Tag: IoT

Your handy guide to turn your house into a smart home

June 5, 2017

The alarm goes off and your perfect cup of hazelnut coffee is ready. Rich and nutty, just the way you like it. And the best part: you can make the coffee without having to leave your bed. Even a few years ago, this would seem to be a scene straight out of a fairytale or a sci-fi movie. But not today. You can make a pot of coffee from anywhere using your smart device. That’s the power of technology and that’s how home automation is changing our lives. Who doesn’t love a comfortable, easier, secure and convenient lifestyle? Smart home and Internet of Things (IoT) are completely redefining our way of life. From voice-activated smart speaker Amazon Echo, who will be at your beck and call, smart lighting which would automatically turn on the moment doorbell is heard, shades of the room which can be adjusted from the mobile app to remotely monitoring the snoopy activities around the house, you can do everything by a single click on your smart device today. Smart homes give you the ultimate power to control, monitor and manage your home sweet home and also your office through some digitally connected products, anytime anywhere in the world. Home automation is a ragingly growing market with the US having the highest smart home penetration rate, followed by Japan and Germany. According to the global smart home market, the market size would reach a value of more than 40 billion US dollars by 2020. Now, that’s encouraging for the tech giants and venture capitalists who are pouring money for the growth and advancements of these technological innovations. The real estate scenario has also undergone a sea change, courtesy smart home technology. Realtors and builders are increasingly adapting to these new innovations and also making the buyers aware of smart homes and how these “intelligent homes” can communicate with them too. Interestingly, millennials form the largest consumer segment in the US. They are a bunch of technological savvy citizens and have a completely different approach when it comes to investing in properties. The real estate giants are taking their preference into the count to make the homes modern. According to August 2016 report released by Coldwell Banker LLC, home-buyers are increasingly looking for their homes to be automated, or at least which have the potential to be automated. In India, the concept of smart cities has been finding more common ground. So, it wouldn’t be long that India too will start adapting this budding technology. Startups in India are jumping onto the bandwagon on home automation and technology students are also trying to make breakthrough innovations in this domain. According to a report published by RedSeer Consulting in 2015, home automation market in India is expeditiously growing and is expected to reach Rs 8800 crores by 2017. That’s good news. Santanu Mukherjee, head of digital marketing, Indus Net Technologies, admits that India too is welcoming home automation with open arms with several players already ruling the market. However, he also agrees that it will take some time before home automation finally finds its stronghold in India. According to Mukherjee, the primary reason is the lack of awareness in this sector. “Till now, maximum buyers in India consider the property with smart home IoT devices as too luxurious investment. The high product cost of home automation is also barring consumers from exploring this space. As of now, smart homes are a super luxury component in India,” he says.      Let’s take a quick look at the 5 ways how you can turn your home into a smart home. Let’s get connected Just imagine you have a large home and you want to switch off your AC from your smart device in the room upstairs. Alas! your WiFi can’t reach there. You can convert any home into a smart home, provided you have a strong WiFi connection and by strong, we mean “so powerful and fast” that all the smart home IoT devices in the house are connected. In simple words: your home should be WiFi friendly and should have a connection even in the remotest corner of the house. Now, the first rule before you think of smartening up your home, you should get a stable internet connection. And there are a number of wireless routers and Wi-Fi system using mesh technology in the market, which promise strong network coverage. Here are five WiFi systems you might use when implementing smart home technology: Samsung Connect Home Smart Wi-Fi System Google Wi-Fi system  Eero  Luma Home WiFi System  Linksys Velop Samsung Connect Home Smart Wi-Fi System. IC: Engadget Safety matters Did anyone break in when I was not at home? Who’s that person sneaking around my house at midnight? Keeping the house secured is one of the most important thoughts that continuously hover in our minds. When it comes to smart home technology, security is the first thing that most real estate or customers prefer. And mind it no one wants to compromise when it comes to the security of your most-prized possession, your house.   IoT has made it easier to set up a smart home through its smart security systems. Today you can control the security and comfort of your home from smart device. These smart devices can be installed at your home or office and you can monitor every step sitting at the remotest corner. So, from security cameras (indoor and outdoor), window sensors, door locks, motion detector, smoke detectors, water sensors to garage door openers, smart home security system connects to your abode to Wi-Fi network. You can keep a watch on all the activities 24X7 using your smartphone and apps. Alerts in the form of emails and text messages are sent to you on the go. “Security is a big issue, especially for working couples who depend on external help to manage their kids. However, reliability on external help is questionable. To address this issue, smart home can be a great help. You can

