What is IOT

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the digitally connected universe of smart devices.
These devices are embedded with internet connectivity, sensors and other hardware that
allow communication and control via the web .

The basic premise and goal of IoT is to “connect the unconnected”

IOT is a technology transition in computer network:
That allows us to sense and control the physical world by making objects smarter
and connecting them through network.

Automated systems and connected devices work together to provide a world where
data can be collected and analysed.
Genesis of IoT

The term "Internet of things" was likely coined by Kevin Ashton of Procter & Gamble, later
MIT's Auto-ID Center, in 1999.
In the twentieth century, computers were brains without senses—they only knew what we
told them.” IoT is changing this paradigm; in the twenty-first century, computers are sensing
things for themselves! –Kevin Ashton
Characteristics 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.

Endpoint Management: It is important to be the endpoint management of all the IoT system
otherwise, it makes the complete failure of the system. For example, if a coffee machine itself
order the coffee beans when it goes to end but what happens when it orders the beans from
a retailer and we are not present at home for a few days, it leads to the failure of the IoT
system. So, there must be a need for endpoint management.
IOT Applications
1. Connected intelligent buildings: Improvements in efficiency (energy management
and saving) and security (sensors and alarms). Domotic applications including smart
sensors and actuators to control home appliances. Health and education services at
home. Remote control of treatments for patients. Cable/satellite services. Energy
storage/generation systems. Automatic shutdown of electronics when not in use.
Smart thermostats. Smoke detectors and alarms. Access control applications. Smart
door locks. Sensors built into building infrastructure to guide first responders and
assistances. Safety for all family members.
2. Smart cities and transportation: Integration of security services. Optimization of
public and private transportation. Parking Sensors. Smart management of parking
services and traffic in real time. Smart management of traffic lights depending on
traffic queues. Locate cars that have overstayed Smart energy grids. Security
(cameras, smart sensors, information to citizens). Water management. Parks and
Gardens irrigation. Smart garbage cans. Pollution and mobility controls. Get
immediate feedback and opinions from citizens. Smart governance. Voting Systems.
Accident monitoring, emergency actions coordination.

3. Education: Linking virtual and physical classrooms to make learning more efficient
and accessible, e-learning. Access services to virtual libraries and educational portals.
Interchange of reports and results in real time. Lifelong learning. Foreign languages
learning. Attendance management.
4. Consumer electronics: Smart phones. Smart TV. Laptops, computers and tablets.
Smart refrigerators, washers and dryers. Smart home theatre systems. Smart
appliances. Pet collar sensors. Personalization of the user experience. Autonomous
product operation. Personal locators. Smart glasses.
5. Health: Monitoring of chronic diseases. Improvement of the quality of care and
quality of life for patients. Activity Trackers. Remote diagnostic. Connected bracelets.
Interactive belts. Sport and fitness monitoring. Intelligent tags for drugs. Drug usage
tracking. Biochips. Brain-computer interfaces. Monitoring eating habits.
6. Automotive: Smart Cars. Traffic control. Advance information about what is broken.
Wireless monitoring of tire pressure of car. Smart energy management and control.
Self-diagnosis. Accelerometers. Position, presence and proximity sensors. Analysis of
the best way to go in real time. GPS tracking. Vehicle speed control. Autonomous
vehicles using IoT services.
7. Agriculture and environment: Measurement and monitoring of environmental
pollution ( CO2, noise, contaminant elements presents in ambient). Forecasting
climate changes based on smart sensors monitoring. Passive RFID tags attached to
agriculture products. Sensors in pallets of products. Waste management. Nutrition
calculations.
8. Smart Connectivity: Data management and service provisioning. Use of social media
and social networking. Access to email, voice and video services. Interactive group
communication. Real time streaming. Interactive gaming. Augmented reality.
Network security monitoring. Wearable user interfaces. Affective computing.
Biometric authentication methods. Consumer telematics. M2M communication
services. Big data analysis. Virtual reality. Cloud computing services. Ubiquitous
computing. Computer vision. Smart antennas.
9. Manufacturing: Gas and flow sensors. Smart sensors of humidity, temperature,
motion, force, load, leaks/levels. Machine vision. Acoustic and vibration sensing.
Compound applications. Smart control of robots. Control and optimization of
fabrication processes. Pattern recognition. Machine Learning. Predictive Analytics.
Mobile logistics. Warehouse management. Prevent overproduction. Efficient
logistics.
10. Shopping: Intelligent shopping. RFID and other electronic tags and readers. Barcodes
in retail. Inventory control. Control of geographical origin of food and products.
Control food quality and safety.
IoT(internet of things) enabling technologies are:
1. Wireless Sensor Network
2. Cloud Computing
3. Big Data Analytics
4. Communications Protocols
5. Embedded System

