoT to keep track on important agricultural parameters like moisture levels, air, and soil temperature, and convey the collected data to farmers. Utilizing such tools helps farmers to do precision farming which greatly increases the efficiency of fertilizers and produces good yield.
• The medical sector is also employing IoT based wearable devices to gather data, monitor their patients’ health, and make their lives safer.

Microsoft’s annual IoT Signals report states that 94% of companies that have adopted IoT technology have started getting a return on their investments.

No doubt that IoT is providing businesses with opportunities to achieve operational efficiency, improve customer experience, and build new revenue streams.

Latest and Greatest IoT Trends

Building end-to-end systems and a smart range of products is critical in this digital era. While there are a great number of ways for businesses to include IoT devices in their business model, there are five specific trends that are particularly appealing to a majority of companies, regardless of their industry.

Asset Tracking and Inventory Management

For businesses that face problems in inventory tracking and management, applying IoT is a real game-changer. IoT applications allow companies with warehouses and storage units to monitor and track inventory by means of some automatic control points operated by smart devices. This helps companies reduce manpower that is excessively engaged in inventory-related matter. In a similar manner, asset tracking – when done with IoT – can help businesses catch faulty assets or assets that went missing during transportation.

In addition, combining IoT products with analytics can prevent theft scenarios. For example, Amazon is using Wi-Fi Robots that scan QR codes on its wide range of products and track orders, leading to an uptick in shipping capacity.

Data Sharing

The Forbes Insights Survey finds that business areas that have seen new avenues of growth include predictive maintenance, automatic product upgrades, and asset tracking. A suite of sensors located in production systems, assembly lines, storage units, and vehicles produces data streams that help businesses understand the patterns in which a user connects with the device. As massive amounts of data keep flowing in from data points, sensors, IoT applications, this real-time information helps companies get insight into productivity and performance standpoints. Thus, it is learning from data and its patterns which in turn helps organizations to innovate and grow.

For example, Fitbits and smart watches communicate data through sensors and provide us with the most precise information based on our needs.

Market Strategizing

As organizations are learning from a large amount of data, they can ultimately build marketing strategies on the basis of processed data to meet customer requirements. Through internet-connected devices, organizations can obtain a multi-dimensional view of customers’ preferences. After learning the preferences, they can build campaigns and customer experiences that yield results. On top of that, IoT based applications can segment customers based on data to generate customized offers to uplift customer satisfaction rate, and enhance customer experience.

For example, a company known as Big Ass Fans has built IoT based fans comprising light, speed and temperature sensors. By learning about the customer preferences, the company sets its fans’ speed and stands out from other ceiling fan brands on the market.

Harnessing Real-Time Insights

In the information age, businesses work on data. The more data they have, the better the insights that can be gleaned, the more informed decisions businesses can make. With IoT devices, they can obtain real-time data, which in turn helps them gain visibility into what’s happening inside. For example, retailers can obtain insight about customer behaviors and their choices and can replace inventory or stock to maximize product turnover with efficient sales monitoring in place. Also, IoT can work in sync with systems and smart cameras to prevent defects and quickly respond to the issues. For example, some airports are employing smart cameras with sensors to address issues like broken escalators, unhygienic washrooms and bottlenecks within corridors.

Improved Efficiency and Productivity

Enterprises are always on the lookout to achieve greater efficiency, flexibility, and productivity. The proliferation of IoT devices across various parts of the organization means digitization of process flows, which further helps reduce costs and decrease time to market. Efficiency can be realized as data flows in from sensors, is processed and then further changes are deployed without human involvement. For instance, vehicles are redirected to the most optimal route to make travel faster. Drones may be deployed over an oil field to monitor the pipelines and identify issues way before humans reach them.

The Future Is Smart for Businesses

For businesses, IoT is a future-proof technology that brings more opportunities to businesses in terms of optimizing their operations and increasing profits. By bringing data, intelligence, and customer experience together, it is driving digital transformation at scale for many businesses.

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IoT and its smart sensors have already cleared the way for automation improvements in a variety of industries, as well as increased cloud usage and the development of 5G. This article discusses some of the most important IoT developments and predictions for the year 2022.

The Internet of Things is evolving at a breakneck speed. Even the most knowledgeable specialists find it difficult to forecast the future of IoT standardisation due to the rapid advancement of the technology. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, by 2025, the Internet of Things could produce up to $11.1 trillion in economic value in a variety of contexts, including industries, cities, retail environments, and the human body.

The Internet of Things is optimizing operations for both not only individuals but businesses and enterprises. Yet, there remains a lot of opportunity for connected devices in the many different verticals of the market. Hence, deploying IoT on any scale for any business domain requires the expertise of a leading software development company including custom software development to continue to leverage new streams of revenues.

In case you are looking to scale up your business, here are some top IoT trends and predictions to watch out for 2022.

Advanced Security

A heightened focus on security will be seen in the IoT sector. IoT network hacking is expected to become a routine occurrence by 2022, according to experts. Intruders will be prevented from causing any harm by network operators acting as cybersecurity personnel. Companies like Sierra, Wireless, and others who have been cyber-attacked in the past have implemented IoT-driven cyber technologies as a result of the recent increase in intrusions. Ericsson, Microsoft, and U-Blox, for example, have developed their own threat detection and security service technologies.

Analytics, ML & Disruptive Technologies

Applications in IoT networks are detected using IoT analytics and data. While transmitting large amounts of data to the network cores, these systems generate alarms. Providers and business leaders are increasingly incorporating integrated analytics into their products in order to speed up data analysis. These technologies facilitate the adoption and optimization of IoT devices, processes, applications, and infrastructure, resulting in enhanced performance as networks operate in a low-latency environment.

IoT Transforming Business Models

There are several proofs, studies, and instances of effective IoT deployment in business models that have improved the company’s performance by raising output and improving other business KPIs and objectives. Manufacturers are converting their entire business models into more inventive and productive ones with the help of automation.