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Data Privacy Issues Concerning IoT Devices and How to Handle Them

February 6, 2017

An estimated 24 billion IoT devices are expected to be used by people across the world, in just a couple of years. With a staggering estimate like that, questions about data that is generated and collected, and the security and privacy issue that follow are invariably raised. To get a perspective, it is important to understand the security and privacy issues that IoT devices may pose to our societies.   What do people think?   There is a lack of confidence with respect to using IoT devices People are scared to bring home devices that may collect data about their lifestyle There is a general sense of skepticism with respect to IoT, though most of us have begun to use IoT devices such as smart energy meters.   Are these devices secure? Companies need to evaluate if the IoT devices they are launching are secure enough. There are various questions with respect to how secure these devices are. Security of devices depend on testing but all companies not adopt similar testing procedures. It is difficult to asses the actual risk of a device being compromised by eavesdroppers or hackers.   Is there business acceptance?  Businesses that may use IoT devices in bulk are not very confident about risking their data. B2B IoT devices are likely to change the way we do business, but business skepticism comes in the way. Companies are also worried about the expenditure and maintenance costs of these devices. Businesses are not very sure how to move from legacy devices to a smarter approach, which involves using IoT devices and connected technology. How secure are programs and networks that connect IoT devices?   Security of programs IoT opens on the programs that connect them. Security also pends on how these software programs are being developed, who is developing the, and if they are being updated regularly. True security of a device depends on securing software programs, network connections and tools that connect these IoT devices.       5. Data management   The more IoT devices enter our lives, there will be more data to handle. There will be so much of data that companies might find it difficult to store them, unless they adopt cloud technology. Even cloud storage can prove to be difficult when it comes to handling astronomical amounts of data generated by IoT devices. Millions of discreet data points are generated by just a few thousand devices.   Dealing with public profiles   People and companies may have to create public profiles which are easily searchable. Though profiles are protected by companies, there may always be a way to search them through some database. Data that is collected can be used in unrelated way by third parties, as public profile data usage is not explicitly mentioned by many companies. both IoT service providers and users will need to ensure that profile data always remains safe and secure, with adequate privacy.    Is someone reading all this data?   There are a lot of instances where people and companies are being eavesdropped with the help of data they generate through their IoT devices. It is difficult to monitor who is reading this data, and who is accessing it. There can be changes of hacking attempts if data is not encrypted. There are already questions being raised about homes and businesses remaining safe when they are connected too IoT devices and thereby risking privacy. Is location data safe?   Many IoT devices collect location-based data. It is not clear how soon this information is deleted, and if companies are using this information not only to enhance services, but also for ulterior motives. Location data is not secure and many people are hesitant to share that. Many IoT devices will require location data, creating a catch-22-like situation. Looking at these various security and privacy concerns, here are a few steps that companies can adopt in order to ensure data privacy and security. Conduct a risk assessment   Before launching products, companies should conduct a risk-assessment of their products. They should also adequately test them before launching them. Minimize data collected   Data shouldn’t be collected unnecessarily. IoT device-manufacturers should collect only that data which is critical to provide services. Test security regularly   Security should be constantly monitored and tested. The may involve running programs to find vulnerabilities Train employees too respect privacy   A number of times, security lapses occur when employees are not adequately trained about the importance of privacy. Ensure that mobile devices that belong to employees are adequately vetted regularly. Train employees with security and privacy best practices. Tie up with cloud security agencies   As IoT devices generate humongous amounts of data, it is important to tie up with agencies that specialise in data storage and security. Make sure that your chosen vendor has experience in IoT data security.   Identify possible risks and have contingency plans   Have a team to evaluate possible risks and how best to fill the loopholes. Arrive at contingency plans so that you will not be looking for solutions in a moment of crisis.   Implement access control   While this is a little difficult to implement, it is necessary. Access levels must be stated and defined, so that only authorised people have access to different levels of data. Ensure that access levels are built into the devices and the programs that connect them. Monitor the situation 24/7   Do not take IoT security and privacy for granted. Monitor 24/7 for vulnerabilities. Constantly release patches to fix vulnerabilities, and keep your connected software updated. Assess, fix and monitor risks   As you can see, there are various issues concerning data and privacy with respect to IoT devices. yet, with proper security and privacy measures, risks can be reduced, and there will be fewer vulnerabilities. It is important to bear in mind that cloud storage and computing is very important too ensure security risks, as data will not be stored on premises. Moreover, to ensure data

