Four perspectives to teach you to understand the Internet of Things

There is no doubt that it is very convenient to control the lighting, temperature and security of your home through a smartphone, but in such a world where everything is connected, these smart home applications are vulnerable to cyber attacks and even threaten your own security. Sometimes you may wonder: Is someone monitoring my every move through my refrigerator? Has my washing machine been compromised? The Internet of Things brings intelligence and convenience, but it also brings doubts and confusion.

Many people are troubled by these uncertainties and doubts. After all, safety is the most important thing. Imagine that one day there are millions or even billions of objects around us that can be connected to each other and secretly "communicate" behind our backs. How would we feel? This may sound like a paranoid sci-fi joke, but it will actually happen in real life. According to research, the industry value of the Internet of Things will reach 19 trillion US dollars in the next few years. In the future, the continuous development of the Internet of Things will completely affect and even change our society, cities and daily life. If you are blinded by the mysterious veil of the Internet of Things, it will inevitably hinder its progress and prevent it from realizing its maximum potential.

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Therefore, since the important role of the Internet of Things is unstoppable, we must rationally understand and accept it. Next, let us unveil the four mysteries of the Internet of Things:

1. It is a thing of the present

The Internet of Things has long been rooted in our daily lives and exists in various applications. From hardware such as sensors or microprocessors to new forms of software and operating systems, the Internet of Things is experiencing innovation every day. Smart home appliances such as NEST and Amazon Dash, as well as wearable products such as Fitbit and Apple Watch, this series of consumer applications are very popular and widely used. Everyone's enthusiasm and expectations for the Internet of Things technology show that we have long been accustomed to the existence of various Internet of Things objects in our work and life. The development of the Internet of Things is changing with each passing day, but it actually exists in our lives and is not out of reach.

2. It’s the future

Some people believe that our world has already achieved a high degree of interconnection. This view is understandable, because many people use a variety of devices that can "communicate" with each other every day. But in fact, only when everything is connected - from home to medical care - can the Internet of Things fully realize its potential. Today, the average household has about five connected devices, and Gartner reports that this number will exceed 500 in the future. According to industry forecasts, by 2020, the number of connected devices in the world will reach 50 billion, an average of 7 per person. The Internet of Things is in a period of rapid development, but to truly realize the "Internet of Everything", continuous efforts and exploration are still needed.

3. It’s not just about things

Yes, “things” are an important part of the Internet of Things. However, it would be wrong to think that the Internet of Things is limited to the connection of “things”. The greatest value of the Internet of Things lies in using the data generated by “things” to develop new programs, new strategies or new products. The Internet of Things “connects things”, but it is by no means limited to “connecting things”. Its indirect benefits far outweigh its direct benefits. In the future, “data” will become the main driving force of the Internet of Things industry. The core value of the Internet of Things lies in obtaining value from the huge data generated by the interconnection of all things.

4. Can refrigerators really be hacked?

Security is the top priority for any IT project, and the same is true for the Internet of Things. With the increasing connectivity of the Internet of Things, various security risks are emerging one after another. In the next ten years, the interconnectedness of the Internet of Things will connect more than 10 billion objects to the network. It is not unheard of to say that refrigerators are attacked by hackers. 67% of the experts interviewed pointed out that the security issues of the Internet of Things are like the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads, threatening the future development of the Internet of Things. However, risks always coexist with opportunities. Although the data provided by the Internet of Things cannot completely eliminate risks, the opportunities it creates are far greater than threats, and a solid security architecture is still under continuous development. Although the game with hackers will always exist, isn’t it always the case that black and white? If we terminate IT development for security reasons, we will not be able to create the Internet in the first place, and human society will not make great progress in the end.