Internet of Things and 5G

FUNDAMENTALS OF IoT

1. INTRODUCTION TO IoT

 Today the Internet has become ubiquitous, has touched almost every corner of the
globe, and is affecting human life in unimaginable ways.
 We are now entering an era of even more pervasive connectivity where a very wide
variety of appliances will be connected to the web.
 One year after the past edition of the Clusterbook 2012 it can be clearly statedthat
the Internet of Things (IoT) has reached many different players and gainedfurther
recognition. Out of the potential Internet of Things application areas,Smart Cities
(and regions), Smart Car and mobility, Smart Home and assistedliving, Smart
Industries, Public safety, Energy & environmental protection,Agriculture and Tourism
as part of a future IoT Ecosystem (Figure 1.1) haveacquired high attention.

IoT Ecosystem.

 We are entering an era of the “Internet of Things” (abbreviated as IoT).There are 2

definitions: First one is defined by Vermesan and second by Pe˜na-L´opez
1. The Internet of Things as simply an interaction between the physical and digital
worlds. The digital world interacts with the physical world using a plethora of sensors
and actuators.
2. Another is the Internet of Things is defined as a paradigm in which computing and
networking capabilities are embedded in any kind of conceivable object.

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 We use these capabilities to query the state of the object and to change its state if
possible.
 In common parlance, the Internet of Things refers to a new kind of world where
almost all the devices and appliances that we use are connected to a network.
 We can use them collaboratively to achieve complex tasks that require a high degree
of intelligence.
 For this intelligence and interconnection, IoT devices areequipped with embedded
sensors, actuators, processors, andtransceivers.
 IoT is not a single technology; rather it is anagglomeration of various technologies
that work together intandem.
 Sensors and actuators are devices, which help in interactingwith the physical
environment.
 The data collected by thesensors has to be stored and processed intelligently in
order toderive useful inferences from it.
 Note that we broadly definethe term sensor; a mobile phone or even a microwave
ovencan count as a sensor as long as it provides inputs about itscurrent state
(internal state + environment).
 An actuator is adevice that is used to effect a change in the environment suchas the
temperature controller of an air conditioner.
 The storage and processing of data can be done on theedge of the network itself or
in a remote server.
 If any preprocessingof data is possible, then it is typically done at eitherthe sensor or
some other proximate device.
 The processeddata is then typically sent to a remote server.
 The storageand processing capabilities of an IoT object are also restrictedby the
resources available, which are often very constraineddue to limitations of size,
energy, power, and computationalcapability.
 As a result the main research challenge is toensure that we get the right kind of data
at the desired levelof accuracy.
 Along with the challenges of data collection, and handling, there are challenges in
communication aswell.
 The communication between IoT devices is mainlywireless because they are
generally installed at geographicallydispersed locations.
 The wireless channels often have high rates of distortion and are unreliable.
 In this scenario reliablycommunicating data without too many retransmissions is
animportant problem and thus communication technologiesare integral to the study
of IoT devices.
 We can directly modify the physical world through actuators or we may do
something virtually. For example,we can send some information to other smart
things.

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 The process of effecting a change in the physical world is often dependent on its
state at that point of time. This is called context awareness. Each action is taken
keeping in consideration the context because an application can behave differently
in different contexts.
 For example, a person may not like messages from his office to interrupt him when
he is on vacation. Sensors, actuators, compute servers, and the communication
network form the core infrastructure of an IoT framework. However, there are many
software aspects that need to be considered.
 First, we need a middleware that can be used to connect and manage all of these
heterogeneous components. We need a lot of standardization to connect many
different devices.
 The Internet of Things finds various applications in health care, fitness, education,
entertainment, social life, energy conservation, environment monitoring, home
automation, and transport systems.

1.2 TECHNOLOGIES INVOLVED IN IOT DEVELOPMENT: INTERNET/WEB AND NETWORKING

BASICS OSI MODEL

 Networking technologies enable IoT devices to communicate with other devices,

applications, and services running in the cloud.
 The internet relies on standardized protocols to ensure communication between
heterogeneous devices is secure and reliable.
 Standard protocols specify rules and formats that devices use to establish and
manage networks and transmit data across those networks.
 Networks are built as a “stack” of technologies. A technology such as Bluetooth LE
is at the bottom of the stack.
 While others such as such as IPv6 technologies (which is responsible for the logical
device addressing and routing of network traffic) are further up the stack.
Technologies at the top of the stack are used by the applications that are running
on top of those layers, such as message queuing technologies.
 This article describes widely adopted technologies and standards for IoT
networking. It also provides guidance for choosing one network protocol over
another. It then discusses key considerations and challenges related to networking
within IoT: range, bandwidth, power usage, intermittent connectivity,
interoperability, and security.