AR and VR with IoT

With IoT, virtual and augmented reality may connect the physical and digital worlds. It opens up the possibility of using IoT data in AR and VR technology. The use of IoT in various technologies has several economic benefits, including lower costs and new and greater earnings and opportunities. Combining these technologies could help organisations teach staff about virtual prototypes of items, different types of equipment, and different business growth tactics.

Adoption of IoT in Healthcare

For years, the healthcare industry has been experimenting with Internet of Things (IoT) technology. This sector is at the forefront of IoT adoption and innovation. IoT is used to discover many forms of equipment such as wearable sensors and gadgets, tracking, and indoor navigation technology. By connecting lighting systems to health monitors and deploying sensors, it can also improve lighting systems.

Boost in Customer Service

IoT technology has had a significant impact on customer service and information delivery. IoT can enhance the capabilities of CRM systems, allowing them to detect and report customer issues to businesses. These solutions also enable businesses to participate in customer discussions, resulting in increased consumer involvement and, ultimately, client retention. During the epidemic, the increased usage of IoT to enforce social distancing measures was visible.

Blockchain in IoT

For IoT support, blockchain is a very promising technology. By combining the two, IoT security as well as operational, compliance, and legal concerns may be met in a uniform manner. Aside from executing business logic via smart contracts, blockchain technology provides a basic foundation for smart devices to function autonomously. IoT systems that use blockchain technology will be able to register and confirm themselves against the network, as well as directly transfer data between devices.

IOT & On Demand Software Development

By 2020, the Internet of Things will require millions more developers, and I’ve always said that IT is the future, and that we should recognise that on-demand software development is transforming how we do things now, along with IoT taking the centre stage as well.

With changes in consumer behaviour and the increasing availability of free internet access in our cities and towns, we will see more and more adaptations to on-demand apps. I’m talking about apps like Uber, Lyft, and other e-commerce systems that have entered the market to make our lives easier. Using them is no longer just a matter of fiddling around; we rely on them because they have come to our rescue in many ways.

Summarizing Thoughts

Because the value and uses of IoT continue to rise, the pattern of IoT development has a lot of potential and a lot of market share. The objective is to come up with the best solutions by combining cutting-edge technology with practical knowledge, experience, and skill.

Superior enterprise solutions in all industries, increased productivity, a pleasant living standard, and lifestyles will be the result of IoT advancement as an accurate source of wide-range data.

Prepare for the impending explosion of the Internet of Things. You can be sure that IoT is bound to infiltrate businesses of any scale or a leading on demand software development company. As a result, remember that it’s better to be prepared than to be left behind by the Internet of Things train.

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Now, to understand how AI is influencing the IoT industry, let’s have a look at what IoT is and how does Internet of Things work? Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of things that receive communication and react. In short, IoT enables sensors of devices like appliances or smartphones to make them work wirelessly. Modern Smart TVs, ACs, even automated vehicles are the perfect example of IoT existing in our daily lives. Today, AI is used to make these IoT devices more efficient and capable. Moving forward, let’s discuss more roles of AI in the IoT industry.

More efficiency in smart home devices

AI consumes a lot of data to execute tasks that have been assigned to it. For smart home devices, AI is useful in making them more accessible, especially in following voice commands. AI enables these devices to understand more languages, dialects, and pronunciations. It does not only make devices easier to use for users, but also expands the market for top IoT manufacturers and top IoT app development companies.

Better healthcare management

With the help of IoT sensors, AI is able to predict if there are healthcare issues slowly developing inside the human body. Devices such as Fitbands are used to collect heart rate, BPM, and more data. This data is used by AI to prepare a healthcare report that shows if the patient needs assistance or not. In many cases, AI in healthcare can be really useful to find out diseases before they become fatal.

Better cybersecurity

AI, with the help of IoT, is capable of managing the cybersecurity of servers, especially if they are connected to the same environment. AI can detect anomalies in the data and stop or predict attempts of attacks to raise warnings. Moreover, cases like hardware failures are also detected by AI to ensure proper actions before they affect the server. Many modern companies are using AI along with other technologies like Blockchain to make an efficient cybersecurity system.

Better safety measures

IoT devices can help AI in detecting safety hazards like possibilities of fire or short circuits and more. The data can be used to alert authorities and raise alarms. Moreover, devices such as CCTV cameras can also be used to detect unknown faces or forceful entries with the help of AI to ensure proper security. Institutions such as Banking can use these combinations of technologies to counter robberies, theft, and more.

Better operational management

The future of IoT is all about automation, where multiple devices will be connected to each other and make processes automated. In the case of operational processes, especially for manufacturing industries, AI with IoT can be really useful. It can reduce the percentage of blunders and costs involved in manual procedures. AI with IoT can automate every process starting from manufacturing to assigning to deliveries. Modern AI is capable of doing that. But in the future, AI might even grasp the automated delivery part as well.

Automated vehicles

Companies like Tesla are dedicated to making self-driven vehicles a common trend. Even though they have already developed the technology, it is still not suitable for many environments. But AI, which is already used in these vehicles, can make transportation more sustainable to make adoption of such vehicles much easier.

Traffic management

AI with IoT devices like sensors and cameras can help authorities in managing traffic quite easily. AI can conclude better traffic management strategies compared to human involvement to ensure that traffic is controlled smoothly. Moreover, soon AI will also have the capability to reduce the percentage of accidents that have been happening due to poor traffic management decisions.

Wrapping up

AI is the future. Soon we will see that AI is doing more than we had imagined and IoT devices will become a bridge to that possibility. However, modern AI still requires a lot of evolution to become self-independent. Thus it will take some time. So, that is all for the role of AI in IoT. Before we end this blog, let’s have a look at a few key points from above.

1. AI can help smart devices in recognizing more accents, languages, and dialects to respond better
2. Healthcare devices are using IoT and AI together to analyze and predict possible health situations
3. Technologies such as Blockchain and IoT are using AI to make Cybersecurity more efficient by automating the scanning process to detect anomalies
4. AI can help in keeping an eye on incidents like fire breakouts or robberies to alert authorities for a quick action
5. AI with IoT can be used in industries like manufacturing to automate processes from order placement to delivery
6. Self-driven vehicles are the future and AI can help in making them more efficient to ensure fewer accidents
7. AI can ensure smooth traffic management with the help of IoT devices like motion sensors and cameras

Well, that’s all for the role of AI in the IoT revolution blog. Hopefully, you found this discussion interesting. Until next time, Godspeed!

