Introduction to Internet of Things (IoT)

Connecting everyday things embedded with electronics, software, and sensors to

internet enabling to collect and exchange data without human interaction called as
the Internet of Things (IoT).

The term "Things" in the Internet of Things refers to anything and everything in day
to day life which is accessed or connected through the internet.

IoT stands for Internet of Things. It refers to the interconnectedness of physical

devices, such as appliances and vehicles, that are embedded with software, sensors,
and connectivity which enables these objects to connect and exchange data. This
technology allows for the collection and sharing of data from a vast network of
devices, creating opportunities for more efficient and automated systems.

IoT (Internet of Things) is an advanced automation and analytics system which

exploits networking, sensing, big data, and artificial intelligence technology to
deliver complete systems for a product or service. These systems allow greater
transparency, control, and performance when applied to any industry or system.

IoT systems have applications across industries through their unique flexibility and
ability to be suitable in any environment. They enhance data collection, automation,
operations, and much more through smart devices and powerful enabling
technology.

Internet of Things (IoT) is the networking of physical objects that contain

electronics embedded within their architecture in order to communicate and sense
interactions amongst each other or with respect to the external environment. In the
upcoming years, IoT-based technology will offer advanced levels of services and
practically change the way people lead their daily lives. Advancements in medicine,
power, gene therapies, agriculture, smart cities, and smart homes are just a few of
the categorical examples where IoT is strongly established.
IOT is a system of interrelated things, computing devices, mechanical and digital
machines, objects, animals, or people that are provided with unique identifiers. And
the ability to transfer the data over a network requiring human-to-human or human-
to-computer interaction.

IoT is an advanced automation and analytics system which deals with artificial
intelligence, sensor, networking, electronic, cloud messaging etc. to deliver
complete systems for the product or services. The system created by IoT has greater
transparency, control, and performance.

As we have a platform such as a cloud that contains all the data through which we
connect all the things around us. For example, a house, where we can connect our
home appliances such as air conditioner, light, etc. through each other and all these
things are managed at the same platform. Since we have a platform, we can connect
our car, track its fuel meter, speed level, and also track the location of the car.
If there is a common platform where all these things can connect to each other would
be great because based on my preference, I can set the room temperature. For
example, if I love the room temperature to to be set at 25 or 26-degree Celsius when I
reach back home from my office, then according to my car location, my AC would
start before 10 minutes I arrive at home. This can be done through the Internet of
Things (IoT).

History of IOT
Here you will get to know about how IOT is involved and also from the explanation
of each will let you know how IOT plays a role in this innovations !

 1982 – Vending machine: The first glimpse of IoT emerged as a vending

machine at Carnegie Mellon University was connected to the internet to report its
inventory and status, paving the way for remote monitoring.
 1990 – Toaster: Early IoT innovation saw a toaster connected to the internet,
allowing users to control it remotely, foreshadowing the convenience of smart
home devices.
 1999 – IoT Coined (Kevin Ashton): Kevin Ashton coined the term “Internet of
Things” to describe the interconnected network of devices communicating and
sharing data, laying the foundation for a new era of connectivity.
 2000 – LG Smart Fridge: The LG Smart Fridge marked a breakthrough, enabling
users to check and manage refrigerator contents remotely, showcasing the
potential of IoT in daily life.
 2004 – Smart Watch: The advent of smartwatches introduced IoT to the wearable
tech realm, offering fitness tracking and notifications on-the-go.
 2007 – Smart iPhone: Apple’s iPhone became a game-changer, integrating IoT
capabilities with apps that connected users to a myriad of services and devices,
transforming smartphones into hubs.
 2009 – Car Testing: IoT entered the automotive industry, enhancing vehicles
with sensors for real-time diagnostics, performance monitoring, and remote
testing.
 2011 – Smart TV: The introduction of Smart TVs brought IoT to the living room,
enabling internet connectivity for streaming, app usage, and interactive content.
 2013 – Google Lens: Google Lens showcased IoT’s potential in image
recognition, allowing smartphones to provide information about objects in the
physical world.
 2014 – Echo: Amazon’s Echo, equipped with the virtual assistant Alexa,
demonstrated the power of voice-activated IoT, making smart homes more
intuitive and responsive.
 2015 – Tesla Autopilot: Tesla’s Autopilot system exemplified IoT in
automobiles, introducing semi-autonomous driving capabilities through
interconnected sensors and software.