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The Most Valuable Programming Languages to Learn for IoT

December 26, 2016

With more objects becoming ‘smart’ and with more products being able to communicate with users with the help of Internet, it is becoming increasingly clear that programming for things is a new reality. Internet of Things, or IoT as it is popularly known, is spurring a new set of demands and targets for programmers. Developers are often left mystified about the nature of programming that is required for IoT and also the languages that are specifically required to program IoT applications. In the coming future, more objects and products will be connected to the internet to make interaction with users and data seamless and easy. With this in mind, it makes sense to look at some of the most important and useful programming languages that may help developers to develop applications and software for smart objects. What we need to remember is that while Internet of Things is a reality, it is still in a nascent stage. Most objects do not have the processing capacity that regular computers do. The computers or chips that are installed in these objects are quite basic, and they need very basic programming skills. What is C? C is a structured and procedural programming language widely used by programmers. C was originally developed by Dennis Ritchie between 1969 and 1973 at Bell Labs. It was first used to develop UNIX operating system. Today, it is used for developing operating system, compiler, network devices, assemblers, application software like database/ spreadsheets; computer and mobile games etc. Why C for IoT? Many IoT devices are embedded and have limitations like low computing power, low RAM and storage. Most embedded operating systems like Contiki, mbed, TinyOS etc support C.  C is highly efficient and you can tweak every part of the code to get the best performance out from an underpowered device. Therefore, it remains the first choice for constrained IoT devices and can be used to write the lowest layer of software, the layer closest to the hardware. It is simpler to complete complex tasks in C.  Moreover, many popular programming languages use C syntax. Finding developers with extensive experience in C is easy. The only limitation of C is its inadequate support to Graphical User Interface.  Nonetheless, its proximity to machine language makes it impressively fast.   Difficulty level C is a basic programming language and has been a reference point for many other languages. It is easy to learn, can create efficient programs, handle low-level activities and can be compiled on a variety of computer platforms.   C++ What is C++? C++ is an enhanced version of C language typically used for object-oriented programming.  It was designed to run large-scale applications, a limitation in C. C++ is widely used in embedded systems, GUI based applications, web browsers, operating systems with application across industries like healthcare, finance, defense etc. Why C++ for IoT? If IoT devices are expected to do complex tasks, C++ is chosen over C.  C++ comes with added abilities like data abstraction, classes and objects. C++ creates compact and faster runtime code. Line of code can be compiled into a couple of instructions leading to high runtime speeds and low energy consumption and is therefore suitable for writing IoT and embedded system code. According to C++ developer, Bjarne Stroustrup, there is still no other language that makes it better than C++ when it comes to specialized hardware to be used for Internet of Things. C++ is designed to handle both hardware and complexity simultaneously. It has apparent advantage of running seamlessly with systems with a few hundred kilobytes of memory. And there are not many languages that can work within such a framework. Difficulty level C++ is a relatively complex language to learn because it is designed to accomplish big and complex tasks. It may take years to master it. If you transition from learning C to C++, adaptability is faster.   Java What is Java? Java is a powerful programming language that enforces object-oriented programming model. It was developed by Sun Microsystems on the same lines as C/ C++, however it is simpler to run than C++. It can used to create applications run on single computer or distributed among servers. Java has wide-ranging applications including development of Android apps, server-side apps, Java web applications, software tools, trading applications, J2ME apps, big data technologies etc. Why Java for IoT? Java codes are portable and it is easy to move them to the smallest devices with the help of Java Virtual Machine. There is a lot of focus on Java SE Embedded today where classes can be eliminated leading to computing resource savings. Consequently, all communication goes through the network. Apart from that, Java has in-built capabilities like hardware support libraries thereby requiring bare minimum hardware dependency. Therefore, it is easy to control a device with a Java-written code. Java has huge potential for consumer IoT as well as industrial IoT.  It is not surprising that many experts consider Java to be the best language for IoT devices.   Difficulty level Java is one of the easiest languages to learn and is good for beginners. Once you understand its syntax, packages and frameworks, it is swift to learn.   Python What is Python? Python is a high level, object-oriented programming language. A general purpose language, Python works perfectly for backend web development, data analysis, artificial intelligence and scientific computing.  Developers also use it to build productivity tools, games and desktop apps. It is one of the fastest growing languages for embedded computing.   Why Python for IoT? Python is well-known for its writability, error reduction and readability. It is easily decipherable and its design is in line with today’s agile environment. With embedded algorithms becoming complex with the use of neural network and other heavily-involved processes, Python is just the right language for IoT projects.   Python can easily aggregate data coming from microcontrollers like Adruino, pass on commands, and display/log results in IoT projects. It is being used to interface with high-performance