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Mobile apps have entirely transformed the ways humans interact and carry out their daily activities. The mobile app market is evolving faster with the integration of breakthrough technologies like the Internet of Things. IoT integration in mobile apps has made them more powerful and efficient. IoT has swiftly expanded the horizon of effectiveness and usability of mobile apps in human lives. In this post, we’ll discuss some key ways IoT in mobile app development is helping improve the user experience. For any mobile app, user experience is the key to its success, and in recent years, IoT technology has significantly helped improve it. So, let’s move forward and learn more about IoT and its positive impact on mobile app development.

Key ways IoT in mobile apps is improving human lives

1. Solidifies smart home concept

The smart home concept has seen rapid adoption by people in recent years. Smart homes are houses with a number of devices connected to a shared network via which they can exchange information and communicate. The smart home concept assists creating energy-efficient homes that can help save money and time by making various appliances easy to control. All the usual household appliances, such as refrigerators, TV, washing machine, microwave, air conditioner, etc., are connected to the internet with the help of IoT technology. These devices are specially designed with inbuilt wifi that allows them to connect to a shared network to further communicate with other devices and are called smart appliances. 

The smart home concept has become popular on a global scale, and the market is predicted to reach 99.41B U.S. dollars by the end of 2021. The idea of smart homes has become viable thanks to “Internet of Things” technology. As we already discussed, smart homes consist of smart devices connected to the internet, which people can easily control. Mobile apps are the medium by which a human can control these smart devices. Moreover, mobile apps are the easiest way to control these devices from anywhere in the world. Mobile apps to control IoT-powered smart homes are hence the newest trend in mobile app development. 

2. Extra convenience through mobile apps

Mobile apps have made life more convenient in numerous ways, be it easing online shopping, ordering food, helping cope with mental health issues, or making online appointments. Mobile apps have helped humans carry out essential tasks in less time. In the same way, mobile apps are making lives more manageable with the help of IoT technology by helping humans control their houses and appliances smoothly from any place. Using the smart home app, people can control various devices from any distance, whether from the office or the bedroom. People can control their house lighting to save energy and, before returning home, can switch it on to light the home before entering the house with just one click using the relevant mobile app. 

Moreover, if you want to keep a check on your kids and pets while you are away, you can easily do so with the help of smart cameras. These cameras are programmed in such a way that whenever the child goes beyond a safe place or place which is not meant for them to enter, a notification is sent to a mobile app to alert the parents. In this way, IoT is becoming increasingly popular in mobile apps due to the convenience this combo brings to users’ lives. 

3. Better home security 

IoT-powered smart homes do not just bring convenience to the user’s lives but also help them ensure the best security of their property and loved ones. There’s no need to panic if you leave your door unlocked before leaving for vacation or the office, as your smart home can make things easy for you. Smart homes come with smart door locks and smart security systems; sometimes, these devices are so advanced that they detect by themselves that the door is open and will close automatically after a fixed time interval. Or, the owner can check if every door and knob of the house is locked, and if not, a command can be generated using the app for these smart gadgets to lock up. This feature helps ensure that you are safe from intruders and ensures that the kids and pets in the house are safe. 

4. Better driving experience with automotive apps 

From the above three points, it is clear that IoT technology has become more viable and accessible with its integration in mobile apps. The most striking example of this integration is the rise of automotive apps. Today almost all newly manufactured cars have become smart, i.e., contain smart devices such as smart security cameras, smart infotainment systems, smart wipers, smart navigation systems, weather check systems, and much more. You can turn on the AC of your car or start its deep cleaning from any place just by a click from your brand automotive app. Some car manufacturing brands such as Tesla have created vehicles that can self-drive themselves out of the Garage and park right in front of your doorstep through  the use of the Tesla App. This automotive app puts the owner directly in touch with their vehicle and its controls no matter where the owner is. In all these smart systems, IoT is the most critical technology that comes into play, and from the mentioned examples, it’s obvious how mobile apps are improving human lives and user experience.

Wrapping up

Mobile app technology has been a groundbreaking technology that has bound the whole world with the same thread. Things have become more accessible thanks to mobile apps; you can buy any services or goods and get them delivered right to your doorstep regardless of which country the product comes from. IoT is one such promising technology that has been transforming various sectors such as housing, retail, etc., for the better. Today IoT integration in mobile app development has become a most remarkable trend contributing significantly to improving user experience. In this post, we described various ways in which the combo of IoT and mobile apps have helped make user lives more comfortable and secure. More research is being done to make IoT in mobile apps more viable and effective for unexplored sectors, and this trend is foreseen to have the potential to transform the future.

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1. Voice User Interface (VUI) will become a reality for the majority of consumers.

Digital assistant devices such as Alexa, Google Assistant, HomePod, and Siri have created a foothold for the next generation of smart devices, but these technology leaders will not be without competition in 2020. Competing companies will release devices that are easier to use with fewer frustrations. Devices that issue commands and receive results will become common not just in houses and businesses, but also in cars and as wearables.

2. Innovations in Artificial Intelligence (AI) will become even more critical in the IoT.

Running infrastructure, as well as establishing performance metrics for infrastructure, is increasingly dependent on AI. The major players in IoT cloud services, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, will keep looking for new opportunities to provide services, but they will have competition from startups that hope to leverage their innovations in machine learning and deep learning.

Without AI, it is impossible to interpret the enormous volume of data available to businesses. 

AI will assist IoT data analysis in data discovery, visualization of streaming data, predictive analytics, increased time-series accuracy, and real-time positioning for more efficient logistics.

3. More devices will generate more data with more human interaction.

At the beginning of 2020 there are about 3.6 billion devices used for daily tasks that are actively connected to the Internet. 5G will empower the connection of more devices that will send more data.