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NETWORK ACCESS AND PHYSICAL LAYER IOT NETWORK TECHNOLOGIES

IoT network technologies to be aware of toward the bottom of the protocol stack include
cellular, Wifi, and Ethernet, as well as more specialized solutions such as LPWAN,
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), ZigBee, NFC, and RFID.

NB-IoT is becoming the standard for LPWAN networks, according to Gartner. This IoT for
All article tells more about NB-IoT.

The following are network technologies with brief descriptions of each:

 LPWAN
(Low Power Wide Area Network) is a category of technologies designed for low-
power, long-range wireless communication. They are ideal for large-scale
deployments of low-power IoT devices such as wireless sensors. LPWAN
technologies include LoRa (LongRange physical layer protocol), Haystack, SigFox,
LTE-M, and NB-IoT (Narrow-Band IoT).
 Cellular
The LPWAN NB-IoT and LTE-M standards address low-power, low-cost IoT
communication options using existing cellular networks. NB-IoT is the newest of
these standards and is focused on long-range communication between large
numbers of primarily indoor devices. LTE-M and NB-IoT were developed
specifically for IoT, however existing cellular technologies are also frequently
adopted for long-range wireless communication. While this has included 2G (GSM)
in legacy devices (and currently being phased out), CDMA (also being retired or
phased out), it also includes 3G, which is rapidly being phased out with several
network providers retiring all 3G devices. 4G is still active and will be until 5G
becomes fully available and implemented.

 Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)

BLE is a low-power version of the popular Bluetooth 2.4 GHz wireless
communication protocol. It is designed for short-range (no more than 100 meters)
communication, typically in a star configuration, with a single primary device that
controls several secondary devices. Bluetooth operates across both layers 1 (PHY)
and 2 (MAC) of the OSI model. BLE is best suited to devices that transmit low
volumes of data in bursts. Devices are designed to sleep and save power when
they are not transmitting data. Personal IoT devices such as wearable health and
fitness trackers, often use BLE.

 ZigBee
ZigBee operates on 2.4GHz wireless communication spectrum. It has a longer
range than BLE by up to 100 meters. It also has a slightly lower data rate (250 kbps
maximum compared to 270 kbps for BLE) than BLE. ZigBee is a mesh network
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protocol. Unlike BLE, not all devices can sleep between bursts. Much depends on
their position in the mesh and whether they need to act as routers or controllers
within the mesh. ZigBee was designed for building and home automation
applications. Another closely related technology to ZigBee is Z-Wave, which is also
based on IEEE 802.15.4. Z-Wave was designed for home automation. It has been
proprietary technology, but was recently released as a public domain specification.

 NFC
The near field communication (NFC) protocol is used for very small range
communication (up to 4 cm), such as holding an NFC card or tag next to a reader.
NFC is often used for payment systems, but also useful for check-in systems and
smart labels in asset tracking.
 RFID
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. RFID tags store identifiers and
data. The tags are attached to devices and read by an RFID reader. The typical
range of RFID is less than a meter. RFID tags can be active, passive, or assisted
passive. Passive tags are ideal for devices without batteries, as the ID is passively
read by the reader. Active tags periodically broadcast their ID, while assisted
passive tags become active when RFID reader is present. Dash7 is a
communication protocol that uses active RFID that is designed to be used within
Industrial IoT applications for secure long-range communication. Similar to NFC, a
typical use case for RFID is tracking inventory items within retail and industrial IoT
applications.
 Wifi
Wifi is standard wireless networking based on IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n specifications.
802.11n offers the highest data throughput, but at the cost of high-power
consumption, so IoT devices might only use 802.11b or g for power conservation
reasons. Although wifi is adopted within many prototype and current generation
IoT devices, as longer-range and lower-power solutions become more widely
available, it is likely that wifi will be superseded by lower-power alternatives.
 Ethernet
Widely deployed for wired connectivity within local area
networks, Ethernet implements the IEEE 802.3 standard. Not all IoT devices need
to be stationery wireless . For example, sensor units installed within a building
automation system can use wired networking technologies like Ethernet. Power
line communication (PLC), an alternative hard-wired solution, uses existing
electrical wiring instead of dedicated network cables.

