What is IoT?
The Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to a system of physical devices that can both send and receive data over a wireless network without human interaction. Today, these devices can range from ordinary household objects to sophisticated industrial tools. IoT technology is used in multiple business models to promote efficiency and reduce costs.
There are currently more than 7 billion connected IoT devices in the world, and experts expect this number to increase to 22 billion in the next five years. Here’s everything you need to know about this growing technology, its security considerations, and how you can use it to your advantage.
What are IoT devices and how do they work?
An IoT device--in other words, a “thing”--is any physical object capable of an internet connection for the sake of receiving or transmitting data. Common examples of smart devices are smartphones, wearables, smart watches, and alarm clocks, but even objects such as jet engines or heavy machinery on a construction site can be IoT devices with the use of internet-connected sensors.
A typical IoT platform works by sending, receiving, and analyzing data in a continuous feedback loop. For example, in order for your smart thermostat to predict the optimal time to change temperatures before you arrive at your smart home, your IoT system will connect to the Google Maps API to collect data about real-time traffic patterns near you. Additionally, it could utilize long-term data that your car collects about your commuting habits. However, transfer data can even be collected from every utility company’s customers with a smart thermostat to be analyzed for larger-scale optimization efforts.
Are IoT devices secure?
All this sensor data – and much, much more – will have to be sent and transmitted somewhere using Wi-Fi, 4G or 5G. With all the data being collected, are there risks involved in adopting IoT technology? Connected devices are constantly communicating using machine-to-machine systems and cloud computing. IoT fleets for example consist of a growing number of long-lived devices that are geographically distributed and have diverse capabilities. These characteristics raise questions about how to address security risks posed by vulnerable IoT devices.
In the IoT ecosystem, the physical computing frontier is managed by the sensors. Sensors are used to further aggregate and analyze data sent to Internet cloud services through these devices with embedded sensory capabilities that acquire and communicate data. The additional functions would include processing/system management and user interface. Regarding questions of privacy and ownership of data that is being distributed, the owner of machine-generated data (MGD), is the entity who holds title to the device that records the data. In other words, the data produced by the device is also owned by the entity that owns the IoT device. However, with multiple claimants, the value chain of who owns the data can become complex. The complications can grow as one might aggregate more sources. Smart cities for example have multiple layers and operational areas that can be sources of data.
This is why Samsara holds data IoT security to the highest standards. Samsara’s world-class security program centers on the concept of defense in depth: securing our organization, and your organization’s data, at multiple layers. All aspects of Samsara’s service — from its patented technology architecture to built-in security tools for administrators to ongoing monitoring and risk mitigation—are designed for security and reliability by seasoned industry experts with extensive experience building secure technology systems. Read here to learn more about our robust security program in depth.
Examples of enterprise IoT
Data analysis can be conducted either by humans or artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), in near real-time or over a longer period. The analysis depends on the kind of IoT system. Enterprise IoT is one of the new advancements in technology which utilizes the IoT system for increasing business efficiency and reducing manual labor. Enterprise opportunities include energy use and sustainability, asset tracking, security and compliance, and customer experience.
Industrial IoT (IIoT)
IIoT puts technologies directly to use on the manufacturing floor by using networked sensors and intelligent devices to collect data to drive artificial intelligence and predictive analytics. Consider the implementation of specialized sensors to parts of heavy machinery on a construction site that are most prone to breakage and overuse. Not only are sensors like this used for predictive maintenance and to improve human proficiency (an example of real-time data collection and analysis), but also to feed data back to the factory where engineers can improve new model designs (an example of longer-term data analysis).
Benefits of IIoT include improving operating efficiencies by saving time tracking tools or equipment through location tracking, improving safety, and sensing issues and triggering service requests. Additionally, the future may hold a leasing model that allows equipment to be leased by the owner and monitored remotely. If maintenance, repairs, and upgrades could be done automatically through built-in sensors, the equipment could be marketed as both a product and a service.
Farming IoT
IoT has been used in farming and agriculture to reduce the need for manual labor and help farmers close the supply demand gap. Internet connectivity solutions have revolutionized farming in a number of ways such as specialized equipment, wireless connectivity, software and IT services. IoT smart farming solutions is a system that is built for monitoring the crop field with the help of sensors (light, humidity, temperature, soil moisture, crop health, etc.) and automating the irrigation system.
For example, by installing an array of moisture sensors across their fields, farmers are now able to receive more accurate data to predict when to irrigate their crops. IoT can be utilized further when moisture sensors are connected to IoT applications controlling the irrigation machinery itself. Through this technology, irrigation would be automatically triggered based on sensor data and human intervention becomes unnecessary. Additionally, the farmers can monitor the field conditions from anywhere. Based on the collected data, farmers can also select between automated and manual options for taking necessary actions. For example, the farmer can deploy sensors to start the irrigation if the soil moisture level decreases. When compared with the conventional approach, smart farming is exceedingly efficient.
Logistics and transportation IoT
Various IoT applications have strong benefits for transportation and logistical systems. Due to IoT sensor data technology, fleets of cars, trains, trucks, and ships that carry inventory can be rerouted based on weather conditions, driver availability, or vehicle availability. The inventory itself could also be equipped with sensors for temperature-control and track-and-trace monitoring. Many industries highly benefit from IoT monitoring applications that alert when temperatures fall or rise to a level that threatens the product, such as food and beverage or pharmaceutical industries which often carry temperature-sensitive inventory.
One of the first implementations of IoT in the logistics and transportation industry involved labelling shipping containers with radio-frequency identification (RFID) devices. The labels were used to store digital data that can be captured through radio waves within a certain distance of a reader. This allowed logistics companies to track when containers arrived by having RFID readers installed at specific checkpoints such as a warehouse or a shipping yard. Today, battery-powered smart tracking devices have replaced RFID over the course of various IoT advancements. These devices can help logistics and transportation by continuously transmitting data so companies can use real-time data analytics for shipments throughout every part of the supply chain. Benefits of IoT for transportation authorities include increased operational performance and reduced energy use.
IoT and Fleet Management
IoT can be used in a number of ways for fleet management. Collecting and transmitting data through telematics devices is one primary use. The sensors can be installed on any given vehicle, such as the GPS device sensor for geographical location data which includes information on a vehicle’s speed and acceleration. A connected vehicle can also generate engine data, fuel data, driver behavior data, and auxiliary data. Additionally, vehicle tracking systems are often used by fleet operators for tasks like routing, fleet tracking, dispatching, on-board information, and security.
Generally, every truck can be equipped with hardware sensors to track driver behavior and fuel efficiency, but the truck will need to have sensors pre-installed to track maintenance. When the data is collected, it is automatically available at the fingertips of fleet operators and converted into useful analytics with fleet management software.
How does this data help you?
As big data is collected in real time, fleet managers can use it to coach their drivers using in-cab analytics and automate various processes. In addition to real-time coaching, collecting this data allows fleet managers to make more informed decisions and reduce costs by optimizing routes or monitoring driving patterns. Consider the fact that most trucks consume fuel at the paltry rate of roughly five miles per gallon. With better data regarding how their fuel is consumed, even an additional mile per gallon through more intelligent fuel consumption can lead to massive savings.
Samsara uses IoT solutions to catch your problems early, rapidly respond to changing conditions, and overall improve your fleet productivity. For more information, reach out to Samsara for a free trial, or learn more about our solutions in the construction industry.