The Internet of Things and The Future...

The internet of things truly is as fascinating, as it is terrifying! The internet of things (IoT) is centered around the premise that anything that has an on or off switch that can, or is currently, connected to the internet or another device is considered to be within the realm of IoT. Think for just a moment how many devices you have simply within your home that are connected to the internet?...Now take that number and imagine how many more things are connected to the internet outside your home? How many more people their are in the world with multiple devices, how many machines are connected to the internet for manufacturing and other industries? Once you've imagines all this, believe it or not, you have still only barely scratched the service of the potential of IoT. According to the analyst firm Garter, "by 2020 there will be over 26 billion connected devices," with some estimates being closer to the 100 billion mark (Morgan, J.2017). As with anything, demand creates supply and supply create a market of very rich people! For example, the CEO of Cisco's stated that, "there will be 50 billion devices online within five years, with a total market worth $19 trillion (all currency in U.S. dollars)"(Scott, A. 2017).
Amazing concept, right? The idea that everything in your house can be connected sounds so futuristic. The very real possibility that you have a fridge that recognizes you are low on milk and automatically orders you more. Perhaps you find yourself stuck in traffic and your car informs your boss that you will be expected to arrive at certain time on your behalf. Thats not cool enough for you? How about smart contact lenses that allow you to take photos and store data with the blink of an eye? Don't believe me...check it out Smart Contact Lenses ...its closer than you think!

Thats the fascinating part out the way, now for the terrifying. With all this data being connected to one another it stands to reason that with this, security will be at an all time low. With more and more ways for hackers to access information is IoT really a step in the right direction? For example, in 2016 malware was prominent within the IoT spectrum. This malware had the ability to, "access the IoT devices by using default usernames and passwords and then make them eligible for DDoS attacks. The attack in 2016 flooded one of the largest operating websites in the world. This malware makes code accessibility easy and this code can be altered by anyone" (Albert, C.,2018). The more open connections we have to the internet, the more likely our date, privacy and important information will be taken. The question we have to ask ourselves is, is the internet of things really worth it?

Citations

Albert, C. (2018, April 06). Next big things in IoT predictions for 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2018, from https://www.itproportal.com/features/next-big-things-in-iot-predictions-for-2020/
Morgan, J. (2017, April 20). A Simple Explanation Of 'The Internet Of Things'. Retrieved October 19, 2018, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2014/05/13/simple-explanation-internet-things-that-anyone-can-understand/#7cd7b9bf1d09
Scott, A. (2017, June 19). Eight ways the Internet of Things will change the way we live and work. Retrieved October 19, 2018, from https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/the-future-is-smart/article24586994/

Thomas Coombes