Wireless Sensor Network (WSN)

A WSN comprises distributed devices with sensors which are used to monitor the
environmental and physical conditions. A wireless sensor network consists of end nodes,
routers and coordinators. End nodes have several sensors attached to them where the data
is passed to a coordinator with the help of routers. The coordinator also acts as the gateway
that connects WSN to the internet.
Example –
Weather monitoring system
Indoor air quality monitoring system
Soil moisture monitoring system
Surveillance system
Health monitoring system
Cloud Computing

It provides us the means by which we can access applications as utilities over the internet.
Cloud means something which is present in remote locations. With Cloud computing, users
can access any resources from anywhere like databases, webservers, storage, any device,
and any software over the internet.
Characteristics –

Broad network access

On demand self-services
Rapid scalability
Measured service
Pay-per-use

Provides different services, such as –

IaaS (Infrastructure as a service)
Infrastructure as a service provides online services such as physical machines, virtual
machines, servers, networking, and storage and data center space on a pay per use basis.
Major IaaS providers are Google Compute Engine, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft
Azure etc.
Ex : Web Hosting, Virtual Machine etc.
PaaS (Platform as a service)
Provides a cloud-based environment with a very thing required to support the complete life
cycle of building and delivering West web based (cloud) applications – without the cost and
complexity of buying and managing underlying hardware, software provisioning and
hosting. Computing platforms such as hardware, operating systems and libraries etc.
Basically, it provides a platform to develop applications.
Ex : App Cloud, Google app engine
SaaS (Software as a service)

It is a way of delivering applications over the internet as a service. Instead of installing and
maintaining software, you simply access it via the internet, freeing yourself from complex
software and hardware management.
SaaS Applications are sometimes called web-based software on demand software or hosted
software.

SaaS applications run on a SaaS provider’s service and they manage security availability and
performance.

Ex : Google Docs, Gmail, office etc.

Big Data Analytics

It refers to the method of studying massive volumes of data or big data. Collection of data
whose volume, velocity or variety is simply too massive and tough to store, control, process
and examine the data using traditional databases.
Big data is gathered from a variety of sources including social network videos, digital images,
sensors and sales transaction records.
Several steps involved in analyzing big data –
Data cleaning

Munging
Processing
Visualization
Examples –
Bank transactions
 Data generated by IoT systems for location and tracking of vehicles
E-commerce and in Big-Basket
Health and fitness data generated by IoT system such as a fitness bands

Communications Protocols
They are the backbone of IoT systems and enable network connectivity and linking to
applications. Communication protocols allow devices to exchange data over the network.
Ex:
 Message Queue Telemetry Transport (MQTT)
 HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
 Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP)
 Data Distribution Service (DDS)
 WebSocket.
 Advanced Message Queue Protocol (AMQP)
 Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP)
 OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA)

Multiple protocols often describe different aspects of a single communication. A group of

protocols designed to work together is known as a protocol suite; when implemented in
software they are a protocol stack.
They are used in

Data encoding
Addressing schemes
Embedded Systems
It is a combination of hardware and software used to perform special tasks.
It includes microcontroller and microprocessor memory, networking units (Ethernet Wi-Fi
adapters), input output units (display keyword etc. ) and storage devices (flash memory).

It collects the data and sends it to the internet.

