What is IoT? Internet of Things Basics

Study Notes

IoT stands for Internet of Things
Refers to the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances, and other items embedded with sensors, software, and connectivity, allowing them to collect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the internet

Connectivity: IoT devices can connect to the internet and communicate with each other and the cloud
Sensing and Actuation: IoT devices can sense their environment and perform actions based on the data collected
Intelligence: IoT devices can process and analyze data to make decisions or take actions
Automation: IoT devices can automate tasks and processes without human intervention

Smart Home: Smart thermostats, lights, security systems, and appliances that can be controlled remotely
Industrial Automation: IoT devices used in manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain management to increase efficiency and productivity
Wearables and Healthcare: Wearable devices that track health and fitness data, and IoT devices used in medical devices and equipment
Transportation: IoT devices used in vehicles, traffic management, and logistics to improve safety and efficiency

Wi-Fi: A popular wireless communication protocol used in IoT devices
Bluetooth: A wireless personal area network technology used in IoT devices
Zigbee: A low-power, low-data-rate wireless communication standard used in IoT devices
LoRaWAN: A wireless communication protocol used for wide-area networks in IoT devices
CoAP: A lightweight, binary, RESTful protocol used in IoT devices

Security: IoT devices are vulnerable to cyber attacks and data breaches
Privacy: IoT devices collect and transmit sensitive user data, raising privacy concerns
Interoperability: IoT devices from different manufacturers may not be compatible with each other
Scalability: IoT devices can generate large amounts of data, making it challenging to process and analyze

IoT, or Internet of Things, encompasses a network of physical devices, vehicles, and home appliances equipped with sensors and software.
These devices can collect, exchange, and analyze data over the internet, enhancing connectivity and interactivity.

Connectivity: Enables devices to link with the internet and communicate among themselves and with central systems.
Sensing and Actuation: Allows devices to detect environmental changes and perform actions based on analyzed information.
Intelligence: Devices can process data autonomously to facilitate decision-making and operational actions.
Automation: Capable of executing tasks and processes without the need for human input, thereby increasing efficiency.

Smart Home: Includes remotely controllable devices such as thermostats, lights, and security systems that enhance comfort and security.
Industrial Automation: Utilized in sectors like manufacturing and supply chain to streamline operations and boost productivity.
Wearables and Healthcare: Tracks health metrics via wearable technology and integrates IoT in medical equipment for improved monitoring.
Transportation: Involves IoT applications in vehicles and logistics for enhancing safety, traffic management, and operational efficiency.

Wi-Fi: Widely used wireless protocol that enables connectivity for various IoT devices.
Bluetooth: Suitable for short-range wireless communication and commonly used in personal area network applications in IoT.
Zigbee: A low-power protocol designed for short-range communication, mainly used in smart home applications.
LoRaWAN: Facilitates long-range communications for IoT applications, suitable for wide-area networks.
CoAP: A lightweight protocol designed for constrained devices to facilitate data exchange in IoT environments.

Security: IoT devices face significant risks from cyber attacks and potential data breaches, highlighting a need for robust security measures.
Privacy: The collection of sensitive user data raises concerns about data privacy and unauthorized access to personal information.
Interoperability: Diverse IoT devices from various manufacturers may lack compatibility, impeding seamless integration.
Scalability: The vast data generated by IoT devices complicates processing, analysis, and storage, presenting significant challenges for scalability.