4. Expansion of smart IoT in everyday life will be easy to see.

2020 will be the year that smart neighborhoods become a reality. Smart sensors placed around neighborhoods will create a living space that is safe, comfortable, convenient, and clean by collecting data on human activities as diverse as water use, thermostat settings, dog walking routes, shared vehicle use, and home delivery data. As the IoT is perfected for smart neighborhoods, it will become the basis for smart cities.

5. IoT innovations will affect more and more aspects of daily life.

Consumers will enjoy more innovations in the IoT. Smart cameras will be integrated with smart ATMs to increase banking safety. Consumers will be able to buy a mirror that calls the doctor if they look sick. Smart forks will help dieters stick to their meal plans, and smart beds will turn off the lights when their occupants are asleep.

6. IoT will become increasingly important to transportation infrastructure.

Cities large and small around the world are making investments in the IoT to increase transportation efficiency and safety. As 5G makes streaming analytics at the speed of light a reality, public transportation will become increasingly automated. And although self-driving cars will not be commonplace even by the end of 2020, more and more vehicles will have a connected app that displays up to date diagnostic information about the car. Voice search for destinations combined with up-to-the-minute traffic information will become a fact of life for tens of millions of drivers.

7. Digital twin technology will be used by a majority of companies that do smart manufacturing.

Digital twin technology gives manufacturers a clear picture of how their IoT devices are interacting with their manufacturing equipment. This technology gives manufacturers predictive data warning of needs for repair, breakdowns, and faults in manufacturing. 

At the end of 2019, a Gartner survey found that 48 percent of smart manufacturers intend to make use of the digital twin concept, with popularity increasing every year.

8. There will be more movement toward the edge.

Edge computing is a technology that moves processing closer to sensors. It reduces latency, conserves bandwidth, and helps human decision makers to act quickly. Most business entities find centralized processing to be more and more stressed, but edge computing devices are becoming more and more affordable.

9. Device and IoT network hacking will become commonplace in 2020. Blockchain may be the answer.

At the beginning of 2020, the architecture of IoT is still highly centralized. With over three billion devices connected to IoT services and over 26 billion devices connected to the Internet, both devices and networks are tempting targets for hackers. Blockchain offers hope for keeping hackers from doing their business.

Blockchain is public. Participants in the nodes of the blockchain network can see blocks of transactions and approve them, but users still keep control with their private keys. Blockchain is decentralized, so there is no single Point of Failure that can bring the whole system down. And most importantly, Blockchain keeps a permanent record of transactions. The database can be extended, but it cannot be revised.

10. Standardization will continue to be a problem.

Industry leaders are still battling out who will be the leader in the IoT. There are no cross-platform standards for UX/Ui and analytic tools, connectivity at the customer’s contact points, and applications that collect, analyze, and control data. Any standard has to address all three functions. It’s possible that a shakeout in the industry will begin to limit IoT solution providers to only a few options so platform is not as critical to performance, but chances are that there will have to be a push by organizations like the IEEE to create common standards for IoT devices.

What these trends do not tell us is just how important the IoT is to the economy? Professor Ahmed Banafa, an expert in the IoT, blockchain, and AI, predicts IoT solutions will drive $344 billion in new revenues in 2020. For some companies, IoT coverage of routine management tasks has already increased productivity as much as 60 percent. This is despite the fact that universities cannot keep up with the demand for new engineers. The IoT will drive strong job opportunities for the foreseeable future.

The Internet of Things will only become more important in driving economic growth. It will become more omnipresent in daily life. And, as these ten trends tell us, drastic change is on the way in the world of technology.

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Internet of Things

The internet of things refers to the interconnection of computers in order to send information from one device to another. Students are often given plenty of assignments that they have to work on. Most of the assignments are posted on the school’s portal, where each of the students can log in and check their specific information. Given the fact that students are not always in the school compound, the internet of things is making it easy for them to access their portal from any device or location. Therefore, this is a trend that ought to be incorporated in all learning institutions to provide students with the necessary flexibility that they require in order to progress in their studies. Imagine a world where a student could only access their information while at the school compound. Boring right? It could also result in time wastage and uncompleted assignments. In turn, this could affect the student’s career path. Hence, in order to ensure efficiency in the institution’s operations, the internet of things is the best trend to adopt. It will not only be helpful to the students but also to the staff.

Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality

Virtual and augmented reality are other examples of new educational technology which allows an individual to incorporate real-world objects into a computer simulation. This is a perfect technology to implement in institutions because it allows learners to have a picture of the real world that they are unable to otherwise visit. The technology is best applied in technical subjects and sciences to enhance student understanding. 

Through this technology, learning institutions can cut costs that could be incurred in visiting certain sites for educational purposes. The trend allows computers to have a similar environment as that which the students could have visited. Most students understand concepts better by memorizing pictures. Therefore, through virtual reality, the real world can be brought closer to students reach, making it easy for them to pursue their preferred careers without having to spend much. 

The benefit of computer simulations is the manner in which they are able to blend digital world concepts with the perceptions that people have about the real world. It is a trend that will definitely benefit students since it is impossible to travel to all parts of the world.  

Increase in Security

Current technological devices have resulted in an increase in security when researching information on the internet. It’s a student’s responsibility to ensure that their educational information is protected. For instance, copying a hard copy assignment is fairly simple, but with new learning technologies, it is difficult for someone to copy a soft copy file that is password protected. 

In addition, access to public library information has been made more secure than in the past, all thanks to technological advancements. Students can even create portals which allow them to organize their research, making it easier for them to complete assignments. Experts from Customessayorder provide pre-written essays on the ways that students and teachers can take advantage of increased security to improve the learning process. It is high time institutions made good use of such security to ensure that students have all the necessary study resources on secure platforms.

Personalized Learning

Personalized learning refers to a customized learning process which meets the needs of each student. Learners have different levels of comprehension with some students easily understanding concepts that others fail to pick up as quickly. This makes it difficult for teachers because at the end of the learning process, they still have to set standardized exams, regardless of individual student learning speed. 

