(All images via Kaivan Karimi & Atmel)
I attended another IoT talk in Chicago's 1871, this time Atmel was talking (Here is a link to the last event). Atmel VP and GM of Wireless Solutions Kaivan Karimi gave a talk outlining six necessary steps to making the IoT a reality. If the concerns are addressed properly, the future of technology can be as big as we dream it. If we get it wrong, personal security and privacy will be a memory of yesteryear.
With all this talk about the IoT, you may wonder if it’s ever going to be a reality. That’s why Atmel Corporation’s VP and GM of Wireless Solutions Kaivan Karimi gave a talk recently to address just that. Karimi believes if we address six crucial hurdles to the IoT, it’ll soon become a reality, because it’s already here.
1. Properly Define It
Karimi said the first hurdle that needs defining is the IoT itself. According to research curated by Atmel, there are expected to be more than 30 billion IoT-connected devices by 2020. It is believed there will be roughly 100 connected devices per household and at least half of all IoT solutions will be delivered by start ups that don’t even exist yet. I personally think... it will be more like 100 connected devices per person!
Once we understand the grand scale of the IoT industry, we can take the steps necessary to make it a reality. If we do this well, anything we can dream, we can create. Connected pill bottles sounds useful!
2. Unclog the Pipes
An important and often overlooked hurdle to making the IoT a reality is ensuring the internet is free and open for all. Net Neutrality is a must worldwide for devices to work as intended and for everyone to have access to the world-changing IoT innovations currently being created, including smart wearable contact lenses that minimize the rate of degenerative disease and clothing-embedded wearables.
Just take a look at the number of service providers.
3. The “Cloud” on Steroids
When we think of Cloud connectivity, we often think simply. We imagine our devices connecting to the cloud, one unit to another. Karimi said, however, that IoT devices have many more moving parts and Cloud connectivity will require that every chip, on-board computer and more connect to the internet individually and as a whole. Talk about a difficult task. Which bring us to the next point.
4. By the Way, Make It Easy to Use, Yeah?
Just in case any of that sounded difficult and nearly impossible with our current level of technological advancement, we also need to make the IoT easy to develop and use; and not just for consumers. Karimi believes developers should be able to continue focusing on programming while hardware enables the smooth transition from standard to IoT-connected device. That means companies like Atmel and Intel have to up their game or this new technology era could make them obsolete.
5. Together We Stand
To a consumer, the IoT may seem like a unified, cohesive movement, but the reality is a far cry from such an illusion. Every company and individual sector advancing their technologies for the IoT (which is just about every sector) has its own parameters and standards for development. Karimi (rightfully) suggested the entire industry adopt a unified method for provisioning and security to protect our assets against future usability and security concerns, or else.
6. Privacy is Dead
The last, and potentially most potentially detrimental, hurdle to IoT development is the issue of security and privacy. To meet consumer demand, companies have begun sacrificing consumer security to rollout products faster. With more connected devices, there are more opportunities for hackers to compromise user information.
Worse yet, the lines across consumer privacy are blurred. In some cases, it is legal for companies to sell user information, from banking information to physical addresses and consumer habits. While privacy may be forsaken, all companies involved in the IoT market must ensure products meet security standards, or the world will see crime like never before.
One older study conducted by HP found it was painfully simple to hack even IoT-connected home security systems, potentially putting everyday people at jeopardy. These concerns have to be addressed if the IoT is to become what we know it can.
Conclusion
The IoT may allow us to build the most interconnected world ever devised. If we address the six concerns outlined by Karimi, the benefits are almost unimaginable, from amazingly precise and detailed big data analytics to innovations that positively impact our everyday lives and society furthermore. If we get it wrong, however, it’ll never be easier to compromise the security of our neighbors. Best, or perhaps worst, of all, the future is in our control. This is a build your own adventure. You choose the ending.
See the full attached slideshow for more!
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 | KKarimi-Atmel-IoT-1871-V4.pdf |