Four Key Components of IOT

 Device or sensor
 Connectivity
 Data processing
 Interface

IoT is network of interconnected computing devices which are embedded in

everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data.
Over 9 billion ‘Things’ (physical objects) are currently connected to the Internet, as
of now. In the near future, this number is expected to rise to a whopping 20 billion.

Main Components Used in IoT

 Low-power embedded systems: Less battery consumption, high performance
are the inverse factors that play a significant role during the design of electronic
systems.
 Sensors: Sensors are the major part of any IoT application. It is a physical device
that measures and detects certain physical quantities and converts it into signal
which can be provided as an input to processing or control unit for analysis
purpose.
Different types of Sensors
 Temperature Sensors
 Image Sensors
 Gyro Sensors
 Obstacle Sensors
 RF Sensor
 IR Sensor
 MQ-02/05 Gas Sensor
 LDR Sensor
 Ultrasonic Distance Sensor

 Control Units: It is a unit of small computer on a single integrated circuit

containing microprocessor or processing core, memory and programmable
input/output devices/peripherals. It is responsible for major processing work of
IoT devices and all logical operations are carried out here.
 Cloud computing: Data collected through IoT devices is massive, and this data
has to be stored on a reliable storage server. This is where cloud computing
comes into play. The data is processed and learned, giving more room for us to
discover where things like electrical faults/errors are within the system.
 Availability of big data: We know that IoT relies heavily on sensors, especially
in real-time. As these electronic devices spread throughout every field, their
usage is going to trigger a massive flux of big data.
 Networking connection: In order to communicate, internet connectivity is a
must, where each physical object is represented by an IP address. However, there
are only a limited number of addresses available according to the IP naming. Due
to the growing number of devices, this naming system will not be feasible
anymore. Therefore, researchers are looking for another alternative naming
system to represent each physical object.

Applications of Internet of Things(IoT)

The Internet of Things collects billions of data daily all around the world. It helps to
create an extensive network by collaborating data, keeping it connected with an
extensive network, and sorting out data precisely. It helps to solve various
complicated issues simply and efficiently in a short time.

Designing efficient devices is the primary work of IoT engineers. They design devices
to remove laborious work and update the world with advanced technologies. We can
use these devices in daily living and workplaces to keep updated with the latest
technology and avoid manual work.

But if you wonder where we can use these devices, here are some common
applications where IoT plays an important role.
10 Common Applications of IoT

1. Smart Homes

If we look at our homes, we can find IoT. The lock system of our doors is based on
the technology developed by IoT. You do not need to open and close the doors and
windows manually. Remotes can do this job now and reduce our manual labor.

Moreover, the IoT devices measure electricity and water usage daily by the
established sensors in the meter. The IoT is also used to record TV shows. Now, we
can purchase smart televisions and record the shows we wish to watch according to
our schedule.

2. Smart City

The Internet has not been limited to introducing networks around the world. It has
extended its uses in the city too. The IoT helps manage traffic control, hydraulic and
thermal power, dumping material, and other manual work. It helps in managing
vehicles through IoT. This way, these devices add comfort to people's daily life.

3. Self-driven Vehicles

With the invention of smartphones, we can quickly book cabs. The public can easily
book their transport and reach their destination without wasting time. It eases the
process of searching for vehicles as the booking of the vehicle has been made.

4. Online Shopping

Online shopping has become the preferable IoT over smartphones. Instead of standing
in queues and waiting for the salesperson to entertain us, we can quickly go grocery
shopping for clothes and everyday used things online. Most people prefer it from a
different e-commerce application like Amazon. It is both a time and money saver. IoT
has set specific devices which aid online shopping through android and iOS phones.

5. Health

IoT has set particular devices like beds in hospitals and unique types of sensors
attached to our bodies that can monitor our blood sugar continuously. These devices
help measure blood pressure, and an oximeter regulates our body temperature. These
devices are built with the current IoT systems. Thus, we can manage things at home
instead of unnecessarily visiting the doctor.
6. Agriculture

IoT has obtained a level in agriculture as well. The application of the Internet of
things gives us perfect data regarding information for growing crops well. It gives us
information regarding the type of soil needed, appropriate temperature, and water
required for the proper growth of the crop. It tells us the best time to grow particular
crops and the diseases present in the crop to be grown so that the pesticide and
insecticide can be applied accordingly.

