1 IoT Fundamentals: Definitions, Architectures, Challenges, and Promises
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• Things – Things refers to the physical devices that operate as part of the Internet
of Things. Each device must have the ability to connect to other devices or the
network in general. This could be with a specialized communication protocol
such as Zigbee or Bluetooth or the more general Internet Protocols (IP). The
device needs the energy and processing power to handle that communication.
Also, to be an IoT device, there must be some data to communicate. Most
frequently, this is sensor data that is collected by the device itself. Some examples
include image data from a security camera, temperature data from a thermometer,
humidity or pressure data from a sensor on an industrial manufacturing machine,
and so on. The thing or device may also be commanded to perform some action,
perhaps sending specific data or moving an actuator or some other control
motor. The device must be able to acknowledge these commands, perform
these actions, and confirm with the remote controller that the desired action is
performed. Routers, switches, and gateways are considered as part of the network
but may also be classified as things. Devices must be equipped to survive the
environmental conditions in which they are installed and have the necessary
power, sensors, and communications to fulfill these roles.
• Data – The data component has been partially defined already, as those sensor
data being sent from things as well as any commands being issued to the things.
With the huge number of things producing data so often, it is easy to understand
that the size of the data itself will be enormous. The raw data must be cleaned,
that is, checked for errors and formatted, and then either stored for analysis or
analyzed immediately. This task can be done at the edge of the network, close
to the devices, or the data can be communicated to a more central collection
point (e.g., cloud) where it is analyzed. The cost, relevance of the time of data to
required actions, and communication barriers are some factors that determine the
configuration of data processing. That being said, big data, collected from several
IoT things, is most often stored and processed in the cloud.
• People – People are affected by the Internet of Things in at least two ways: as the
agent of change who must work to make IoT function and as the beneficiary of its
outcomes. Typically, people work in their own domain as a specialist at their job.
With IoT, however, there is a much broader sense of interconnection between
functions, and so people are increasingly finding themselves interacting with
people in other business sectors. Sometimes this is a counterpart more or less with
a similar function, or at a similar level, what we call horizontally located in the
business, but other times it is a more vertical relationship, someone that operates
at a lower or higher level. People must be interfacing in order to make sense of the
data being collected and to determine the proper interpretation of the outcomes
of the analysis of that data. Ultimately, it is people who create and maintain the
Internet of Things, and their actions which can derive the most advantage from
what IoT has to offer. The other side is the impact that the consumer sees from
the IoT, meaning more informed decisions and targeted services from companies.
People must also be aware of their personal data, who is collecting it and what is
happening to it. Who owns this data? This is a question that has a complex and
evolving answer.
7
• Things – Things refers to the physical devices that operate as part of the Internet
of Things. Each device must have the ability to connect to other devices or the
network in general. This could be with a specialized communication protocol
such as Zigbee or Bluetooth or the more general Internet Protocols (IP). The
device needs the energy and processing power to handle that communication.
Also, to be an IoT device, there must be some data to communicate. Most
frequently, this is sensor data that is collected by the device itself. Some examples
include image data from a security camera, temperature data from a thermometer,
humidity or pressure data from a sensor on an industrial manufacturing machine,
and so on. The thing or device may also be commanded to perform some action,
perhaps sending specific data or moving an actuator or some other control
motor. The device must be able to acknowledge these commands, perform
these actions, and confirm with the remote controller that the desired action is
performed. Routers, switches, and gateways are considered as part of the network
but may also be classified as things. Devices must be equipped to survive the
environmental conditions in which they are installed and have the necessary
power, sensors, and communications to fulfill these roles.
• Data – The data component has been partially defined already, as those sensor
data being sent from things as well as any commands being issued to the things.
With the huge number of things producing data so often, it is easy to understand
that the size of the data itself will be enormous. The raw data must be cleaned,
that is, checked for errors and formatted, and then either stored for analysis or
analyzed immediately. This task can be done at the edge of the network, close
to the devices, or the data can be communicated to a more central collection
point (e.g., cloud) where it is analyzed. The cost, relevance of the time of data to
required actions, and communication barriers are some factors that determine the
configuration of data processing. That being said, big data, collected from several
IoT things, is most often stored and processed in the cloud.
• People – People are affected by the Internet of Things in at least two ways: as the
agent of change who must work to make IoT function and as the beneficiary of its
outcomes. Typically, people work in their own domain as a specialist at their job.
With IoT, however, there is a much broader sense of interconnection between
functions, and so people are increasingly finding themselves interacting with
people in other business sectors. Sometimes this is a counterpart more or less with
a similar function, or at a similar level, what we call horizontally located in the
business, but other times it is a more vertical relationship, someone that operates
at a lower or higher level. People must be interfacing in order to make sense of the
data being collected and to determine the proper interpretation of the outcomes
of the analysis of that data. Ultimately, it is people who create and maintain the
Internet of Things, and their actions which can derive the most advantage from
what IoT has to offer. The other side is the impact that the consumer sees from
the IoT, meaning more informed decisions and targeted services from companies.
People must also be aware of their personal data, who is collecting it and what is
happening to it. Who owns this data? This is a question that has a complex and
evolving answer.