In addition, they have to use uniform teaching methods to teach the whole class. However, this is changing as the focus moves towards catering to each student’s needs. Institutions are now expected to adopt a personalized learning strategy to ensure that they meet the needs of each student. This technology trend in education is expected to nurture the talents of individual students, making their learning process more productive as compared to following a particular curriculum. It might seem to be a hectic learning style, but at the end of the day, it is worth using. Students are gifted differently and therefore, identifying the specific needs of each is a great way of guiding their career path.

Revolution in Exam Management

Current educational technologies require a revolution in exam management to ensure that students do not fall victim to exam management which has proven to have a negative effect on some learners. Institutions have different ways of setting and marking exams. For instance, some learning institutions prefer to rank their students, while others opt not to rank them according to their performance. 

Ranking could be viewed as a way of demoralizing students who find it difficult to improve their performance. Reforms in exam management would make it easier for learning institutions to identify exam methods that best work for their students. It is time for institutions to focus on following the educational technology trends that best serve the interests of their students. 

Students can now also take their exams online which is a great way of monitoring their learning progress. This is among the exam reforms that have occurred due to technological changes. Lecturers can monitor the learning activities of students through online portals.

In brief, technology is rapidly evolving, and therefore, it is the role of institutions to focus on adopting technologies that best work for students. They have to stay abreast of new and expected trends with the aim of nurturing student talents. 

The advancement in technology is unavoidable, and so is the need for learning institutions to make good use of such changes.

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Since then, technology has become an integral part of our lives. It’s just a matter of time until other technologies will appear and will make our lives even easier.

There are a few emerging technologies, some of which focus on interconnecting the objects surrounding us, others focusing on teaching machines how to detect certain patterns and supercomputers which can be accessed from anywhere around the world.

Last, but not least, there are the visual and experiential technologies, where you can dive into the reality of your game or movie and be a part of it.

Here are 9 technologies which will shape our future.

1. Artificial Intelligence

This technology adds a dash of humanity to computers. They can record certain patterns, store them, and then use these memories. For example, if you are a pupil and instead of doing homework you’d prefer going outside with your friends, you could go to your artificial intelligence-based computer and tell it “Write my essay for me” and, in a few minutes, it would be able to deliver your essay.

Of course, at first, you’d have to teach it how to write. How could you do that? Well, you’d have to provide some sample essays. Then, the artificial intelligence behind the computer could replicate or create such essays.

But remember, by some sample essays, we mean hundreds, thousands, or maybe more. That’s because the computer needs so-called critical mass in order to identify writing style, grammar rules, verbs, and so on.

2. Internet of Things

This is the technology which connects regular objects to each other. We mentioned this technology in the introductory paragraph.

Well, this technology won’t be able to do your homework for you, but it will be able to make your appliances communicate with each other.

When you think about IoT, imagine this, you wake up and lay in bed for 10 minutes, just to relax. In the meantime, you are reading news on your smartphone. This will let the espresso machine know that you are awake and it will start preparing your cappuccino. You might even receive a push notification from the espresso machine asking you how much sugar you’d like. In terms of IoT, this example is just the tip of the iceberg.

3. Augmented Reality

If you’ve played various games on your smartphone, it’s virtually impossible to not know what Augmented Reality is. If you still don’t know what we are talking about, here’s a hint: Pokemon Go.

Yes, that’s game where you had to run across the city to find the pokemon you wanted. Then, once you were in the area indicated on the map, you could search it with your smartphone’s camera. Augmented Reality is meant to improve your reality with elements from the game or video you are watching.

4. Virtual Reality

Similar to Augmented Reality, Virtual reality is meant to help you dive into the reality of a certain game, video or presentation.

For example, real estate investors looking to promote their future condominiums could create a virtual presentation of their project. Basically, with the right equipment, you could walk through your future apartment and see its size, its plan, and the way your favorite furniture will look when placed inside.

By using this technology, industries such as real estate, gaming, design, and many more could improve their relationship with their clients.

5. Blockchain Technology

The concept of Blockchain technology has been around for a couple of decades now, but practical and viable implementations of this technology only appeared a decade ago, with the launch of Bitcoin, the first-ever cryptocurrency.

The blockchain is a very large decentralized computer. Everyone looking to earn some money could incorporate his computer’s resources in a blockchain. Whenever your computer finishes a certain task, you receive a small amount of money.

Unlike the traditional banking system, the transactions, and the users are verified by such decentralized computers. This decentralized system offers its users more privacy and independence.

6. Self-Driving Cars

During the past few years, you have likely heard about autonomous cars. At least, you’ve heard the news about drivers falling asleep while their car was doing its business. 

If you haven’t heard about autonomous, self-driving cars up until now, you’ve heard about Tesla.

Self-driving cars are here to stay. It’s a combination of the classic car, artificial intelligence, and the internet of things. All these technologies packed into a very smart, electrical vehicle.

If you are looking to take a nap while commuting, you should definitely buy yourself a brand new self-driving car. 

7. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a technology which lets you use other people’s resources to do your job. For example, similar to blockchain technology, you could deliver certain projects by using Amazon AWS or other similar platforms.

The first word, ‘cloud’ highlights the fact that it can be accessed from anywhere around the world. You can see a certain cloud whether you are here or 2 miles away, right? I don’t think we need to explain what computing means, do we?

8. Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity refers to a certain technology which helps us repel possible cyborg or alien attacks. Ha, got you!

The truth is, cybersecurity is a technology which protects your valuable data from getting into the hands of bad people. For example, the HTTPS protocol is meant to hide your information from the eyes of people with bad intentions. Instead of surfing the web and leaving trace information all over the place, you just send long alphanumeric strings of data.

9. Facial Recognition

Have you ever watched a James Bond movie? If not, what are you waiting for? If yes, have you seen the way MI5 together with James Bond spot the criminals while they walk the streets?

