Intelligence at the Edge
While the internet has traditionally only connected computers and people, IoT brings together all kinds of connected devices into a global network of distributed intelligence. This evolution opens up a new world of innovation and creativity. While IoT may be relatively new, organizations worldwide are rapidly adopting it in their business models and many are already reaping significant benefits. The growth of mobile, cloud computing, and big data has created the perfect environment to make IoT real and ready to scale.
The volume of information being gathered and stored, enables the rise of big data and machine learning, automating the process of gaining meaningful insights. Not all of these insights need to be processed and analyzed in the cloud. In fact, machine learning is now being executed on devices at the edge. This ensures data privacy, real-time results, and lower communications costs. The cloud is still important, but in many cases it performs higher-level analytics across regions in many cases.
IoT Security is Essential
Securing the IoT is one of the big barriers to IoT reaching its full potential. To truly protect the billions of devices entering the field, security needs to be considered at the very beginning of device design—built in from the ground up and throughout the full lifecycle of the device. As the IoT starts to fix real-world problems, the value of assets inside IoT devices will only increase, making them prime targets for hackers.
Protecting our IoT devices and assets (for example the sensor data, or encryption keys), requires careful analysis of IoT assets. We also need to consider all security threats (communication, lifecycle, physical or software attacks), ensuring informed decisions are made about the necessary counter-measures to safeguard each IoT use case. If security is not considered upfront, enterprises and users of IoT may later find deployments compromised, risking revenue, brand credibility or in some cases, life-threatening situations.
IoT Applications
Every day the IoT is fueling bold new business models and giving consumers new ways to improve virtually every aspect of their lives. So, what are some of the most promising IoT applications now gaining traction in the market? How do organizations derive value from these applications? And what do these applications promise for future growth opportunities, operational efficiencies, and technology innovation?
IoT Technologies
The technologies required to develop and secure the Internet of Things are even more complex, interdependent, and pervasive than those that gave rise to the internet itself. Getting them right is critical; but so is knowing how to bring them all together. Technology development and ecosystem orchestration goes hand-in-hand as industry participants turn working concepts into real solutions that advance markets and enrich lives.