7. Traffic Management

We can also use IoT applications for traffic management. We all must have used
Google Maps or other location-centric software someday. These applications predict
the traffic while reaching the source to the destination.

When this traffic is analysed for a longer period, IoT can also predict the traffic
scenario at peak hours, helping people with easy commutes.

8. Energy Saving

Different types of sensors are being equipped in the devices to save electric and water
energy. It prevents useless waste by establishing a dual communication system
between the energy power user and the supplier. These devices also help in
monitoring energy consumption regularly.

9. Wearables

The Internet of Things has introduced sensors and devices with artificial machinery
that help operate virtual glasses, calorie burner meters, and GPS tracking belts. It has
established Apple phones which can be connected to our watches, heartbeats, and
fitness bands. Google, Samsung, and Apple have introduced IoT applications that are
helpful in daily life.

10. Pollution Control

Pollution is the biggest problem in almost all cities. We are sometimes unaware
whether we breathe smoke or oxygen in polluted cities. With the help of IoT, we can
collect data from a particular area and inform the concerned authority and the
government well in advance to take steps to control pollution.
Modern Applications
 Smart Grids and energy saving
 Smart cities
 Smart homes/Home automation
 Healthcare
 Earthquake detection
 Radiation detection/hazardous gas detection
 Smartphone detection
 Water flow monitoring
 Traffic monitoring
 Wearables
 Smart door lock protection system
 Robots and Drones
 Healthcare and Hospitals, Telemedicine applications
 Security
 Biochip Transponders (For animals in farms)
 Heart monitoring implants (Example Pacemaker, ECG real time tracking)
 Agriculture
 Industry

Features of IOT
The most important features of IoT on which it works are connectivity, analyzing,
integrating, active engagement, and many more. Some of them are listed below:

Connectivity: Connectivity refers to establish a proper connection between all the

things of IoT to IoT platform it may be server or cloud. After connecting the IoT
devices, it needs a high speed messaging between the devices and cloud to enable
reliable, secure and bi-directional communication.

Analyzing: After connecting all the relevant things, it comes to real-time analyzing
the data collected and use them to build effective business intelligence. If we have a
good insight into data gathered from all these things, then we call our system has a
smart system.

Integrating: IoT integrating the various models to improve the user experience as
well.

Artificial Intelligence: IoT makes things smart and enhances life through the use of
data. For example, if we have a coffee machine whose beans have going to end, then
the coffee machine itself order the coffee beans of your choice from the retailer.

Sensing: The sensor devices used in IoT technologies detect and measure any change
in the environment and report on their status. IoT technology brings passive networks
to active networks. Without sensors, there could not hold an effective or true IoT
environment.
Active Engagement: IoT makes the connected technology, product, or services to
active engagement between each other.

Ways of Building IOT

There are two ways of building IoT:
 Form a separate internet work including only physical objects.
 Make the Internet ever more expansive, but this requires hard-core technologies
such as rigorous cloud computing and rapid big data storage (expensive).

IoT Enablers
 RFIDs: uses radio waves in order to electronically track the tags attached to each
physical object.
 Sensors: devices that are able to detect changes in an environment (ex: motion
detectors).
 Nanotechnology: as the name suggests, these are tiny devices with dimensions
usually less than a hundred nanometers.
 Smart networks: (ex: mesh topology).

Working with IoT Devices

 Collect and Transmit Data : For this purpose sensors are widely used they are
used as per requirements in different application areas.
 Actuate device based on triggers produced by sensors or processing
devices: If certain conditions are satisfied or according to user’s requirements if
certain trigger is activated then which action to perform that is shown by
Actuator devices.
 Receive Information: From network devices, users or devices can take certain
information also for their analysis and processing purposes.
 Communication Assistance: Communication assistance is the phenomenon of
communication between 2 networks or communication between 2 or more IoT
devices of same or different networks. This can be achieved by different
communication protocols like: MQTT, Constrained Application Protocol,
ZigBee, FTP, HTTP etc.