If the answer to the first question was no, I will explain it to you. Basically, they were using facial recognition technology. It can detect a certain person by identifying certain facial patterns and peculiarities. For example, the latest smartphones use this technology to help you unlock them faster.

Since the ‘30s computers and technology have come a long way. Considering the latest improvements to existing technologies and the appearance of lots and lots of new ones, the next few decades will be very fruitful.

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From making it easier to spot a potential hazard at home to keeping crime down, smart devices are more important than many would have assumed, given their relative infancy as a tech development. However, it is the development of the smart CCTV (closed-circuit television ) that is the biggest innovative driver at this moment in time. 

A Project Long in the Making

The use of such camera hardware has been coming for some time. Take this paper from Kevin Abas, Katia Obraczka, and Leland Miller. It shows the developmental process of SlugCam: a solar-powered, wireless smart camera network. It is primarily to be used for video surveillance and would be a key tool for making sure we could limit and, eventually, put an end to major crimes altogether. Just like SlugCam, smart CCTV also strives to serve the same purpose. So without further ado, let us discuss the topic in details.

What is a Smart CCTV?

Traditional CCTV’s days are long gone. This means that many of the industries along with homes are ditching grainy, black and white video feed in favor of smart CCTV.

Just like any CCTV, a smart CCTV works by providing real-time surveillance videos. However, where the traditional camera only records, a smart CCTV can understand the feed and is able to make sense from the images that it records. It is fed with such data and an algorithm that makes it possible for smart CCTV to detect certain behavior, keep a track of it, and evaluate it accordingly.

Smart CCTV is revolutionary in the sense that it acts like robots with human thinking capabilities. Some see it as a move into a more Orwellian way of living: where everything is analyzed in a way that helps them predict future events. Sure, it is a little worrying; however, it is fair to say the pros might outweigh the cons with such tech development.

How Does a Smart CCTV Work?

A smart CCTV remains in a slumber-like state and it only awakens when its sensors detect movement. The smart CCTV is connected through a Wi-Fi network which helps it in recording and sending the live-feed to the person in charge.

Once it starts recording, an alert or a notification is sent to the person in charge which means that they can either view the live stream or record it for later viewing. A smart CCTV does not need hardwiring; just select a place and hook the CCTV for better security.

Smart CCTV and Internet of Things (IoT)

Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of connected devices through Wi-Fi or internet data that helps in sharing, connecting and interchanging crucial data with just a few clicks. Because of IoT, various devices such as home appliances, mobiles, tablets, computers, smart vehicles and other Wi-Fi electronics all share a single data connection which enables them to exchange information at a faster pace.

Just like that, the smart CCTV can be just another addition to the plethora of vast electronic devices controlled by a single individual from anywhere in the world.

Why IoT Works Best with Smart CCTV?

The advent of smart devices along with IoT has paved way for two schools of thought. One that strongly opposes the integrations of the internet into smart devices; and the other that sees this integration as a natural technological evolution path that can be beneficial for both  consumers and industries alike.

Although Smart CCTV and IoT seem a little risky and invasive, if implemented correctly can reduce costs, ensure security and deliver convenience to consumers. Moreover, the integration of IoT and smart CCTV trumps the traditional surveillance systems as it allows individuals to store and create a back up of the feed in the cloud. This makes it convenient to view live streams or recordings from possibly anywhere in the world.

Additionally, the smart CCTV and IoT cut the need for having a security department with a room full of employees constantly surveying an area. This is because IoT based smart CCTV can monitor any site and live stream the videos to specific individuals without any need for human intervention. Further, IoT based smart CCTV can send a trigger to notify individuals of any unspecified movements. This essentially combines the surveillance and the intruder alarm into a single device which ensures a protected environment.

An IoT-based smart CCTV is the very definition of a forward-thinking and ambitious project. It is going to help put in place a major change in the way that we live, and how we go about protecting ourselves from danger and from risk.

Such developments have been ongoing for many years, with various independent and corporate projects taking place to try and create more IoT based smart options.

Benefits of IoT Based Smart CCTV

Apart from providing a live feed and performing 24/7 live surveillance, IoT based smart CCTV can also be beneficial in the following ways.

Long-term Control

A major benefit of using tools like an IoT based smart CCTV is that it could help us to see more for longer. Most wireless systems today will need some kind of battery operation that will need to be replaced or recharged. With the help of an IoT based smart CCTV, this is not the case as it could easily be kept charged and running without the same need for maintenance.

This allows for a significant downturn in the amount of time that we spend trying to control and manage our security systems. Additionally, maintenance might still be needed, but the time required will be reduced considerably.

Smart Identification

Part of using an IoT based smart CCTV is that it would allow for smart and simple integration with other systems. For example, facial recognition systems could easily be wired up alongside this system. While some might worry about the lack of privacy that this could create, it is a system already in the works in China.

Such ‘ranking’ systems for people might seem like bad news for those who fear for our liberty under excessive government surveillance. However, identifying such issues and helping to make sure we can spot real crimes is very important.

While we have a lot to do to make sure that IoT based smart CCTVs do not ruin personal liberty, they should play a much bigger role in ensuring that we can quickly identify potential dangers to society thanks to constant surveillance capabilities.

Analysis Made Easy

Some believe that with constant capturing of data and imagery that it might become impossible to accurately capture moments of danger. However, with the IoT based smart CCTV, the constant alerts would ensure that any analysis needed could be requested in real-time.

Instead of reviewing video footage hours after the incident takes place, these smart CCTV would make it much faster for you by providing live-feed. In allowing for almost instant action to be taken, we could vastly cut down on the risk posed to individuals or their properties.

Conclusion

While some feel that the IoT based smart CCTV industry might become a danger to society, it is impossible to argue against the benefits to our wider personal security both at home and in the wider world. It is a debate which will rage on, but it is safe to say that the concept of an IoT powered smart CCTV network is no longer just a hope or a suggestion: it is here to stay.

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IoT will have a significant impact in our day to day lives, not only in the way we do business,  but also in that every device we interact with will be connected to IoT. 

A world of massive possibilities lies in the future and we should be ready to accept IoT in all spheres of our life.  