Embedded systems used in
Examples –
Digital camera
DVD player, music player

Industrial robots
Wireless Routers etc.
Benefits of IOT
Improved productivity of staff and reduced human labor: Thanks to IoT solutions,
mundane tasks can be done automatically, so human resources may be transferred to more
complex tasks that require personal skills, especially out-of-the-box thinking. This way, the
number of workers can be minimized, which results in reduced costs of business operation.
1. Efficient operation management: Another significant benefit offered by the
interconnection of smart devices is automated control over multiple operation
areas, including, among others, inventory management, shipping tracking, fuel and
spare parts management. For example, this approach involves using RFID tags and a
corresponding network of sensors to track the location of equipment and goods.
2. Better use of resources and assets: The automated scheduling and monitoring
implemented with the help of interconnected sensors enable higher efficiency of
resource use, such as improved power management and water consumption. For
example, simple motion detectors may save significant sums of money in electricity
and water bills, thus making both small and large businesses more productive and
eco-friendly.
3. Cost-effective operation: Due to the reduced downtime periods, ensured by
automatically scheduled and controlled maintenance, supply of raw materials, and
other manufacturing requirements, the equipment may have a higher production
rate resulting in bigger profits. Again, IoT devices greatly facilitate management
within individual departments and across the whole enterprise structure.
4. Improved work safety: The scheduled maintenance is also highly advantageous for
ensuring operational safety and compliance with the required regulations. In their
turn, safe working conditions make the enterprise more attractive for investors,
partners, and personnel, increasing the brand reputation and trust. Smart devices
also reduce the probability of a human error during various stages of business
operation, which also contributes to a higher level of safety. In addition, a network
of IoT devices such as surveillance cameras, motion sensors, and other monitoring
devices can be utilized to ensure the security of an enterprise and prevent thefts and
even corporate espionage.
5. Thorough marketing and business development: Smart devices that are situated at
homes, especially voice assistants and other appliances that can directly
communicate with end-users on a regular basis, provide invaluable source
information for business analysis. IoT helps enterprises by gathering large volumes of
user-specific data employed for developing business strategies, targeted advertising,
fine-tuning price policy, and other marketing and management activities.
6. Improved customer service and retention: The above mentioned collection of user-
specific data achieved by using smart devices also helps businesses to understand
the expectations and behavior of customers better. IoT also improves customer
service by facilitating follow-ups after sales such as automatic tracking and
 reminding the customers about required maintenance of purchased equipment after
its predefined period of use, the ending of warranty periods, etc.
7. Better business opportunities: Due to the increased effectiveness, the company that
uses IoT solutions is able to offer a wider range of services or products, or increase
their quality in comparison with its competitors, but at the same price. As an
alternative, such a company may perform more challenging tasks in terms of
production difficulty, time, or quantity. Altogether, the use of smart solutions makes
an enterprise more competitive and attractive as a potential business partner.
8. More trustworthy image of the company: A company that employs high-tech
solutions, and IoT in particular, generally makes a positive impression on customers,
investors, and other business partners who are aware of numerous advantages
offered by the Internet of Things. Moreover, it is easier to attract highly-sought
experienced staff if a company provides a safe and secure working environment
ensured by a network of smart devices.

Drawbacks of IOT
1. Security flaws: Insufficient security measures are the most widespread drawback
that hinders the development of IoT as a whole. The fear of data leaks is always
present because smart devices collect and transmit confidential information that can
lead to drastic consequences if revealed. Yet, IoT solutions rarely contain adequate
anti-tampering means or comply with all applicable data protection standards,
encryption protocols, and other regulations and technologies designed to prevent
unauthorized access to sensitive data. Failure to ensure sufficient data protection
may lead to costly, disastrous, and even tragic consequences: identity thefts, loss of
corporate secrets, equipment or products, sabotage, etc.
2. Associated costs: Implementation of IoT infrastructure in a business enterprise
implies building an extensive network comprising multiple smart devices and the
associated technical infrastructure, including the power supply grid and the
communication network. That’s why such an initiative requires significant
investments to install, maintain, and gradually expand the created network
according to future needs. Though IoT solutions provide multiple benefits, it takes a
lot of time before they become profitable, and their financial benefits exceed the
initial costs of their implementation.
3. Power supply dependence: While IoT implies the autonomous operation of multiple
devices, such a network remains highly dependent on external factors that must be
considered in order to implement it successfully in business. First and foremost,
smart devices are dependent on a stable and sufficient supply of electricity, so a
well-planned additional infrastructure must be provided. It should include a suitable
amount of UPS devices, surge protectors, and other equipment with relevant ingress
protection (IP) ratings.
4. Network dependence: The core feature of the Internet of Things is the immense
amount of interconnections between various devices and access to the global
network. For this reason, IoT devices additionally require an infrastructure that
ensures the uninterrupted wired and wireless communication with high throughput,
 low latency, and constant access to the Internet. So, to enjoy the benefits of IoS, a
business enterprise first should provide the whole range of the required networking
equipment: cables, routers, hubs, local data storage means, and so on.
5. High skill requirements: IoT solutions require responsible, experienced professionals
who fully understand the scope and possible consequences of their work. Deploying,
setting up, maintaining, and changing the scale of IoT solutions in a business
enterprise demand highly skilled administrators who may be hard to find and recruit
as they would expect respectively high salaries. All personnel who would have to
deal with the implemented network of smart devices should receive proper training
and sets of instructions. So, while IoT reduces the need for human resources, the
remaining staff must be well-trained in order not to disrupt the operation of smart
devices and not to cause the ”snowball effect.”
 IoT and robotic work automation

Internet of Things is about limiting human involvement in that communication network.

