Internet of Things (IoT) technology is revolutionizing our daily lives, just as our smartphones, coffee pots, and cars are connecting to each other to make our lives easier. The technology is used in a variety of fields, from home IoT, such as thermostats, to healthcare, to make our lives more convenient and efficient. However, challenges remain, including security issues and standardization, which need to be addressed to create a better future.
It’s 6 a.m. and it’s still too early to get to work, but your smartphone, having learned that you’re stuck in traffic, wakes you up at the best time for your sleep cycle by analyzing how long you’ve been asleep, how much you toss and turn during sleep, and your body temperature and sleep patterns. The coffee pot, having learned that you’re awake, makes you a cup of coffee that’s perfect for you right now. The car, having learned that you’re awake, adjusts the temperature in the car to the right temperature while you drink your coffee, analyzes the best route to work, and launches navigation. It sounds like something out of a movie. But scientists have predicted that it will soon become a reality, and some of it has already been implemented to enrich our lives. What is this technology that will make people’s lives much easier?
The technology we’re talking about is called the Internet of Things (IoT), which means that devices are connected to each other via the internet. As Wikipedia defines it, “IoT is a network of connected objects – especially those that include electronic circuits, software, and sensors – that can exchange data with manufacturers (operators) or other devices to provide better value and services.” In other words, IoT refers to the autonomous cooperation of objects, where physical objects become active participants, exchange information with each other, and react autonomously to the real world according to their own processes without human intervention.
In order to realize this technology, various essential technology elements are required. Among them, the technologies required to properly utilize IoT can be broadly classified into three categories: Sensing, Network, and Service Interface. To briefly explain each, sensing refers to the ability to acquire information from objects and their surroundings through remote sensing using various sensors such as temperature, humidity, heat, illumination, and ultrasound, or through location and motion tracking. It is used in IoT technology by acquiring more diverse information than conventional sensors. Network refers to the technology that establishes wired and wireless communication and infrastructure to support end-to-end services between objects and things. These technologies include Bluetooth, 3G and 4G, Wireless Fidelity (WIFI), and Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPAN). Finally, Service Interface refers to the technology that stores information to provide IoT services, processes the information obtained, and transforms it so that it can be delivered to other objects. These technologies include big data technology, which is mainly responsible for collecting information, and high-level services such as security and privacy management, which are issues when exchanging information between things.
IoT is being utilized in various fields due to the convergence of these technologies. Let’s take a look at the IoT world through the example of Home IoT, which is commercialized and often used in real life. One of the most popular IoT products in the United States is the Nest thermostat. In Korea, thermostats are still used in a manual way. In the summer, we turn on the air conditioner, and in the winter, we turn on the heat, and we do it by hand. When you leave the house, you have to turn it on and off to save on heating costs. Nest takes control of your home’s temperature by learning your temperature habits (Sensing), connecting to the internet (Networking) to understand the weather outside and your current location (Networking), and turning the heat on and off on its own. It can also communicate this information to the homeowner or relay it to other devices so that they can utilize the information. Today, it’s even more advanced and can adjust the temperature in different rooms of the house individually.
As you can see, the Home IoT is exchanging information between devices to provide a better experience for users. However, there are still challenges that need to be addressed. One of the main disadvantages is the security issue, as the interconnection of devices provides a real-time view of what’s going on inside the home, and if it is hacked, it is likely to invade the privacy of the user. Also, since many companies have recently entered the field, there is a lack of standardization, which means that devices are not compatible with each other. These are all issues that need to be resolved before the IoT can be commercialized.
IoT technology is also revolutionizing healthcare. For example, smart medical devices can monitor a patient’s vital signs in real time and automatically share this data with healthcare providers for faster diagnosis and treatment. They can also help manage chronic diseases by continuously monitoring a patient’s health status. With wearable devices, patients can manage their health without frequent visits to the doctor, which greatly improves their quality of life.
While the term IoT is still new and unknown to many, it is quickly becoming a part of our lives. It’s making things we’ve only seen in science fiction movies a reality, and it’s making our lives easier. It’s still in the development stage, and as we’ve seen, it’s not ready for commercialization, but it’s here to stay.