What is IoT?

IoT stands for the Internet of Things. It is a network of physical devices which are connected to the internet and to other connected devices in order to collect and share data. 

Some examples of IoT include a smart microwave that can automatically cook food without any human intervention to set the time for cooking or self driving cars that can make travel easier without the need for human assisted driving. Sounds like a fairy tale but it’s true.

Top IoT Trends that Will Lead to Digital Transformation 

A Connected Business Framework: IoT will help to build a connected business framework where logistics, devices, consumers and workforce will be connected together leading to an improved business ecosystem. This will make data sharing across all segments easier and the insights derived will be used to build strategies that will be more valuable than the existing ones. 

Device Security Will Be Crucial: As devices become interconnected with each other, the threat to security will not be limited to just public networks. More and more private networks are set to come under scrutiny, meaning threats can arise from your smartphone or your smarthome.

Systematic Enterprise Processes Will Be In Place: Automation will be adopted by most  companies. When such automation starts to happen at scale, it will lead to systematic enterprise processes that will greatly improve efficiency. 

Machine Learning and Blockchain Will Empower IoT: Both machine learning and blockchain are set to play a crucial role in the development of IoT. In fact, both of these will become established elements that will serve as the backbone of IoT. 

Smart Home Devices Will Rise in Popularity: IoT powered smart home devices are set to become a part of every household in the near future. People who are currently not feeling the need to have IoT enabled home devices will start buying smart home devices. This is set to become one of the hottest IoT trends. Amazon Alexa, Google Home, home automation range from Wemo, Philips Hue lighting are some of the examples of smart home devices that will soar in popularity in the near future. 

The Need for IoT Management 

IoT device management will be extremely crucial because the current IoT device landscape is still immature. For an IoT friendly world which is secure and makes life easier, device management capabilities need to evolve rapidly. 

In an interesting case study by Cloud Management Suite, it was discovered that Plan B, a UK based managed services provider which specializes in difficult program delivery found it frustrating to keep track of software across an array of devices spread over 20 countries and 1300 different users. A large number of the devices were purchased outside of the organization, hence the manual software maintenance was extremely slow and was adding to the cost burden. When the company adopted an IoT Device Management solution, it was able to drastically bring the costs down and the management of devices became easier. The solution used an agentless tool, providing effective management over systems based on a network or connected via Virtual Private Network (VPN). It was easily operated from the cloud, meaning, the tool required no server installation or configuration. Moreover, the solution incorporated a self-upgrading capability with a multi-tenancy feature, that enabled MSPs to proactively manage multiple customer environments from 30 – 30,000 endpoints. 

IoT device management is the process of maintaining the device firmware and software so that it functions smoothly and securely. Constant monitoring, device maintenance, configuration and authentication plays a crucial role in maintaining the entire IoT framework.

Here are some pointers that will lead to effective management of IoT devices:

• Centralized password management: One should be able to change the passwords of each of the connected devices from one central location. 

• Automatic software updates: All the connected devices should be automatically checked for vulnerability. You should be able to manage unpatched vulnerabilities at the click of a button. With predictive patch management, effective network security should be achieved on a scale leading to a secured IoT world. 

• Better Groupings: Different devices in the IoT network will be provided by different IoT providers but there should be a system to group all the functions together to achieve optimum performance. For example, if I need to switch on the TV, AC and Fridge of my house then I should be able to do that at the click of a button without the need to press 3 different switches to operate 3 different devices. AWS IoT 1-Click is an example of such software provided by Amazon. 
• Artificial Intelligence: Devices should be smart enough to sense the need of operation, meaning lights should switch off automatically when there is no one in the room. Artificial intelligence is what will drive the efficiency of IoT. 

Conclusion 

The entire world is slowly moving towards IoT. We all will be highly dependent on IoT connected devices in the next 5 years. IoT is rightfully regarded as the ‘next generation of internet’. However, security will become tougher and both consumers and manufacturers must take every step necessary to leave no vulnerabilities. 

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What’s more, IoT is exploding. 2 billion smart devices existed in 2006. Intel projects that by the year 2020, we can expect a 100-fold increase: a staggering 200 billion smart devices. IoT has made a truly robust ecosystem of smart devices a reality. As the technology and platforms utilized by IoT become more sophisticated, true smart homes are becoming a reality. 

At present, most IoT technologies are found within industrial settings, such as enterprises, factories or hospitals. As the price of smart devices lower, however, we’ll begin to see houses replete with interconnected devices, producing and gathering data over WiFi at a minimal cost. Berg Insight predicts the worldwide smart home market will skyrocket from its current valuation at $20 billion to $58 billion by the year 2020. While we may be far from suburban smart home developments, select smart homes are already beginning to brim with intelligent life.

How can businesses take full advantage of this technological revolution? There are infinitely many opportunities to be exploited. There are a few sectors within the burgeoning age of connectedness that particularly stand out, however. Namely, data, energy, security and insurance.

Data

Big data is getting bigger, thanks in part to the Internet of Things. IDC estimates that IoT will generate 10% of the world’s data by 2020. A suite of interconnected devices means a profusion of valuable data. Wearable technologies that track behavior, such as average heart rate, amount of time spent exercising and the number of hours of restful sleep are just drops in the bucket of incredible consumer data. 

Businesses can better understand the needs of their consumers by tapping into energy usage statistics. They can release firmware and software updates more regularly as they collate massive amounts of data regarding software and hardware failure. Utilizing GPS data, companies can offer location-based services, coupons and promotions. Companies can become familiar with how their products are used in the real world and wield that information to hone its successful components and solve its issues.

Energy

The average cost of electricity has risen 29% over the past five years, and the cost continues to rise. Smart homes have shown to reduce costs by as much as 20%, according to a study conducted by University of Massachusetts.

Smart thermostats, carbon monoxide detectors, connected smoke alarms, security and lighting systems aim to reduce the amount of energy consumption in residential homes, marrying green technology with IoT. Google-owned startup Nest developed a self-learning thermostat, for example, that heats and cools homes efficiently. It’s equipped with a feature that allows it to recognize whether or not a home is occupied, and adjusts to an even lower consumption mode. Innovative technologies that utilize self-learning could help lower energy costs significantly.