The internet here becomes not a network of humans connected through devices, but a
network of devices talking to each other. IoT is basically a network of things capable of
communicating with other things.

Robotics is also about reducing human involvement. With robotics, we develop ways to
delegate human tasks to machines. Robots can assist or even replace humans in doing
tasks.

So it makes sense that these disciplines can benefit from collaboration. Robotics and IoT
working together are how we can actually bring the power of computing into the
physical world.

What is IROT?
Internet of Robotic Things is a field of research that describes the collaboration of the fields of Internet
of Things and Robotics.
IoRT is not IoT aided by Robotics or Robotics driven by IoT- but rather an amalgamation of the disciplines.
It was slowly formed as a result of realizations that the two fields had a lot of overlapping of purpose,
and could greatly benefit from a focus on their combination.

Features or components of IoRT

 Sensing/ Perception

As IoT devices and robots, IoRT devices perceive the environment- both physical and digital- through

software, sensors, and technology like RFID and GPS. “Sensing As A Service” solutions are driven by this

feature of IoRT. Sensing is also required for communicating and collaborating with humans as well as with

other devices.

Computation

IoRT devices perform intelligent computations using both cloud computing as well as edge computing.

Sensory input is used as variables in computations and devices can actively learn from the data.

IoRT has the capability to execute complex tasks with multiple variables, paths, and courses of action.

Connection/ Communication

Connecting with other devices on the network, with the internet, as well as establishing communication
with other devices is pivotal for the functioning of IoRT systems. Communications networks are established
via the Internet, Bluetooth, wi-fi, or other systems.

Actuation

Actuating means taking the action required to accomplish the purpose of a device. This may be physical

manipulation or cyber action. With the integration of robotics, IoT can actually directly perform actions in

the physical world.

Control

Autonomic control is given to IoRT systems, with minimal need for human involvement. Through

communication networks, IoRT based systems also have data from other devices available to them.

They can learn from data, adjust their plans accordingly, and account for the variation of different variables

without the need for human assistance. The human side of control can be given from any distance through

any device with an interface.

Applications of IROT

Applications of IoRT include-

1. Autonomous Supply Chain, which includes Maintenance, Manufacturing, Automated E-Commerce,

and Precision Agriculture,

2. Healthcare, which includes Patient Care, Patient Monitoring, Surgery, and Process Automation,

3. Personal Robots, which includes Telepresence Robots and Smart Homes,

4. Physical Security and Monitoring, which includes Robot Guards, Disaster Management, and Military

applications, and Automated Vehicles.

Future of IOT

Internet of Things has emerged as a leading technology around the world. It has gained a lot of popularity

in lesser time. Also, the advancements in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have made the

automation of IoT devices easy. Basically, AI and ML programs are combined with IoT devices to give them

proper automation. Due to this, IoT has also expanded its area of application in various sectors. Here, we

will discuss the applications and the future scope of IoT in healthcare, automotive, and agriculture

industries.

Future of IOT in Healthcare:

IoT has proved to be one of the best tools for the healthcare industry. It helps provide advanced

healthcare facilities to patients, doctors, and researchers. These facilities include smart diagnosis,

wearable devices for tracking health, patient management, and many more. Furthermore, IoT devices have

reduced unnecessary strain on the healthcare system. The healthcare devices can directly send the

patients’ data health to doctors over a safe network. This allows the doctors to diagnose the patients from

remote locations. Reasons for IoT being beneficial in the healthcare industry are as follows:

1. Error reduction in treatments

2. Decrease in the cost of treatments
3. Availability of specialists in remote locations
Future of IOT in Agriculture:

One of the three basic human needs is food. To fulfill the need for food, we do farming. However, now, as

the population of the world is increasing, the agricultural industry is facing many challenges. Also, changes

in weather conditions and climate hugely impact the agricultural industry. To meet the rising demand for

food, the industry has hence adopted technology to increase productivity. It includes the use of precision

farming, agricultural drones, and smart farming applications.

Precision farming

In agriculture, Information and Communication Technology is a tool used for smart farming. With the help

of IoT-based devices, crop fields are observed. The technology uses sensors to calculate the moisture of

soil, humidity, and temperature. Also, it uses an automated irrigation system to make efficient use of

water. Precision farming helps farmers monitor their fields and boost productivity.

