IoT: The Plausible Impossible!

Ever wondered how your smartphone takes charge of your home appliances from changing the color panel of the LED lights to adjusting the AC's temperature in accordance with the current weather outside? Doesn't it feel as if a certain consciousness or intelligence has been manifested in your dwelling? Well, there's a reason these types of residences are called 'Smart Homes' and not ' Haunted Houses'. This is exactly how the Internet of Things(IoT) is making something that seems impossible, plausible!

Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the billions of physical devices across the globe that are connected to the internet and are hence intertwined with each other and capable of collecting, transferring, and sharing data. If you are wondering about the scale of things that can be a part of the Internet of things, then to answer your question it can be as trivial as a child's toy to a driverless truck, it can be as simple as changing your room's indoor lighting to set a jet to advanced autopilot.

Hold your breath as we unravel the ingenious behind Tony Stark's Virtual assistant -J.A.R.V.I.S, and today’s modern industries.

A BRIEF HISTORY

The very idea of incorporating sensors and intelligence into basic objects came into the picture around the 1980s and 1990s. But at that time, it only remained limited to being only a theoretical abstract as there were no technological means for its practical application. Only a few projects were made into a working prototype one of them being an Internet-connected Vending Machine. The chips back then used to be big and bulky hence cutting down the efficiency of effective communication among devices.

Progress was slow, but the adoption of RFID tags- low-power chips capable of communicating wirelessly started solving some of the issues, and along came the availability of broadband internet and cellular wireless networks. The innovation of IPv6 which can provide enough IP addresses for every device across the globe was a necessary and massive development in the field of the Internet of Things.

The term " Internet of Things " was coined by Kevin Ashton in 1999 and it took us almost a decade to come parallel to the vision which started the grand scheme of events in the tech industry.

DECODING THE IoT IMPLEMENTATION

A complete fully functioning Internet of Things system integrates four distinct components:

• Sensors/Devices

• Connectivity

• Data Processing

• User Interface

Let's dive a bit deeper and learn how these 4 components actually contribute to an IoT system.

Sensors/Devices: Initially, the data is collected by the sensors from the environment. This could range from something as minimal as a temperature reading to something like a full video feed. Sometimes a group of sensors likes - a camera, accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS, etc. can be bundled together in a single device. However, if it is a standalone sensor or a group of sensors the tasks remain the same i.e., to collect data from the surrounding. 

Connectivity: The collected is then sent to the cloud. But to establish this connectivity with the cloud we need to adopt different approaches like cellular, satellite, WIFI, Bluetooth, and Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN). Each option comes with its own advantages and tradeoffs and it's advisable to choose the form of connectivity depending on the type of application it intends to achieve. 

Data Processing: Once the data is uploaded to the cloud the software makes it undergo data processing. In this phase, the data is analyzed and the device takes necessary decisions to give the correct output corresponding to the input data. This could be as simple as monitoring one’s room temperature to as effective as identifying the presence of unauthorized human intervention as intruders in the house. 

User Interface: Next, the information is provided to the end user. This could be done via an alert message to the user like email, text, notification, etc. For example, a text alert when the temperature is too high in the company’s cold storage. 

Also, a user might possess an interface that allows them to proactively check in on the system. For example, a user might want to check the video feeds inside their house in their absence via a mobile application or a web browser.

However, it’s not always a one-way passage. Depending on the IoT application, the user may also be able to perform an action and amend the system. For example, the user might remotely adjust the temperature in the cold storage via an app on their phone. And some actions are performed automatically. Rather than waiting for the user to adjust the temperature, the system could do it automatically via predefined rules. And rather than just calling the user to alert them of an intruder, the IoT system can also automatically notify the appropriate authorities.

TECH GIANTS AND THEIR IoT APPLICATIONS

The primary drive for automation and IoT is to significantly reduce operating expenditures once automation devices, sensors, and actuators become Internet-enabled devices. The next big leap in productivity is already here and its major advantages are to derive from the organization and acquisition of data in previously unimaginable scales. New Enterprise Marketing Intelligence (EMI) brings together manufacturing-related data together across many different sources for reporting, analysis, visual summaries, and passing data between enterprise-level and plant floor systems.

One cannot talk about the Internet of Things without including these companies and their IoT and Automation geniuses.

Amper Technologies: Amper is a company based in Chicago, Illinois and it employs its factory OS system to make efficient use of web-connected sensors and data science to enhance its manufacturing process. The sensors register a variety of important facets, including energy usage and downtime so the factory owners and supervisors can come up with a better business plan to cut costs and enhance the areas of growth. 

