Internet of Things (IoT): The future shock

Varun Kapoor *

The world as we know it is changing very rapidly. This change has become so rapid and all pervasive that it has become almost impossible to keep up with. Each day and each moment there is an announcement of some new discovery, some new advancement.

This on the one hand is adding to the quality of life of citizen, as newer and more advanced technology driven gadgets and Apps hit the market and the headlines. Conversely they also add to the confusion among the youth and other citizens – of what to do and what not to do? As a result, these excessive changes and choices are having a toll on the smooth functioning of the society as a whole and the sector that is the worst affected is citizen safety and protection.

Another phenomenon that has recently reared its head is called the Internet of Things or plainly IoT. It is better that the members of the society get to understand its nuances and implications before its impact becomes all pervasive and then becomes to challenging to handle for simple minds.

IoT basically means a proposed development of the Internet in which everyday objects have network connectivity, allowing them to collect, send and receive data. These everyday objects will have a complex set of software’s, electronics and sensors embedded in them which will enable them to do the things enumerated above of collecting, sending and receiving data.

The ATM’s were the first IoT devices that came into existence in the 1970’s. By 2008 there were already more devices connected to the internet than people. It is estimated that by 2020 the number of vehicles that will be connected to the internet will exceed 250,000. They say “Connected Kitchens” can save the food & beverage industry 15% annually.

According to some estimates the IoT can add almost US$ 10-US$ 15 Trillion to the global economy in the next 20 years. By end of this year 4.9 Billion devices and by the year 2020 more than 50 Billion devices will be connected to the internet.

The world population is 7 billion and if 50 billion devices will be connected to the internet by 2020; then by rough calculation a single person will have at least 7 devices connected to the internet in the coming 3 years!

Today an average person has a maximum of 1 to 3 devices connected to the internet. Maybe his mobile, maybe his laptop and maybe his tablet. But in a short span of three years this number is going to swell to at least 7 or more (because large swarms of humanity have no access to internet and many are children and infirm who can’t use devices, thus the average will be higher than 7).

This may involve the persons – automobile, refrigerator, television, air conditioner, scanner, printer, wall clock, cooking oven, cooking range, microwave etc. Thus the IoT revolution is coming and we have to prepared well in advance for this “future shock” and prepared well!

The more the devices that are connected to the internet the easier will be life because all facilities will be just a button push away. But experience shows that all good things come with a price tag. Even in the case of IoT, the dangers are many and they have to be guarded against.

It is believed that if one thing can prevent the Internet of things from transforming the way we live and work, it will be a breakdown in security. Cyber criminals can take advantage of system and human vulnerabilities by exploiting these weaknesses with IoT’s deficient security capabilities and patching difficulties. Lack of consumer awareness can open windows of opportunities for attackers to not only execute online attacks, but threaten the physical safety of consumers as well.

Hence in the end we can say that as the world changes we must change with it. As new and advanced systems for communication, information and living itself come into existence we have to adopt them but we must not only adopt but also adapt to these new advancements and systems.

That means the adoption must be with care and foresight of the dangers and perils involved and solutions and safety measures should not only be worked out in advance but put in place much before we start using any new concept, technology or gadgetry.


[Views expressed in the column are of the author himself]