INTERNET LAYER IOT NETWORK TECHNOLOGIES

Internet layer technologies (OSI Layer 3) identify and route packets of data. Technologies
commonly adopted for IoT are related to this layer, and include IPv6, 6LoWPAN, and RPL.

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 IPv6
At the Internet layer, devices are identified by IP addresses. IPv6 is typically used
for IoT applications over legacy IPv4 addressing. IPv4 is limited to 32-bit
addresses, which only provide around 4.3 billion addresses in total, which is less
than the current number of IoT devices that are connected, while IPv6 uses 128
bits, and so provides 2 128 addresses (around 3.4 × 10 38 or 340 billion billion billion
billion) addresses. In practice, not all IoT devices need public addresses. Of the
tens of billions of devices expected to connect via the IoT over the next few years,
many will be deployed in private networks that use private address ranges and
only communicate out to other devices or services on external networks by using
gateways.
 6LoWPAN
The IPv6 Low Power Wireless Personal Area Network (6LoWPAN) standard allows
IPv6 to be used over 802.15.4 wireless networks. 6LoWPAN is often used for
wireless sensor networks, and the Thread protocol for home automation devices
also runs over 6LoWPAN.
 RPL
The Internet Layer also covers routing. IPv6 Routing Protocol for Low-Power and
Lossy Networks (RPL) is designed for routing IPv6 traffic over low-power networks
like those networks implemented over 6LoWPAN. RPL (pronounced “ripple”) is
designed for routing packets within constrained networks such as wireless sensor
networks, where not all devices are reachable at all times and there are high or
unpredictable amounts of packet loss. RPL can compute the optimal path by
building up a graph of the nodes in the network based on dynamic metrics and
constraints like minimizing energy consumption or latency.

APPLICATION LAYER IOT NETWORK TECHNOLOGIES

HTTP and HTTPS are ubiquitous across internet applications, which is true also within IoT,
with RESTful HTTP and HTTPS interfaces widely deployed. CoAP (Constrained Application
Protocol) is like a lightweight HTTP that is often used in combination with 6LoWPAN over
UDP. Messaging protocols like MQTT, AMQP, and XMPP are also frequently used within
IoT applications:

 MQTT
Message Queue Telemetry Transport (MQTT) is a publish/subscribe-based
messaging protocol that was designed for use in low bandwidth situations,
particularly for sensors and mobile devices on unreliable networks.
 AMQP
Advanced Message Queuing Protocol (AMQP) is an open standard messaging
protocol that is used for message-oriented middleware. Most notably, AMQP is
implemented by RabbitMQ.

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 XMPP
The Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) was originally designed
for real-time human-to-human communication including instant messaging. This
protocol has been adapted for machine-to-machine (M2M) communication to
implement lightweight middleware and for routing XML data. XMPP is primarily
used with smart appliances.

Your choice of technologies at this layer will depend on the specific application
requirements of your IoT project. For example, for a budget home automation system
that involves several sensors, MQTT would be a good choice as it is great for
implementing messaging on devices without much storage or processing power because
the protocol is simple and lightweight to implement.

IOT NETWORKING CONSIDERATIONS AND CHALLENGES

When you consider which networking technologies to adopt within your IoT application,
be mindful of the following constraints:

 Range
 Bandwidth
 Power usage
 Intermittent connectivity
 Interoperability
 Security

Range

Networks can be described in terms of the distances over which data is typically
transmitted by the IoT devices attached to the network:

 PAN(PersonalAreaNetwork)
PAN is short-range, where distances can be measured in meters, such as a
wearable fitness tracker device that communicates with an app on a cell phone
over BLE.
 LAN(LocalAreaNetwork)
LAN is short- to medium-range, where distances can be up to hundreds of meters,
such as home automation or sensors that are installed within a factory production
line that communicate over wifi with a gateway device that is installed within the
same building.
 MAN (Metropolitan Area Network) MAN is long-range (city wide), where distances
are measured up to a few kilometers, such as smart parking sensors installed
throughout a city that are connected in a mesh network topology.
 WAN ( Wide Area Network) WAN is long-range, where distances can be measured in
kilometers, such as agricultural sensors that are installed across a large farm or ranch
that are used to monitor micro-climate environmental conditions across the
property.
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Your network should retrieve data from the IoT devices and transmit to its intended
destination. Select a network protocol that matches the range is required. For example,
do not choose BLE for a WAN application to operate over a range of several kilometers. If
transmitting data over the required range presents a challenge, consider edge computing.
Edge computing analyzes data directly from the devices rather than from a distant data
center or elsewhere.
Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transmitted per unit of time. It limits the
rate at which data can be collected from IoT devices and transmitted upstream.
Bandwidth is affected by many factors, which include:

 The volume of data each device gathers and transmits

 The number of devices deployed
 Whether data is being sent as a constant stream or in intermittent bursts, and if
any peak periods are notable

The packet size of the networking protocol should match up with the volume of data
typically transmitted. It is inefficient to send packets padded with empty data. In
contrast, there are overheads in splitting larger chunks of data up across too many small
packets. Data transmission rates are not always symmetrical (that is, upload rates might
be slower than download rates). So, if there is two-way communication between devices,
data transmission needs to be factored in. Wireless and cellular networks are
traditionally low bandwidth, so consider whether a wireless technology is the right choice
for high-volume applications.

Consider whether all raw data must be transmitted. A possible solution is to capture less
data by sampling less frequently. Thus, you’ll capture fewer variables and may filter data
from the device to drop insignificant data. If you aggregate the data before you transmit
it, you reduce the volume of data transmitted. But this process affects flexibility and
granularity in the upstream analysis. Aggregation and bursting are not always suitable for
time-sensitive or latency-sensitive data. All of these techniques increase the data
processing and storage requirements for the IoT device.

Power usage

Transmitting data from a device consumes power. Transmitting data over long ranges
requires more power than over a short range. You must consider the power source – such
as a battery, solar cell, or capacitor – of a device and its total lifecycle. A long and
enduring lifecycle will not only provide greater reliability but reduce operating cost. Steps
may be taken to help achieve longer power supply lifecycles. For example, to prolong the
battery life, you can put the device into sleep mode whenever it is idle. Another best
practice is to model the energy consumption of the device under different loads and
different network conditions to ensure that the device’s power supply and storage
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capacity matches with the power that is required to transmit the necessary data by using
the networking technologies that you adopted.
Intermittent connectivity

IoT devices aren’t always connected. In some cases, devices are designed to connect
periodically. However, sometimes an unreliable network might cause devices to drop off
due to connectivity issues. Sometimes quality of service issues, such as dealing with
interference or channel contention on a wireless network using a shared spectrum.
Designs should incorporate intermittent connectivity and seek any available solutions to
provide uninterrupted service, should that be a critical factor for IoT landscape design.

Interoperability

Devices work with other devices, equipment, systems, and technology; they are
interoperable. With so many different devices connecting to the IoT, interoperability can
be a challenge. Adopting standard protocols has been a traditional approach for
maintaining interoperability on the Internet. Standards are agreed upon by industry
participants and avoid multiple different designs and directions. With proper standards,
and participants who agree to them, incompatibility issues, hence interoperability issues
may be avoided.

However, for the IoT, standardization processes sometimes struggle to keep up with
innovation and change. They are written and released based on upcoming versions of
standards that are still subject to change. Consider the ecosystem around the
technologies: Are they widely adopted? Are they open versus proprietary? How many
implementations are available?

Using these questions to plan your IoT networks help plan better interoperability for a
more robust IoT network.

Security

Security is a priority. Selection of networking technologies that implement end-to-end

security, including authentication, encryption, and open port protection is crucial. IEEE
802.15.4 includes a security model that provides security features that include access
control, message integrity, message confidentiality, and replay protection, which are
implemented by technologies based on this standard such as ZigBee.

Consider the following factors in shaping a secure and safe IoT network:

 Authentication
Adopt secure protocols to support authentication for devices, gateways, users,
services, and applications. Consider using adopting the X.509 standard for device
authentication.
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 Encryption
If you are using wifi, use Wireless Protected Access 2 (WPA2) for wireless network
encryption. You may also adopt a Private Pre-Shared Key (PPSK) approach. To
ensure privacy and data integrity for communication between applications, be
sure to adopt TLS or Datagram Transport-Layer Security (DTLS), which is based on
TLS, but adapted for unreliable connections that run over UDP. TLS encrypts
application data and ensures its integrity.
 Port protection
Port protection ensures that only the ports required for communication with the
gateway or upstream applications or services remain open to external
connections. All other ports should be disabled or protected by firewalls. Device
ports might be exposed when exploiting Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)
vulnerabilities. Thus, UPnP should be disabled on the router.