Axzon: Axzon is a company based in Austin, Texas. It uses sensors that provide crucial real-time data during the automotive manufacturing process and its predictive Maintenance technology monitors the factory condition and equipment to foresee and prevent any unwanted breakdown or time-consuming repairs. 

Simplisafe: A company based in Boston, Massachusetts that makes wireless or cellular home security systems that are disaster-ready, protected against power outages, operate on extra secure networks and use deep encryption. SimpliSafe's Glassbreak sensors can even differentiate between different types of shattering ranging from breaking a glass bottle to breaking a glass window pane. 

John Deere: A company based in Moline, Illinois recently incorporated Silicon Valley based Blue River Technology to facilitate the company's goal of applying IoT, machine learning, and other technology to agriculture. Deere's equipment monitors important agriculture factors like moisture levels, air and soil temperature, and wind speed and conveys the collected data to farmers. The company's tractors and other types of equipment are outfitted with satellite-connected guidance and tracking systems that cull data to allow for what we call " precision farming", which generally increases the efficiency of fertilizers and pesticides. 

THE CHALLENGES AHEAD!

IoT and automation like every other technology has some challenges that must be overcome first for their proper implementation. Some of them are discussed below. Security and privacy 

Keeping the data gathered and transmitted by IoT devices safely and secured is challenging, as they develop and expand in their application. Although cybersecurity is a high priority, IoT devices aren't always included in maneuvering. Devices must be protected from physical tampering, internet-based software assaults, network-based interventions, and hardware-based relapses.

Data privacy is also a major concern, especially because IoT devices are being adopted in more sensitive industries such as healthcare and finance. Information privacy laws are coming into effect globally, which means that not only does it make good business sense to protect the data, but businesses are legally obligated to do so.

Integrating encryption and security protocols with IoT devices can be difficult with a large squadron of devices. The cost in time, effort, and money to do it on all devices might be restrictive, so some businesses might use inadequate platforms because they're cheap or forego it altogether. All it takes is one breach for a business to lose its socioeconomic stability

Technical complexity

Though it might seem like IoT devices are performing manageable tasks such as counting entry swipes at a secure door, there's a lot of complex technology involved in devising them. In addition, if they're providing essential data to another workflow or system, they could negatively affect everything correlated with it. Miscounting the number of swipes at the door isn't a huge deal, but if a device confuses temperature data with entry swipe stats, it can be catastrophic. And the fault isn't always easy to fix.

There is a big learning curve in deploying and incorporating IoT devices. It makes sense to develop a strategy on how, when, and why to deploy them before acquiring them. That way, one can be assured that they're functioning as intended.

Connectivity and power dependence

Many devices depend on a continuous power supply or internet connectivity to run properly. When either goes down, so does the device, the data associated with it, and anything connected to it. Given how intertwined IoT devices are in present-day businesses, everything can crumble to a halt when they're down.

Businesses must realize how outages will affect their devices to engineer proactively for outages because an outage will surely happen at some point in time. Troubleshooting and incident administration processes can help mitigate that.

Integration

There's presently no consensus regarding IoT protocols and standards, so devices produced by different manufacturers might or might not work with existing technology. Each one might require diverse configurations and hardware connections, making it hard to deploy efficiently.

The company must understand network requirements to prepare for any necessary customization. That also means planning for additional time with device deployments to handle any troubleshooting or associated tasks that might arise.

Time-consuming and expensive to implement

Deploying IoT devices often come with high time and capital investment requirements. There's the number of devices to be purchased and configured, technical staff to install them, and others to integrate them into the network and support calls to the manufacturer for maintenance.

IoT devices can be beneficial to businesses today, but only if the companies know what they're getting into. And these are just some of the challenges along the way. With a little planning, and business strategies the companies will have a better impression of what they need and how IoT devices can add to their cause and vision.

IoT SETTING NEW TIDES FOR THE ELECTRONICS MARKET

The demand generated by IoT is creating a massive upsurge in the electronic component market. Components are essential as they serve to collect, process, and transmit real-world signals and data for IoT products and their applications. This brings forth favorable opportunities to component companies and also indicates an exponential growth of component sales in the market over the next few years. IoT investments in India were close to US$ 5 billion in 2019 and are expected to triple or even quadruple by the end of 2021, according to the global management consultancy firm Zinnov. Narayan Kumar, group chief,

the industrial devices division of Panasonic India says, “In the current environment, digitization has led to the rise of contactless technologies and connected/IoT-enabled appliances. This has fueled the demand for electronic components across industries. Use cases of IoT will bring in opportunities for the component market and also for new product development.”

