The Internet of Things describes the interconnected ecosystem of physical devices equipped with computing power, processing capability, and network access that enables them to collect and transmit data.
Including connected home devices and wearable fitness trackers to manufacturing equipment and smart city infrastructure, connected devices is revolutionizing how we interact with the the world around us.
A particularly valuable deployments of sensor networks is in manufacturing environments. Industrial IoT applications allow factories to observe assets health in continuously, predict service requirements proactively before failures occur, and improve operational performance.
Security is one of the most critical challenges in IoT. Most consumer smart gadgets are designed with inadequate security in mind. Pre-set credentials, plaintext network traffic, and infrequent security updates introduce substantial risks.
The road forward of IoT promises to be full of potential. With faster connectivity roll out and local processing maturity improve, IoT devices will become more capable, faster, and better connected into everyday workflows.