The IoT World Forum (IoTWF) Standardized Architecture

In 2014 the IoTWF architectural committee (led by Cisco, IBM, Rockwell Automation, and
others)published a seven-layer IoT architectural reference model. While various IoT
reference models exist, theone put forth by the IoT World Forum offers a clean, simplified
perspective on IoT and includes edgecomputing, data storage, and access. It provides a
succinct way of visualizing IoT from a technicalperspective. Each of the seven layers is
broken down into specific functions, and security encompassesthe entire model. Figure
belowdetails the IoT Reference Model published by the IoTWF.

As shown in Figure 2, the IoT Reference Model defines a set of levels with control flowing
from thecenter (this could be either a cloud service or a dedicated data center), to the edge,

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which includessensors, devices, machines, and other types of intelligent end nodes. In
general, data travels up the stack,originating from the edge, and goes northbound to the
center. Using this reference model, we are able toachieve the following:
 Decompose the IoT problem into smaller parts
 Identify different technologies at each layer and how they relate to one another
 Define a system in which different parts can be provided by different vendors
 Have a process of defining interfaces that leads to interoperability
 Define a tiered security model that is enforced at the transition points between
levels
The following sections look more closely at each of the seven layers of the IoT Reference
Model.
Layer 1: Physical Devices and Controllers Layer
The first layer of the IoT Reference Model is the physical devices and controllers layer. This
layer is hometo the “things” in the Internet of Things, including the various endpoint devices
and sensors that send andreceive information. The size of these “things” can range from
almost microscopic sensors to giantmachines in a factory. Their primary function is
generating data and being capable of being queriedand/or controlled over a network.
Layer 2: Connectivity Layer
In the second layer of the IoT Reference Model, the focus is on connectivity. The most
important functionof this IoT layer is the reliable and timely transmission of data. More
specifically, this includestransmissions between Layer 1 devices and the network and
between the network and informationprocessing that occurs at Layer 3 (the edge computing
layer).
Layer 3: Edge Computing Layer
Edge computing is the role of Layer 3. At this layer, the emphasis is on datareduction and
converting network data flows into information that is ready for storage and processing
byhigher layers.

Upper Layers: Layers 4–7

The upper layers deal with handling and processing the IoT data generated by the bottom
layer.

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Architecture of IoT

Figure below has three layers, namely, the perception, network, and application layers.

(i) The perception layer is the physical layer, which has sensors for sensing and
gathering information about the environment. It senses some physical
parameters or identifies other smart objects in the environment.
(ii) The network layer is responsible for connecting to other smart things, network
devices, and servers. Its features are also used for transmitting and processing
sensor data.
(iii) The application layer is responsible for delivering application specific services to
the user. It defines various applications in which the Internet of Things can be
deployed, for example, smart homes, smart cities, and smart health.

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The three-layer architecture defines the main idea of the Internet of Things, but
it is not sufficient for research on IoT because research often focuses on finer
aspects of the Internet of Things. That is why, we have many more layered
architectures proposed in the literature. One is the fivelayer architecture, which
additionally includes the processing and business layers [3–6]. The five layers are
perception, transport, processing, application, and business layers (see Figure 1).
The role of the perception and application layers is the same as the architecture
with three layers. We outline the function of the remaining three layers.

(i) The transport layer transfers the sensor data from the perception layer to
the processing layer and vice versa through networks such as wireless, 3G,
LAN, Bluetooth, RFID, and NFC.
(ii) The processing layer is also known as the middleware layer. It stores,
analyzes, and processes huge amounts of data that comes from the
transport layer. It can manage and provide a diverse set of services to the
lower layers. It employs many technologies such as databases, cloud
computing, and big data processing modules.
(iii) The business layer manages the whole IoT system, including applications,
business and profit models, and users’ privacy. The business layer is out
of the scope of this paper. Hence, we do not discuss it further.

Functional blocks of an IoT ecosystem

IoTdon’t exist in a void. A lone sensor isn’t really good for anything, nor is a bunch of them,
for that matter, unless they are all connected to one another and to platforms that generate
data for further use. This is what we call an Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem – a broad
network of connected and interdependent devices and technologies that are applied by
specialists towards a specific goal, such as the creation of a smart city.
Obviously, there are limitless applications to the IoT and therefore we can speak of endless
coexisting IoT ecosystems. But if you boil what is happening in the ecosystem down to the
bare essentials, you will come up with a simple schema: a device collects data and sends it
across the network to a platform that aggregates the data for future use by the agent. And
so we have the key components to an IoT ecosystem: devices, networks, platforms, and
agents. Let’s discuss them in more detail.