IoT AND THE GLOBAL MARKET

Worldwide expenditure on the IoT was forecast to reach $745 billion in 2019, an increase of

15.4% over the $646 billion spent in 2018, according to IDC, and surpasses the $1 trillion mark in 2022. Top industries for the IoT were predicted to be discrete manufacturing - $119 billion in spending, $78 billion in process manufacturing, $71 billion in transportation, and $61 in utilities billion. For producers, projects to support asset management will be fundamental; in transportation, it will be freight monitoring, and fleet management attaining top priority. IoT spending in the utility industry will be dominated by smart-grid projects for electricity, gas, and water.

Consumer IoT spending was foretold to hit the $108 billion mark, making it the second-largest industry segment: smart home, personal wellness, and connected vehicle infotainment will see much of the expenditure.

FATE OF IoT AND AUTOMATION IN INDIA

Let's take a tour of the advances India has made in the field of IoT and Automation and see what the market leaders have to say in this regard.

In Kohima, a city in north India, the data collected from sensors and other Internet of things (IoT) devices is being utilized to control street lighting, and ensure public safety.

Between New Delhi and Varanasi, the Vande Bharat Express – India’s first semi-high-speed train – uses a collision-avoidance system comprising IoT devices and applications to prevent accidents due to human transgression or equipment failure.

In the agricultural field, Tea Tantrum, a supplier of wellness and premium teas in India, is using IoT technology to monitor moisture content and maintain the proportions of the ingredients of some of its products.

Industry spectators have singled out India as a hotspot for IoT deployments, with the market expected to reach $17billion by the end of 2021, according to Ray Wang, founder, and principal analyst at Constellation Research.

“In the industrial segment, sectors like health sciences, power, and core manufacturing will leverage IoT use cases in supply chain monitoring and asset maintenance to drive IoT adoption,” says P N Sudarshan, an associate in Deloitte India.

“In the consumer segment, the need for personalized customer experience and enhanced aftermarket support will drive retail organizations to implement IoT. Similarly, in the public sector, the Indian government’s focus on establishing smart cities will create the substantial potential for IoT spending in public safety, traffic management, and energy management,” he appends.

Following the introduction of the goods and services tax (GST), which marked a big turning point for businesses in the Indian subcontinent, more investments have been made in warehouses to elevate supply chain efficiency and effectiveness.

“Large, modern warehouses are fully equipped to track containers and are completely automated. This may not be easy for smaller warehouses, again because of legacy issues, but adoption of IoT is being driven by supply chain needs,” said Arun Jethmalani, founder and managing director of market intelligence firm ValueNotes.

Indian companies have also started to leverage IoT capabilities in product development. Staqo, an IT service provider developed a bicycle-tracking application that uses IoT to improve user safety and deliver real-time alerts. This is being done by weaving artificial intelligence into features such as dismount detection, geofencing, and speed checks.

Finally, the onset of the pandemic, which has fueled demand for contactless technologies, is likely to reinforce IoT adoption in the property and security sectors.

Mathew Chandy, managing director of Duroflex, notes that the main bugbear in IoT adoption in India lies in the industries, some of which are mostly unorganized with loosely formed processes.

“That is what’s stopping Industry 4.0 from going into full swing,” says Mr. Chandy. “The highly unpredictable manner of demand movement and non-standardized processes are serious hurdles right now when we consider large-scale IoT implementations. We are trying to break away from the barrier.”

“While pharmaceuticals and consumer goods companies are building new factories and embracing IoT to automate their plants, smaller companies have not joined the adoption curve,” says Jethmalani, manager at ValueNotes.Then there are challenges around integration and connectivity. “The lack of common standards is a worldwide issue with IoT, but in India, it stops businesses from getting the full power out of this technology,” adds Jethmalani.

"Cybersecurity has been a perennial concern with IoT and will remain so until a global IoT security framework can be adopted by enterprises", says Prashant Bhat, managing director for cybersecurity and privacy at consulting firm Protiviti India.

Besides technical difficulties related to standards and security, IoT adoption is also hampered by the lack of capital investment and skilled labor– though the situation is progressing with India’s IoT landscape already attracting players of all divisions, including research labs, suppliers, and promising IoT startups such as ThingsCloud and SeeHow.

Prashant Bhat notes that IoT professionals and adopters in India are increasingly forming industry and technological forums to ensure that product designs, protocol standards, supporting solutions, and implementation models are properly aligned. “This enables earlier, easier adoption and faster progress on the road to IoT infrastructure maturity,” says Bhat.

On the supply side, Deloitte’s Sudarshan is hopeful that promising market trends, such as the low cost of storing and computing data in the cloud, the receding cost of connectivity and sensors, as well as expanding smartphone penetration, will provide strong tailwinds for IoT adoption in India.