Security

As opposed to the furnishings in a traditional home, a smart home’s objects store information. This information is vulnerable to attack. Often, smart devices aren’t equipped with powerful processors and are unable to load complex security software, complicating issues of safety and privacy. 

Consumer trust in smart home technology dropped rather dramatically in 2015 due to the perception that information could be easily leaked or tampered with by outside entities. This problem could in fact be an immense opportunity. Secure IoT platforms, lightweight security software and distributed smart home security services are in extremely high demand.

Insurance

Given smart homes unique attribute of being able to monitor their own surroundings, insurance companies are becoming more interested in using this ability to minimize risk. Outfitting one’s home with devices equipped to recognize leaky pipes could reduce the number of claims and decrease water damage claims significantly. In fact, USAA is developing their own technologies in order to provide policyholders with a “check-engine light for the home.” In the meantime, various insurance companies are offering subsidies for customers willing to rewire their homes. Claims-preventing IoT technology could therefore be a lucrative venture.

Conclusion

While the cost barrier remains somewhat high for consumers to adopt smart homes, wider adoption of smart, connected homes is on the horizon. As prices become less prohibitive and the market valuation rises, as some pricing and market research experts indicate they will, it is expected that we will see an uptick in consumer participation.

A number of opportunities to take advantage of IoT and smart home technology will grow with this participation. Smart homes will produce immense sets of data, which could be gathered and analyzed by businesses in every industry. Products and services that continue to optimize energy efficiency and security could even promulgate smart home and IoT tech and promote widespread adoption. Further, companies can take advantage of self-learning devices to assist with insuring homes, reducing claims or developing innovative products for home insurers. By staying connected to connected homes, businesses could optimize their own products, further contributing to the IoT revolution, and profit from their adept manipulation of it.

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Welcoming automation into our industry with less friction and fear happens when we understand its overwhelming benefit to our futures and the quality of our work. Automation is one answer to a shrinking workforce population and increasing demand for productivity, but it isn’t a cure all. These are big questions and the answers aren’t simple. But we can look at the global data to see how industries are meeting the demands of a new era with the tool of automation.

McKinsey Global Institute conducted a study of more than 2,000 work activities across 800 occupations using statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor, from which they developed a model to make automation predictions for about 80 percent of the global workforce. While the report states 45 percent of jobs worldwide have the potential for automation, it isn’t referring to job elimination. MGI Partner and contributor to the report Michael Chui shares his thoughts:

“Now when you do look at individual activities—we looked at every single activity that we pay people to do in the economy—45 percent of those could be automated by adapting currently demonstrated technologies. Which is a remarkable number, but that doesn’t mean that 45 percent of jobs right now can be completely automated. Rather, almost every job has a significant percentage of its activities that can be automated.”

Freedom from menial tasks at last?

Much of the fear surrounding automation comes from a misinformed understanding of how automation happens. Measurable automation shifts in the marketplace can take decades—even centuries. Despite the startling advances in things like robotics or artificial intelligence, there are always barriers to acceptance that slow down automation’s proliferation into modern society.

The McKinsey Global Institute study names five factors that set the pace of automation globally including technical capability, the cost of new solutions, the current state of the market, economic advantages to automation, and social acceptance.

When job offerings change due to automation, it happens simultaneously alongside new job creation for roles that work harmoniously alongside technology. Right-brained, creative abilities are valued in this new economic frontier while things like repetitive, highly predictable physical tasks and data gathering roles are increasingly resigned to the realm of automation.

Author Daniel Pink provides a high-level explanation of how this shift in values works in the marketplace of skill:

“A lot of white-collar work requires less of the routine, rule-based, what we might call algorithmic set of capabilities, and more of the harder-to-outsource, harder-to-automate, non-routine, creative, juristic—as the scholars call it—abilities.”

While certain types of white-collar work enjoy some protections from automation, they aren’t immune to it by any means. AI is showing proficiency and even mastery in complex fields of understanding like deciphering human emotion and language.

Researchers from the University of Oxford found that Google’s AI technology DeepMind was able to read lips at an accuracy rate of 50 percent higher than language experts. According to Hal Hodson of New Scientist:

“Artificial intelligence is also making major strides: in one recent test, computers were able to read lips with 95 percent accuracy, outperforming professional human lip-readers who tested at 52 percent accuracy.”

So maybe instead of plotting the next point on the map of automation takeovers, the question we should be asking is: “What is the real cost of not automating?”

According to The McKinsey Global Institute, it’s significant. An aging population and declining birth rates globally means there won’t be enough workers to address the GDP growth goals for many countries. In this way, automation can act as a “new engine of GDP growth.” The McKinsey report explains:

“Automation can serve as a new productivity engine for the global economy […] Automation could raise global productivity by as much as 0.8 to 1.4 percent annually. While that will not be enough to ensure all countries meet their per capita GDP growth aspirations, it will make a major contribution toward that goal.”

But more than that, the ability to grow our industries and workforce toward high-value, right-brained work instead of simpler tasks that machine learning can handle autonomously.

And as we’ve learned, not all types of automation are the same. Easily deployable automation solutions that are software-based are much closer to entering markets than burdensome, machinery-dependent enhancements prone to tighter regulation.

In the end, it’s a company’s leadership that is ultimately responsible for catching the inspiration behind automation and bringing it to their companies in whatever functional capacity they can. Chui ends his commentary on the global automation report with this thought:

“As a senior leader, as a general manager, as an executive, you need to start to understand these technologies themselves, and find out what’s actually possible, and how these technologies are advancing over time.”

Executives are uniquely positioned at this time in history to grasp the opportunity automation offers and to wield it as a competitive advantage within their industries. Companies are often too focused on playing good defense that their offensive strategy slips through the cracks. Automation is a distinctive upper hand on the playing field of the future if companies can get there sooner than later.

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