Characteristics of IoT
 Massively scalable and efficient
 IP-based addressing will no longer be suitable in the upcoming future.
 An abundance of physical objects is present that do not use IP, so IoT is made
possible.
 Devices typically consume less power. When not in use, they should be
automatically programmed to sleep.
 A device that is connected to another device right now may not be connected in
another instant of time.
 Intermittent connectivity – IoT devices aren’t always connected. In order to save
bandwidth and battery consumption, devices will be powered off periodically
 when not in use. Otherwise, connections might turn unreliable and thus prove to
be inefficient.

Desired Quality of any IoT Application

Interconnectivity
It is the basic first requirement in any IoT infrastructure. Connectivity should be
guaranteed from any devices on any network then only devices in a network can
communicate with each other.
Heterogeneity
There can be diversity in IoT enabled devices like different hardware and software
configuration or different network topologies or connections, but they should
connect and interact with each other despite so much heterogeneity.
Dynamic in Nature
IoT devices should dynamically adapt themselves to the changing surroundings like
different situations and different prefaces.
Self-adapting and self configuring technology
For example, surveillance camera. It should be flexible to work in different weather
conditions and different light situations (morning, afternoon, or night).
Intelligence
Just data collection is not enough in IoT, extraction of knowledge from the
generated data is very important. For example, sensors generate data, but that data
will only be useful if it is interpreted properly. So intelligence is one of the key
characteristics in IoT. Because data interpretation is the major part in any IoT
application because without data processing we can’t make any insights from data.
Hence, big data is also one of the most enabling technologies in IoT field.
Scalability
The number of elements (devices) connected to IoT zones is increasing day by day.
Therefore, an IoT setup should be capable of handling the expansion. It can be either
expand capability in terms of processing power, storage, etc. as vertical scaling or
horizontal scaling by multiplying with easy cloning.
Identity
Each IoT device has a unique identity (e.g., an IP address). This identity is helpful in
communication, tracking and to know status of the things. If there is no
identification then it will directly affect security and safety of any system because
without discrimination we can’t identify with whom one network is connected or
with whom we have to communicate. So there should be clear and appropriate
discrimination technology available between IoT networks and devices.
Safety
Sensitive personal details of a user might be compromised when the devices are
connected to the Internet. So data security is a major challenge. This could cause a
loss to the user. Equipment in the huge IoT network may also be at risk. Therefore,
equipment safety is also critical.
Architecture
It should be hybrid, supporting different manufacturer’s products to function in the
IoT network.
As a quick note, IoT incorporates trillions of sensors, billions of smart systems, and
millions of applications.
Application Domains
IoT is currently found in four different popular domains:

1) Manufacturing/Industrial business - 40.2%

2) Healthcare - 30.3%
3) Security - 7.7%
4) Retail - 8.3%

Advantages of IoT
 Improved efficiency and automation of tasks.
 Increased convenience and accessibility of information.
 Better monitoring and control of devices and systems.
 Greater ability to gather and analyze data.
 Improved decision-making.
 Cost savings.
IoT − Advantages

The advantages of IoT span across every area of lifestyle and business. Here is a list
of some of the advantages that IoT has to offer −

 Improved Customer Engagement − Current analytics suffer from blind-spots

and significant flaws in accuracy; and as noted, engagement remains passive.
IoT completely transforms this to achieve richer and more effective
engagement with audiences.
 Technology Optimization − The same technologies and data which improve
the customer experience also improve device use, and aid in more potent
improvements to technology. IoT unlocks a world of critical functional and
field data.
 Reduced Waste − IoT makes areas of improvement clear. Current analytics
give us superficial insight, but IoT provides real-world information leading to
more effective management of resources.
 Enhanced Data Collection − Modern data collection suffers from its
limitations and its design for passive use. IoT breaks it out of those spaces, and
places it exactly where humans really want to go to analyze our world. It allows
an accurate picture of everything.

Disadvantages of IoT
 Security concerns and potential for hacking or data breaches.
 Privacy issues related to the collection and use of personal data.
 Dependence on technology and potential for system failures.
 Limited standardization and interoperability among devices.
 Complexity and increased maintenance requirements.
 High initial investment costs.
 Limited battery life on some devices.
 Concerns about job displacement due to automation.
 Limited regulation and legal framework for IoT, which can lead to confusion and
uncertainty.