Agricultural drones

Drones used for agriculture and farming are one of the best applications of Internet of Things. They are

used to enhance agricultural processes. We use agricultural drones for planting crops, irrigating fields,

spraying of pesticides, and monitoring the fields. With the help of drones, it becomes easier to evaluate

the health of crops. This is all possible with the help of smart IoT-based devices that are used to make

agricultural drones.
Smart greenhouses

Farmers use greenhouse farming to enhance the productivity of crops. In greenhouse farming, the

environmental factors that affect the growth of crops are controlled by manual intervention. However,

manually controlling the mechanism for the growth of crops is less productive. The emergence of IoT and

technological advancements has led to the creation of IoT-based greenhouses that consist of various

devices such as sensors, climate controllers, etc. These IoT devices help in measuring the various

environmental conditions according to the requirements of plants. As all sensors and devices connect

over the Internet servers, they provide accurate information on the environmental conditions. Then, the

devices activate actuators to control heaters, fans, windows, and lighting of greenhouses to set according

to the environment.

Future of IOT in Automotive Industry

In the 21st century, the application of IoT is revolutionizing the automotive industry. One of the major

applications is the creation of self-driving cars that has changed the trends of the automotive industry.

Engineers have created self-driving cars to reduce manual errors and ensure a safe drive. Various companies
world are creating self-driving vehicles including Google, Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Audi, and many

more. These self-driving cars use various technologies such as Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Deep

Learning, and IoT. IoT devices are programmed in such a way that they assist in creating an automated

system for self-driving cars.

These IoT devices consist of HD cameras, thermal sensors, smart navigators, speed controller, rain sensors,
wireless connectivity, and proximity sensors. While using these cars, you need to enter your location and
the destination. Then, the navigator helps locate the destination and tries to find the shortest path. After
that, the IoT-based HD cameras help in getting the visuals of the surrounding and send the data to the
AI-based systems. These systems analyze and visualize the data of the surrounding and accordingly fix the
response of the self-driving cars. Also, there are IoT-based speed controllers that help regulate the speed
of these cars according to the traffic and congestion. This is how the scope of IoT is changing the trends in
the automotive industry.

Jobs in IOT

As India is a developing country, it has a wide IoT scope. According to Naukri.com, the future scope of IoT
in India is very high as there are 117,114 job openings for an IoT Developer here. On the other hand, in
the United States, the demand for an IoT Developer has jumped over 300 percent.

Salary of IoT Developers

Coming to the salary figures, the average salary provided to an IoT Developer in the United States is

US$164,417 per year. In India, the average annual salary is ₹850k. This is an attractive package to start

your career with.

IoT value chain
An IoT solution is formed of several building blocks or components, and each of these building blocks forms

the IoT value chain. The IoT value chain illustrates how the different components, in combination with one a

or separately, add value to the overall IoT solution and, in turn, for the end user. The IoT value chain

explains the building blocks of IoT, how value is created, who they players are, and how they interact with

each other to deliver value. Furthermore, each component is developed by a range of companies, some of

which play several roles in the IoT value chain. The following components form part of the IoT value chain:

1. Devices:

This category includes existing devices such as smart meters or vehicles in which the connectivity

component has been integrated into the product design. This could also include new devices that

would not have existed without IoT, such as pet trackers. Such a device must have a sensor and an

actuator, as well as communications hardware, but it will also have other elements (for

example, a power source such as a battery or mains electricity). In addition, depending on the type

of device, it may have a screen and other ways for the user to interact with it directly (such as

buttons or a keyboard).

Sensor and actuators are connected to the device. Sensors are able to capture data from the

environment (for example, temperature). Actuators respond to instructions and make changes in

the device (for example, adjusting the temperature on a thermostat). The instructions for an

actuator can come from sensors on the same device, or from other sources (for example, a

thermostat can be activated by mobile phone while the homeowner is on their way home). A

device can have sensors, actuators, or both.

Communications hardware enables the device to connect to the network to send the data from

the sensors to the backend systems. This can include hardware for connecting wirelessly via

BlueTooth, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, LoRa, cellular (for example GSM, 5G, NB-IoT, LTE-M) or a number of

proprietary technologies, or over a fixed network. Some devices will have hardware to connect to
 multiple types of network.

2. The connectivity network which can be cellular, fixed or satellite, delivers the data from the

sensors over the internet or a private network connection to the user’s backend systems. In

addition, many different software components, which can be loosely grouped as applications,

deliver additional value to the end user.