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Four things form basic building blocks of the IoT system –sensors, processors, gateways,
applications. Each of these nodes has to have its own characteristics in order to form an
useful IoT system.

Figure 1: Simplified block diagram of the basic building blocks of the IoT

Sensors:

 These form the front end of the IoT devices. These are the so-called “Things” of the
system. Their main purpose is to collect data from its surroundings (sensors) or give
out data to its surrounding (actuators).
 These have to be uniquely identifiable devices with a unique IP address so that they
can be easily identifiable over a large network.
 These have to be active in nature which means that they should be able to collect
real-time data. These can either work on their own (autonomous in nature) or can be
made to work by the user depending on their needs (user-controlled).
 Examples of sensors are gas sensor, water quality sensor, moisture sensor, etc.
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Processors:

 Processors are the brain of the IoT system. Their main function is to process the data
captured by the sensors and process them so as to extract the valuable data from
the enormous amount of raw data collected. In a word, we can say that it gives
intelligence to the data.
 Processors mostly work on real-time basis and can be easily controlled by
applications. These are also responsible for securing the data – that is performing
encryption and decryption of data.
 Embedded hardware devices, microcontroller, etc are the ones that process the data
because they have processors attached to it.

Gateways:

 Gateways are responsible for routing the processed data and send it to proper
locations for its (data) proper utilization.
 In other words, we can say that gateway helps in to and fro communication of the
data. It provides network connectivity to the data. Network connectivity is essential
for any IoT system to communicate.
 LAN, WAN, PAN, etc are examples of network gateways.
Applications:

 Applications form another end of an IoT system. Applications are essential for proper
utilization of all the data collected.
 These cloud-based applications which are responsible for rendering the effective
meaning to the data collected. Applications are controlled by users and are a
delivery point of particular services.
 Examples of applications are home automation apps, security systems, industrial
control hub, etc.

IoT devices

As we said earlier, there are many scenarios in which IoT can be employed and they all
require different devices. Here, at the most basic level, we can speak of sensors (i.e. devices
that sense things, such as temperature, motion, particles, etc.) and actuators (i.e. devices
that act on things, such as switches or rotors).
Rarely, though, will a smart solution make do with just one type of an IoT sensor or an
actuator. If you think of a smart surgical robot, for example, it will require hundreds, if not
thousands, of components that measure different parameters and act accordingly. But even
apparently less complicated solutions aren’t truly that easy. Consider running a smart farm –
for a plant to grow, it’s not just a matter of measuring the humidity of the soil, but also its
fertility; it’s also a matter of providing proper irrigation based on insolation, and much more.
So you need not just one, but many sensors and actuators that all have to work together.

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When speaking of devices essential for the IoT ecosystem, one cannot forget about IoT
gateways. They are a piece of hardware that is capable of “translating” and facilitating the
essential connection between devices or between devices and the network and work as a
kind of relay for the two. Which brings us to the next element of our puzzle…

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Networks

Based on what you read before, you may think: “Well, if an automatic door senses my
presence and opens itself, is that IoT?” Obviously, it is not, because while that door has
sensors and actuators, it is not connected to much else. And, as the name suggests, the
Internet of Things requires both things and the Internet (although there are cases of data
delivery without the use of the Internet Protocol). Arguably, the real power of this
concept lies in the connectivity.
Again, based on your deployment needs, there are plenty of different IoT connectivity
options, starting with the “classics,” such as WiFi or Bluetooth, to more specialized and field-
oriented technologies, such as Low-Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN). They all differ in
range and speed of data transfer, making them more or less appropriate for particular
deployments. Consider, for example, smart cars that require both high data speed and long
range and juxtapose them with the smart farms we’ve mentioned that don’t necessarily
need either.

IoT platform

Whether they are in the cloud or not, IoT platforms are always the binder for any IoT
ecosystem. They are the quiet administrators that take care of device lifecycle
management, so that you don’t have to worry about them. They are also the hub that
collects and aggregates the data, allowing you to make sense of it. With the variety of
platforms offered on the market and the breadth of claims their providers make, the choice
of the “ideal” IoT platform for a deployment is arguably the most significant, yet also the
most difficult to make. It shouldn’t be taken lightly, as it determines whether the IoT
ecosystem will thrive or wither into oblivion.