IoT − Disadvantages

Though IoT delivers an impressive set of benefits, it also presents a significant set of
challenges. Here is a list of some its major issues −

 Security − IoT creates an ecosystem of constantly connected devices

communicating over networks. The system offers little control despite any
security measures. This leaves users exposed to various kinds of attackers.
 Privacy − The sophistication of IoT provides substantial personal data in
extreme detail without the user's active participation.
 Complexity − Some find IoT systems complicated in terms of design,
deployment, and maintenance given their use of multiple technologies and a
large set of new enabling technologies.
 Flexibility − Many are concerned about the flexibility of an IoT system to
integrate easily with another. They worry about finding themselves with several
conflicting or locked systems.
 Compliance − IoT, like any other technology in the realm of business, must
comply with regulations. Its complexity makes the issue of compliance seem
incredibly challenging when many consider standard software compliance a
battle.
Time for Convergence
Integrated environments that have been at the origin of the successful take up of
smartphone platforms and capable of running a multiplicity of user-driven
applications and connecting various sensors and objects are missing today. Such
super-stack like environments, bringing together a number of distinct constituencies,
represent an opportunity for Europe to develop Internet of Things ecosystems. As an
example this would include the definition of open APIs and hence offer a variety of
channels for the delivery of new applications and services.

Such open APIs are of particular importance at module range on any abstraction level
for application-specific data analysis and processing, thus allowing application
developers to leverage the underlying communication infrastructure and use and
combine information generated by various devices to produce added value across
multiple environments. As a quintessence the next big leap in the Internet of Things
evolution will be the coherence of efforts on all levels towards innovation. In case of
the IoT community this would mean that out of many possible “coherence horizons”
the following will likely provide the foundation for a step forward to the Internet of
Things:
 Coherence of object capabilities and behaviour: the objects in the Internet of
Things will show a huge variety in sensing and actuation capabilities, in information
processing functionality and their time of existence. In either case it will be necessary
to generally apprehend object as entities with a growing “intelligence” and patterns of
autonomous behaviour.
 Coherence of application interactivity: the applications will increase in
complexity and modularisation, and boundaries between applications and services will
be blurred to a high degree. Fixed programmed suites will evolve into dynamic and
learning application packages. Besides technical, semantic interoperability will
become the key for context aware information exchange and processing.
 Coherence of corresponding technology approaches: larger concepts like Smart
Cities, Cloud computing, Future Internet, robotics and others will evolve in their own
way, but because of complementarity also partly merge with the Internet of Things.
Here a creative view on potential synergies can help to develop new ecosystems.
 Coherence of real and virtual worlds: today real and virtual worlds are
perceived as two antagonistic conceptions. At the same time virtual worlds grow
exponentially with the amount of stored data and ever increasing network and
information processing capabilities. Understanding both paradigms as complementary
and part of human evolution could lead to new synergies and exploration of living
worlds.
Towards the IoT Universe(s)
In analogy to the definition that a universe is commonly defined as the totality of
existence, an Internet of Things universe might potentially connect everything. As a
further analogy to new theories about parallel universes, different Internet of Things
worlds might develop and exist in parallel, potentially overlap and possess
spontaneous or fixed transfer gates. These forward-looking considerations do certainly
convey a slight touch of science fiction, but are thought to stimulate the exploration of
future living worlds.

The overall scope is to create and foster ecosystems of platforms for connected smart
objects, integrating the future generation of devices, network technologies, software
technologies, interfaces and other evolving ICT innovations, both for the society and
for people to become pervasive at home, at work and while on the move. These
environments will embed effective and efficient security and privacy mechanisms into
devices, architectures, platforms, and protocols, including characteristics such as
openness, dynamic expandability, interoperability of objects, distributed intelligence,
and cost and energy-efficiency. Whereas the forthcoming Internet of Things related
research in the scope of Horizon 2020 and corresponding national research programs
will address the above matters, challenges from a societal and policy perspective
remain equally important, in particular the following:
 Fostering of a consistent, interoperable and accessible Internet of Things across
sectors, including standardisation.
 Directing effort and attention to important societal application areas such as
health and environment, including focus on low energy consumption.
 Offering orientation on security, privacy, trust and ethical aspects in the scope
of current legislation and development of robust and future-proof general data
protection rules.
 Providing resources like spectrum allowing pan-European service provision
and removal of barriers such as roaming.
 Maintaining the Internet of Things as an important subject for international
cooperation both for sharing best practises and developing coherent strategies.