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IBM Announces Project Intu

November 11, 2016

Cognitive computing has received another shot in its veins, thanks to IBM’s Project ‘Intu’. IBM announced the launch of a new system-agnostic platform that helps to enable embodied cognition in devices. This is just a fancy term for machine learning. #IoT

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Securer Ubuntu For Internet of Things

November 10, 2016

The updated Ubuntu platform Core 16 will provide better security and app support to connected devices. Independent software vendors will get control over system updates. Snap packages technology will ensure IoT apps get access to only what is necessary. The update will alleivate breaches in consumer IoT devices, enable robotic deployments and smoothly deliver software updates. Big data does need big leaps. #IoT

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Top Tech News; 19 October 2016

October 19, 2016

  Qt Unveils Lightweight IoT Development Framework Software development is going to get a lot faster and lightweight, thanks to Qt Company, an open source tools provider. The company’s Qt Lite Project helps developers to streamline building IoT-enabled software for a variety of industry verticals. Developers can start with a minimal deployable configuration and add features as they develop their app. #IoT #developer Microsoft Claims Its Speech Transcription AI Is Better Than Humans Transcriptionists may soon be out of job, if Microsoft is to be believed for its new claim. The company today announced that its speech transcription AI is better than human professionals over phone calls. This is being touted as a huge milestone for speech recognition and may have significant commercial ramifications. #ai Russian Company Brings Facial Recognition Tools to Businesses Facial recognition tools are going to get bigger, thanks to NTechlab’s FindFace.Pro service. The service is being targeted at malls, casinos and concert venues, where lots of people gather and tracking people individually is difficult. Businesses in malls can provide customized service at malls, while security professionals will be able to manage crowds better. #ai Facebook Analytics for Apps Announces New Push Notifications Facebook Analytics for Apps is going to get better very soon. The social media giant announced that it would be bringing push campaigns to all businesses, which enable them to remind users that the app still exists, when it remains unused for a long time. The update also brings in-app notifications, which may help businesses to communicate with their users in a better way. #marketing Instagram Stories Finds a Larger Audience Instagram is bringing Stories to a larger audience, and this might be of interest to marketing departments. When users open up Explore, they will now find a ‘suggested stories’ section, which lets users to browse through random Instagram Stories tailored to their interests. If you are running a marketing campaign using Instagram Stories, expect to become more visible.  #social

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Top Tech News; 28 Sep 2016

September 28, 2016

Forget Allo, Use Signal Instead If Google’s Allo scared you away with its less-than-secure record keeping practices, you can use Signal on your desktop now. Praised by Edward Snowden and other whistleblowers and security experts, Signal has been available on iOS and Android as a highly encrypted service. Now, the app can be used on desktop too. #apps Dynamics CRM to Feature Smart Assistant If your company uses Dynamics CRM as the main customer relationship management software, you can now look forward to a mobile-friendly relationship assistant. Microsoft announced the feature soon after Salesforce announced it was bringing AI to its Sales Cloud. The AI-fueled assistant will notify Dynamics users if there is any action they should take. #crm #AI WeChat Announces Apps within an App WeChat, Tencent’s popular chat application will now feature web apps within the app. This will help users to avoid installing apps to perform various functions. Developers can now work with video, GPS, WeChat pay and other APIs within the app. Only time will tell if the ‘app within an app’ concept will work or not. #development Facebook Apologizes for Displaying Skewed Video Metrics Facebook admitted that a key metric of its video viewership was erroneously being displayed in an amplified manner. The metric for average user time on videos was displayed incorrectly, misleading users to believe the videos were viewed for much longer. This revelation may affect Facebook’s reputation in the area of video advertising. #digital #marketing Cisco and Salesforce Team Up on CRM, IoT and Cloud Cisco and Salesforce are coming together to develop new services in IoT and CRM. Both the companies want to complement each other with this new partnership and offer more integrated solutions to customers. This includes a number of cloud-based solutions too. #corporate #crm #IoT #cloud

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