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The right IoT device management platform should be versatile and adaptable, as the IoT
world is very fragmented and constantly shifting and you don’t want the core element of
your ecosystem to become the stumbling block of your deployment. It should also be
scalable, so that your ecosystem can grow naturally, and secure, so it can do so without any
threats.

Agents

Agents are all the people whose actions affect the IoT ecosystem. These may be the
engineers who devise IoT deployments and design the platforms, it can also be the platform
operators. But probably, most importantly, it’s the stakeholders, who ultimately reap the
results. After all, IoT deployments aren’t just art for art’s sake. These complex ecosystems
are put in place for a reason: to drive efficiency and improve the quality of life. And it is
the agents who decide on how to use the devices, networks and platforms to achieve
these results. This is where technology and business converge, because it’s business goals
that very much shape the IoT ecosystem.

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People are an essential part of this equation. Ecosystems are created by us, managed by us
and, ultimately, it is our responsibility to realize their full potential. It is the devices that
collect the data, but it is the people that make sense of it and put it to use. Similarly with
networks and platforms, which are a necessary component of the ecosystem, but wouldn’t
be of much value if it weren’t for the people who create and perfect them to fit their needs.

As was said, an IoT ecosystem is a very complex concept that eludes easy classification, as
its characteristics vary from deployment to deployment. Much like our world, the IoT
world comprises numerous different ecosystems that evolve and adapt. What they have in
common is the idea and the people that make them happen: device manufacturers, service
providers, application developers, and enterprises. Yet in this ever changing landscape
there still remains a lot of variety – the technology, represented by the devices, networks
and platforms, always gets better. This is particularly worth remembering, because the one
mistake the inhabitants of an IoT ecosystem should never make, is to take it for granted.
There is nothing more toxic for that landscape than stagnation and lock-in, so you should
always be on the lookout for newer, better technologies that will help you flourish.

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Internet of Things and 5G

5G Technology: Overview and Details

What is 5G Technology?

5G is the fifth generation of wireless technology designed to provide faster speeds, lower
latency, and greater capacity compared to its predecessors (4G, 3G, etc.). It aims to enable
faster internet connectivity and support emerging technologies such as the Internet of
Things (IoT), smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and augmented reality (AR).

Key Features of 5G Technology:

Faster Speeds:

5G networks are designed to deliver download speeds that can reach up to 10 Gbps or
higher, which is approximately 100 times faster than 4G. This allows users to download large
files, stream high-definition video, and access content almost instantly.

Ultra-Low Latency:

Latency (the delay between sending and receiving data) is significantly reduced in 5G,
reaching as low as 1 millisecond (ms), compared to 30-50 ms for 4G. This ultra-low latency is
critical for applications requiring real-time feedback, such as remote surgery, autonomous
driving, and gaming.

Massive Device Connectivity:

IoT Expansion: 5G is designed to support the Internet of Things (IoT), which involves
connecting millions of devices to the internet simultaneously. 5G can handle up to 1 million
devices per square kilometer, allowing cities and industries to deploy smart infrastructure
such as sensors, devices, and systems.

Machine-to-Machine Communication: With 5G, devices can communicate directly with one
another without needing human intervention, enabling automation across various sectors
like manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare.

Improved Reliability:

Network Slicing: 5G allows for network slicing, where operators can create dedicated,
customized virtual networks that cater to specific needs (e.g., low latency, high bandwidth,
security). This ensures that the performance of critical applications like autonomous vehicles
or industrial machines is prioritized over general internet traffic.

Enhanced Coverage: 5G networks can offer more consistent service in crowded areas or
remote locations, offering better coverage in areas where 4G networks may have struggled.

Increased Bandwidth:

High Capacity: 5G uses millimeter-wave frequencies, which provide greater bandwidth

compared to 4G's existing frequency bands. This allows for the transmission of more data
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simultaneously, increasing overall network capacity and reducing congestion, especially in

densely populated areas or during peak usage times.

Support for Data-Hungry Applications: 5G enables the effective support of data-intensive

applications such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), 4K video streaming, and 3D
holograms without significant buffering or delays.

Technological Components of 5G:

Radio Access Network (RAN):

The 5G RAN includes small cells, macro cells, and millimeter-wave radios that help extend
coverage and capacity. Small cells are deployed more frequently to increase density and
reliability, especially in urban areas.