3. Backend systems include the servers to collect and analyse the data coming from the sensors and

from other sources (for example, weather forecast data). These backend systems can be found in

the public or private cloud, or on on-premises hardware. For very simple systems, the backend can

be a standard PC.

4. Software platforms such as device management, security and data analytics ensure that IoT

devices are functioning correctly and have not been compromised. Such platforms also include

data analytics software to make sense of the data and improve business processes, as well as data

bases to store the data.

• This area also includes services such as billing and customer support.

5. System Integrators: Other parts of the value chain for IoT can include the systems integrators (SIs)
or developers that design, build and manage IoT services. The physical IoT device will often need

to be installed and maintained.

Who are the key players in the IoT value chain?

The IoT value chain is both crowded and fragmented. IoT attracts traditional hardware, connectivity and

application players as well as new entrants and start-ups.

1. The hardware domain includes players that design the chipsets (for example, Arm) and sell chipsets (

Altair and Qualcomm), and providers of SIMs and modules (such as G+D, Sierra Wireless and Telit).

It also includes original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that build the devices such as smart

meters (for example, Diehl Metering and Itron) and are building connectivity enablers into their

devices.

2. The role of connectivity provision in the IoT value chain is occupied by network operators2 such as

Orange, Tele2 and Verizon, as well as mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs)3 or IoT

connectivity specialists, such as 1NCE, Cubic Telecom and Kore Wireless.

3. Companies such as AWS, Google and Microsoft all offer IoT stacks for the backend component of

IoT deployment. They have become an integral part of the IoT value chain because companies

increasingly require that their data is delivered to the cloud.

4. The application landscape is highly fragmented and includes generalists and specialists of device

management solutions, application developers and data analytics companies. Telit, for example,

provides an industrial IoT device management solution. Software AG and PTC deliver application

enablement solutions.
 Systems integrators also play an important role in the IoT value chain. They integrate all of the

components to ensure that they communicate and deliver the data to the business systems. Large

companies such as Accenture and EY, as well as smaller specialists such as Mugler AG, deliver these

services.

5. Some companies that are already active in one area of the value chain are building roles in new

areas of the value chain to enhance their core business. For example, hardware providers of

cellular modules are now offering connectivity that is integrated into their hardware products to

capture a larger share of the value.

Overview of IoT Framework

What is the IoT Framework?

IoT is mainly a machine to machine (M2M) interaction. In order to enable this interaction, there is

a need for an appropriate infrastructure which can provide secure connectivity and data transfer

reliability. This infrastructure is known as IOT framework and/or platform. IOT framework

comprises of large number of interconnected and interdependent components that play crucial

role in building IOT applications. Some of these components include sensors and sensor systems, a

gateway for connection points, an app for a smartphone or mobile devices, embedded controller,

data management platform, analytical platform and so on.

 Now we will discuss the IoT Framework one by one:

1. KAA IOT

2. Cisco IoT Cloud Connect

3. ZETTA IoT

4. Salesforce IoT

5. DeviceHive IoT

6. Oracle IoT

7. SAP IoT
8. Microsoft Azure IoT

9. Google Cloud Platform – IoT framework

10. IBM Watson – IoT framework

11. Hewlett Packard Enterprise – IoT framework

12. DataV by Bsquare – IoT framework

13. Mindsphere by Siemens – IoT framework

14. Ayla Network – IoT framework

15. MBED IoT Device platform

16. Amazon Web Services (AWS) IoT framework

17. Mocana – IoT framework

18. RTI IOT

IBM Watson – IoT framework

IBM Watson offers a glimpse over a great deal of large scale applications running on the
back of IOT devices. Security is enhanced in the platform via its communication over TLS
and MQTT. The framework utilizes Watson IOT platform API. When a business applies
for registration with the platform, it is given a unique ID. This corporate ID consists of six
characters and nullifies any unauthorized access to the platform by a third party. Post
registration period, keys of API and IOT devices are reserved for a single entity.
In IBM’s IOT infrastructure each device maintains its own link with the internet, though
typically they are unable ti initiate communication with each other automatically;
instead, they take input from applications and respond accordingly. These devices carry
a unique token for identification and authentication purposes. Moreover, each of these
devices require their own registration with the framework before they are allowed to
function in the network. Watson IOT framework classifies devices under two metrics:
Managed devices: Those equipment that come up with their device management agent-
an agent which enables devices to use the Device Management Protocol to
communicate with Watson IOT Platform Device Management Service.
Unmanaged devices: Those equipment that do not carry their own device management
agents; however, they can still communicate with Watson IOT for two-way transmission
of commands and events, though they are unable to do the following:

 Execute operations related to device management

 Forward requests for device management

AWS IoT
It is a platform that collect and analyses data from internet connected devices and
sensors and connects that data to AWS cloud applications.
AWS IOT can collect the data from billions of devices and also connect them to
endpoints to other AWS tools and services allowing a developer to tie that data into an
application.
AWS IOT facilitates bi-directional communication between all IOT related devices with
optimum security. Whether, it is an embedded microcontroller, an actuator, or a sensor,
AWS IOT works for all.
AWS IOT integrates with AI services. So you can make devices smarter.
AWS IOT can easily scale as your device fleet grows and your business requirements
evolve.
Following are the key components of AWS IOT:
Device gateway: It is used to authorize devices for efficient and secure communication
with the AWS IOT framework.

Message broker: It offers a safe medium for applications and devices to send and
receive messages. For this purpose, the MQTT (Message Queue Telemetry Transport)
protocol is used for subscription and publishing. The HTTP REST interface is used for
publishing only.

Rules engine: It offers to process of messages and integrates it with other components
of AWS. Data can be extracted from messages via any SQL-powered language. This data
can be sent to other components of AWS.
Security and identity service: It offers shared security in the Cloud. It is necessary for
IOT devices to manage their credentials securely. If credentials fall into the wrong hands,
then the third-parties can exploit the system and send fake messages to other
components of the infrastructure.
Registry: It manages the resources of individual IOT-enabled equipment with the AWS
cloud.
Group registry: It is useful for supervising and handling many devices simultaneously.
These devices are categorized into groups, according to their functions and
characteristics. A group may also carry any other group; hence it is possible to create
hierarchy of groups. These groups follow the plain old inheritance principle that is,
anything which is being performed on a parent group also translates to the child group.
Likewise, if a group is given permission to perform a task, then it also translates to its
child group.
Device shadow: The up to date data from IOT sensors are stored in JSON (Java script
object notation) documents.
How to choose the best IoT platform
As you can see, IoT platforms features basically overlap, though they are packaged
differently. Along with a rich functionality, all of them offer high scalability, fitting the
needs of any business, from startups to enterprises with millions of devices; built-in
security for every layer of an IoT system; and tech support and detailed documentation
on their products.
The question is, how do you choose the best option among five equal worth leaders?
There are several things to consider before making the final decision.
1. Pricing and free tier: IoT costs are often hard to predict, as the core solution typically
includes only a limited set of functions. Every single service you use on top of basic
features involves additional expenses.
2. Hardware Compatibility: IoT infrastructure involves numerous devices. If you
already use certain equipment, network nodes, and other components, you must
check whether your existing hardware is compatible with a particular platform.
3. Domain Expertise: Though all platforms work across several industries, each of them
can outperform others in a particular domain. For example, if you run a big
enterprise with complex infrastructure and millions of sensors, your natural choice
will be IBM, boasting exclusive expertise in managing industrial equipment.
AWS is a good fit to implement a smart home scenario, while Cisco will bring most
value to businesses dealing with connected vehicles. Cisco can also provide a good
start for companies that build their IoT infrastructure from the ground up, offering
all necessary hardware, software, and connectivity services. Microsoft proved its
efficiency in the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), and Google has convincing use
cases in energy, transportation, and building smart parks.

IOT Ecosystem
IoT ecosystem is a connection of various kind of devices that sense and analyze the data
and communicates with each other over the networks.
In the IoT ecosystem, the user uses smart devices such as smartphones, tablet, sensors,
etc. to send the command or request to devices for information over the networks. The
device response and performs the command to send information back to the user
through networks after analyzed.
Following are the major components of IOT:
Devices and Sensors

Devices and sensors are the fundamental hardware aspects of IOT. These sensors vastly
vary in size; depending upon their use. The responsibility of these sensors is to
accumulate, gather, and collect vast amount of data 27/7. The data is then forwarded to
relevant applications and systems so any rational decision can be made through its
analysis.
Gateway
IOT gateway carries the responsibility to ensure bidirectional communication between
IOT protocols and various networks. It can be seen as a middle man who is tasked to act
as a translator for any network protocol and acts like a glue that holds all the sensors
and devices with other components of IOT.

