By Nicholas Saball

It’s likely you have heard the term before, especially as the concept has gained more recognition in recent years. It is a discussion in touch with our lives on a personal level, and it’s important to acknowledge it as technology progresses. The internet of things, or IoT, is the aggregation of data transferred between electronic devices. So, more simply, all devices communicating over a network share information with each other. The IoT is a network of computing devices with some form of software, sensors, actuators, etc. This could be anything from a heart monitor to traffic lights. Each of these pieces of technology with network connectivity contributes its data to this overall system of objects. IoT’s influence will eventually extend deeply into our society, as it has already enhanced industries such as home, transportation, manufacturing and agriculture.

Some even refer to IoT as the next Industrial Revolution, as the new technology is integrated into many industries and drastically increases production.

Due to such a variety of devices and our growing dependency on technology, IoT has seen massive growth and is estimated to reach nearly 35 billion devices by 2020. IoT’s primary investments are expected to come from commercial business and government, as both aim to decrease expenses and increase productivity. While implementation in government can greatly improve infrastructure and quality of life, business can use this technology in the development of new products and the expansion to new markets. Recently, its popularity has risen with the emergence of technologies such as self-driving cars, home automation, motion-detecting traffic intersections and so on.

Life today looks drastically different from the past. With the introduction of home automation, you have most likely heard the pitch: how great it could be to have the lights on when you arrive, or have any simple task that you currently conduct throughout the day put out of mind and made a thing of the past. The idea of electronically automating unnecessary everyday actions hinges solely on IoT, and we even notice small progressions in the modern lifestyle, like home security systems going from an interface on your wall to your computer and inevitably being consolidated into a single app on your smartphone, always accessible. With the emergence of devices like the garage-door remote and the universal remote, as well, we know that people are interested in consolidating their devices — and to a deeper extent, the accessibility of their devices from any location.

Now as the popularity of IoT increases, so does the skepticism. The concept has gained a stigma in recent years that has taken many different forms. While many speculate, there is fair reason for alarm, as the security of this network can pose a legitimate risk. With such massive and rapid expansion, it is very important for the security to match — especially when these technologies promote a certain disregard for something once seen as a personal responsibility. Most important to the consumer is trust. So this is to be taken very seriously when your market applies to something as personal as self-driving cars.

As a consumer you probably don’t think much on security, and may claim that it’s the companies’ responsibility. However, in this situation, before ceding control to certain devices, it is important to choose products carefully to ensure proper updating, service, etc. For example, it can be appealing to buy the cheaper product, but if it is not updated frequently it poses a much greater risk to hacking and security breaches. So, while the industry grows around us, be aware of the products and the companies that make them before you buy to guarantee that they will continue to meet security expectations over time.

Nicholas Saball is a member of the Information Technology Senior Seminar course and is planning a career in Software Development.