Will the Internet of Things be a beneficial addition to our lives - or a blight on society?

The Internet of Things: Connecting everything to everyone - is that a good thing?

25 years ago, the world was a very different place in regards to technology. Computers such as the Apple IIC and the IBM PS/2 (Model 30) were becoming solidified in homes for those who could afford them. The first GPS satellite was launched into orbit by the DoD for military applications only, which was followed by 23 more by the year 1994. Cellular phones were huge, still in their infancy as far as capabilities, and did not feature instant messaging, a built-in MP3 player or touch-screens for that matter (although Motorola did release the first ‘flip-phone’ with the MicroTAC). Large flat screen 60-inch LCD TVs featuring 4K or 1080p resolutions existed only in sci-fi books or movies, in fact people could still buy brand new cinderblock-sized portable black and white TVs. Microwave ovens were increasing in popularity, even though they were the size of a small Chevy hatchback. ‘Tablets’ were small-spiraled notebooks of paper used to write grocery and other to-do lists and VCRs were all the rage for watching movies at home. Conversing with people over long distances consisted of either writing (or typing) a letter or spending a small fortune to call long-distance from a landline. Seems so archaic doesn’t it, however technology has exploded since that time and the things we take for granted today were unheard of back then. The following decade would see the rise of the World Wide Web, which has become fundamental in our daily lives. We use it for banking, getting the latest news and for shopping (among a host of other things). We’ve also seen the rise of smart devices in the last decade with more power than what was had in desktop computers only a decade ago. Wireless has also evolved along with RFID technology, which has given birth to the Internet of Things that allows us to transfer data with humans, objects and even animals without interfacing directly with them. Some examples of ‘Things’ include a patient with an implanted heart monitor, animals with implanted tracking tags and automobiles outfitted with sensors that alert drivers of various issues.

Almost anything can be outfitted with ‘unique identifiers’, which are assigned an IP address that allows them to transfer data over a network. As it stands right now, the Internet of Things is still in its infancy, however (like all new technology) it’s set to explode as more things become connected. According to Cisco and the IT research firms Gartner and ABI Research , there will be an estimated 24 to 30-billion smart devices connected to the IoT by the year 2020, which is only six years away. Smart houses, waste management, social interactive devices (tablets, smartphones, Roku, etc.), smart meters and environmental sensing are just a few of the applications that take advantage of IoT today, which is growing steadily from month to month. Like all new technology, there are some who feel that the implementation of such tech can be detrimental to society and pose significant risks to those who use it. Some of those concerned feel that the IoT can be damaging to businesses who would be forced to implement micro-circuitry and electronics into their products in order to keep up with other competitive companies. Those who can’t are likely to go out of business as a result of popular demand for connected products. Security also becomes a factor as hackers could gain access to sensitive data or granted control over the devices themselves. Obsolete software could also become an issue as OSs and applications are frequently updated over a period of time for increased functionality, however, when new hardware is released those updates for older technology are usually abandoned over time forcing consumers to buy the latest tech. This may not sound too bad as we’re used to buying new smartphones every few years as the technology progresses but imagine an IoT-connected self-driving vehicle becoming unstable or unusable as the latest software patches can’t be implemented on the older technology.

Spying and cyber-threats are already a real concern with governments all over the world (just look at the never-ending NSA debacles), as hackers often gain access to secure networks for data acquisition and other nefarious activities. Intelligence agencies will most certainly take advantage of that new resource for increased levels of espionage. If we look at past technological advancements or revolutions, there have always been drawbacks, however they have been improved and refined over time to be an actual boon in our daily lives (automobiles, AC current and even space exploration are all examples of that notion). The Internet of Things is being implemented on in an effort to make our lives better and easier, if we can develop the technology wisely, we can reduce or even eliminate the ramifications that will follow.

C

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