Gateways are sometimes programmed to execute some processing operations. This

processing is applied on all the collected data which is collected by sensors and
forwarded to gateways. After applying its pre-programmed set of operations; gateways
transmit the processed data to the next layer. Gateways are necessary for maintaining
security to a certain extent. They engage in encryption algorithms to mask data. Hence,
as an intermediary, it is responsible to shield the entire IOT systems from any cyber-
attack like botnets.
Cloud
IOT deals with vast data; it is one of the most important assets in the ecosystem. This
data is generated from users, devices, and applications and requires some sort of
management. This management is provided by the IOT cloud which accepts data,
accumulates, maintains, and stores in real time.
IOT cloud can also be seen as a huge network that contains plenty of optimized servers
which require speedy processing of incoming data from millions and billions of devices
as well as manage traffic and offer key insights.
Cloud often uses DDBMS or distributed database management to manage data.
A cloud in an IOT solution may cover billions of sensors, protocols, gateways and collect
data from them to apply machine learning algorithms. The foresight gained from the
cloud can facilitate business to understand their products and services better and rectify
their vulnerabilities.
Analytics
Analytics refers to the procedure which indulges in the conversion of data in the analog
format (coming from wide range of sensors and IOT-enabled devices). The conversion
results in an output detailing meaningful suggestions and recommendations. This output
then goes on to reflect the existing state of user’s organization and helps managers to
gain new insights. An IOT infrastructure without analytics is incomplete because if
proper analytics are not performed on the data, then all the collected and accumulated
data becomes pretty meaningless.

User Interface
For users, the most accessible part of the IOT ecosystem is the user interface. The design
and development of user interfaces carry the same importance and challenges as they
do in other IT technologies.

Unlike other components of the IOT ecosystem, UIs directly affect the psychology of
users. When users find elegant and polished UIs, they gravitate towards the IOT
solution. On the contrary, a badly designed UI is ignored, irrespective of the brilliance of
other IOT components.

Elements for IOT Implementation

1. Security:
When an organization is illegally accessed, and its devices are remotely controlled,
the effect on the entire ecosystem can vary greatly. Hence to ensure that security is
fully installed, it is compulsory to incorporate cybersecurity measures from the start
of a process that is, the sensors and IOT equipment and adding it in the chain of IOT
components ending at the user interface. To combat these security doldrums,
 Microsoft came up with a threat classification model called STRIDE (Spoofing,
Tampering, Repudiation, Information Disclosure, Distributed Denial of Service, and
Elevation of Privilege)
2. Data Sensitivity:
The data sensitivity concerns are equally crucial for IOT networks where it has to be
made sure that the collected data does not cause any privacy violation. Management
has to mull over the following questions:
 What type of data are the IOT sensors and equipment gathering?
 How is the data going to be securely stored?
 Who are the users in the organizations that have the required access to this
data?
 How will the integrated components of the ecosystem process the data?
3. Scalability:
With the passage of time, as organizations earn profits and generate greater
revenues, their network of devices do not remain of the same size. Ultimately, more
devices have to be integrated into the system. Likewise, other than the IOT
hardware; data is another factor which will grow exponentially. This rapid expansion
requires IOT ecosystems to be scalable that is, newer components can be easily
added while the increased workload can also be managed effectively. Some IOT
frameworks like Microsoft Azure IOT consider these factors and provide “auto-
scalability” for organizations to build powerful IOT solutions in an affordable budget.
4. AI:
When each component of the IOT infrastructure is laced with artificial intelligence,
they can start making rational decisions without any manual assistance, resulting in
the maximization of productivity. For ex: a smart meter used by utilities terminates it
functioning after completing its daily limit.
5. Interoperability:
Communication forms the crux of IOT networks. Many networks are prone to
shutdowns due to the lack of a proper communication mechanism or protocol that
can hold all these devices together. Interoperability is necessary to ensure that no
information is lost and the required output is not hampered due to a gap in the
communication. Make sure that your IOT ecosystem supports all the major protocols
for file transfer.

Module 1 Selective Questions

1. What is IOT?
2. What are the essential components of IOT?
3. What are the IOT implementation challenges business can face?
4. How is IOT useful for consumers?
5. What are the elements you have to consider for an IOT deployment?
6. What role sensor play in IOT?
7. Why network is important in IOT deployment?
8. What are the benefits of IOT for consumers as well as business?
9. How IOT revolution is taking place?
10. What are the various real-life IoT use cases?
11. What is IOT Framework?
12. What are the core components of IOT framework?
13. Describe the IOT value chain?
14. What are the key elements to consider selecting an IOT framework?
15. What are the elements of IOT implementation?
16. What is IOT Ecosystem and how it works?
17. Describe AWS IOT framework?
18. Explain IBM Watson IOT framework?