Massive MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology is used, allowing a single base
station to support thousands of connections simultaneously by sending multiple data signals
at the same time.

Core Network:

5G Core Network (5GC) enables faster data processing and integrates advanced
technologies like edge computing, cloud-native architectures, and network slicing.

5G also incorporates Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Functions

Virtualization (NFV), which provide more flexible, scalable, and efficient management of the
network.

Edge Computing:

5G supports edge computing, where data processing occurs closer to the end user, reducing
latency and improving performance for time-sensitive applications like autonomous driving
or industrial automation.

This decentralized computing model allows data to be processed at the edge (e.g., within a
local network or at a nearby server), improving speed and reducing reliance on distant data
centers.

Applications of 5G Technology:

Enhanced Mobile Broadband:

5G will provide faster download and upload speeds for mobile devices, enabling seamless
4K/8K video streaming, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) experiences. It will
also facilitate better gaming experiences with reduced latency and higher frame rates.

Autonomous Vehicles:

Autonomous driving relies heavily on real-time data communication between vehicles,

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Internet of Things and 5G

infrastructure, and cloud systems. 5G's ultra-low latency allows for instantaneous
communication between connected vehicles, enabling safe and efficient self-driving
operations.

The technology supports the exchange of sensor data, high-definition maps, and traffic
updates in real-time, reducing accidents and improving road safety.

Healthcare (Telemedicine and Remote Surgery):

5G enables remote surgeries and telemedicine applications, where doctors can perform
surgeries or monitor patients in real-time with the help of robots or medical equipment.
Low latency ensures precision, while high bandwidth supports high-quality video feeds.

Wearables and IoT-enabled medical devices can continuously monitor patients' health data
and share it with doctors for real-time analysis and decision-making.

Industrial Automation (Industry 4.0):

5G facilitates smart manufacturing by connecting machines, sensors, and robots within

factories to enable automated, efficient, and real-time production processes.

Predictive maintenance powered by 5G allows sensors to monitor equipment performance,

detecting potential issues before they lead to breakdowns, thereby minimizing downtime
and optimizing productivity.

Smart Cities:

5G enables the development of smart cities where everything from traffic systems, street
lighting, and waste management to energy grids and environmental monitoring is connected
and optimized.

Smart grids will optimize energy consumption, and autonomous public transportation
systems will operate more efficiently and safely.

Agriculture (Precision Farming):

5G technology can connect agricultural sensors and drones, enabling precision farming. This
involves real-time data collection from soil sensors, weather stations, and irrigation systems,
allowing farmers to optimize their operations and improve crop yield while reducing waste
and resource consumption.

Entertainment and Media:

5G will significantly enhance the experience of immersive media like virtual reality (VR) and
augmented reality (AR), providing high-quality, low-latency content streaming. It will enable
the seamless streaming of live events (e.g., sports, concerts) in ultra-high definition, giving
viewers an immersive experience.

Challenges and Limitations:

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Internet of Things and 5G

Infrastructure Costs:

The deployment of 5G infrastructure requires a significant investment in the build-out of

new antennas, small cells, and base stations. This process is expensive and time-consuming,
and the infrastructure must be built out across both urban and rural areas for 5G to be fully
effective.

Spectrum Availability:

5G requires a large amount of spectrum, especially in the millimeter-wave frequency bands,

which are currently under consideration for global allocation. The availability of spectrum
and coordination between different countries is a challenge for the global rollout of 5G.

Security Risks:

The increased connectivity brought by 5G means more devices are vulnerable to

cyberattacks. The expanded attack surface increases the risk of hacking, data breaches, and
security incidents.

Governments and industries must invest in cybersecurity measures to safeguard 5G

networks and prevent malicious actors from exploiting the infrastructure.

Health Concerns:

There have been concerns about the potential health effects of 5G, particularly due to the
higher frequency radio waves. However, the scientific community has largely concluded that
5G technologies comply with international safety standards and that the health risks are
minimal, though long-term studies are still ongoing.

Conclusion:

5G technology represents a massive leap forward in mobile communication, offering higher

speeds, reduced latency, and greater connectivity. It has the potential to transform
industries such as healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, entertainment, and agriculture,
while also enabling innovations like smart cities and autonomous vehicles. However, the
successful deployment of 5G will require overcoming significant challenges, including
infrastructure investment, spectrum allocation, and cybersecurity risks.

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