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WHAT IS the INTERNET OF THINGS?

Internet of Things is a modern term that describes the trend of technology development, especially with regard to interconnection and cooperation of individual devices – “things”. It thus becomes a general term covering already established terms such as: control and automation systems, supervisory and analytical systems, etc.

The Internet is now a natural and well-established concept. Most people use it as a means of communicating information to other people, such as by mail or web pages. Today, however, Internet technologies are using things to a much greater extent. Thanks to the interconnection of individual fields and areas, which did not have much in common before, a completely autonomous solution is created. An example could be an intelligent home that listens to human speech in which it identifies the need to raise the temperature in a room and thus misrepresent the heating system to raise the temperature.

Such solutions, which have the potential to significantly change our daily lives, are usually very complex and complicated, in addition to being robust and safe enough. Whether it is a factory production line management solution or a family house heating control. At first glance, it may seem that quality is only required for industrial equipment where system malfunctions can result in huge financial losses. Unfortunately, this idea is promoted by marketing specialists whose aim is to cover the demand for modern trends not only by households, but in some cases also by companies, using cheap equipment (mostly not meeting the above requirements). Thus, the concept of IoT becomes only a fashion brand, although the real potential of potential benefits is enormous.

Areas of use of the Internet of Things

In a way that computer technology has penetrated into virtually every field of human activity, the Internet also finds its application in many areas. In some cases, to the extent that new concepts are emerging for this trend.

Not only thanks to IoT products in industry and agriculture, but also through the involvement of IoT in science, research and education, it is possible to benefit from an incredible number of services where the Internet of Things can be used on a huge scale. For example, health care, shops ranging from small shops to supermarkets or accommodation and catering services (hotels, restaurants, etc.).

For example, in the basic areas of human food and product production, that is, agriculture and industry, the possible application of IoT technologies is really significant. The industry, which builds on the cooperation of individual machines, their control, control and monitoring (generally digital production), is referred to as Industry 4.0. Even before industry, these technologies began to penetrate agriculture, in which they are applied as an efficient farming tool called Precision Agriculture.

An important objective is that the impact of agriculture, industry, services and logistics does not have a negative impact on the environment. Especially in the environment that is closest to us and in which we spend the most time, ie towns and villages together with nature around (forests, meadows, fields, water areas). Here, long-term sustainable development goals are applied, to which Internet of Things technologies can make a significant contribution. For example, from the point of view of waste management or the protection of the aquatic ecosystem, such as a fight with drought or floods. The Internet of Things is therefore fundamentally related to terms such as Smart City. Within the framework of this concept, it is primarily applied in the areas of parking, eventually the management of public lighting.

Logistics is an important area without which the interconnection of services, industry and agriculture could not exist. Vlogisticeje important correct timing to get to the right place, in adequate quantity and quality. Guaranteeing these requirements is not a simple task and there is a constant space for optimization. The Internet of Things will find its application especially in the transport, storage and distribution of energy (Smart grid) and drinking water.

Abilities of the Internet of Things

The use of some abilities of the Internet of Things can be considered, for example, in the framework of monitoring and measurement. There is a wide range of modern sensor and measuring instruments in some cases completely wireless, that is, battery-powered with many years of life, communicating wirelessly over relatively long distances. A variety of analyzes using artificial intelligence and machine learning can be carried out over the acquired data. The output of these analyzes is information that can be used to optimize processes and make better management decisions. In addition, if necessary correction can be used the capabilities of the Internet of Things for remote control and regulation. Especially in combination with actuators to ensure the required intervention. For example, it can be lighting or heating control.

Iot is not just about toys from hobBymarket

The Internet of Things is also very often associated with simple dedicated devices communicating most often via one of the modern wireless networks. Thanks to some projects, such as the Arduino platform or the miniature Raspberry PI, everyone can build their dedicated intelligent systems today. This fact significantly contributes to further development and education in this area. These platforms are also ideal tools for initial testing of ideas and concepts for building comprehensive and sustainable solutions.

From the perspective of long-term sustainability, for example, it is necessary to think about what happens if the system breaks down, how it can be serviced and kept up to date. Another key parameter is also the selection of individual components, for example some plastic boxes may completely disintegrate in the outdoor environment. So IoT is not just about a specific device, but about the overall approach to problem solving through technology.

 

structure internet of things

The Internet of Things is the intersection of most branches in the field of electrical engineering and computer technology. For simplicity, it can be divided into the following related parts, which are detailed below.

  • Device (HW)  

  • NETWORK 

  • Cloud 

  • APPLICATION (SW)

In most IoT solutions, they are applied as a whole that cannot function without the other parts. Devices themselves interact with the environment, such as acquiring data or performing actions. For communication within complex solutions they use various wired or wireless networks, for example, so that the information can be stored in the Cloud for later evaluation.

It is essential to observe the principles of security throughout the whole structure of the Internet of Things. Disruption of solution integrity at any point can have disastrous consequences.

  • DEVICE (HW)

Devices within the Internet of Things can be understood as the very thing that communicates. This can be a traditional smart device, such as a mobile phone, or formerly ordinary objects such as a trash can. From the point of view of the Internet of Things, the waste bin is able to transmit information about its fullness, etc. There is an increasing number of such things that it was previously not possible for them to communicate.

One way to make “silly” devices “smart” is to enrich these devices with universal sensors or actuators. In this case, it is important to think of the physical limitations, which may be the size of the electronics needed, the way of power supply, mechanical resistance, the environment (temperature, humidity, etc.), and many other specific parameters.

 

  • NETWORK

Networks in the field of communication can be divided according to topology (ie the way of arrangement) and technology (wired, wireless, etc.). Networks are another important element of the Internet of Things right after devices. They are hidden within the meaning of the word internet, ie large communication networks composed of shared networks connecting individual terminal devices.

It is the increasing demand for interconnection of devices of “things” that motivates the emergence of new communication technologies specialized just in the field of the Internet of Things. With IoT, most devices are powered by a built-in battery and accumulators need to be as low as possible. Modern wireless “IoT” networks include LoRaWAN, IQRF and LTE-NB. Important parameters when selecting the appropriate connectivity are wireless coverage: frequency of transmission and size of measured data content, or cost of connectivity.

  • Cloud

Cloud is based on the English word “cloud”, in Czech translation “cloud”. From the point of view of IT technology, a technology in which a user accesses services via the Internet is meant. Services and data are always available to the user without knowing exactly where they are located. Data and services are provided through servers located in data centers (rooms or halls full of servers and data storage) connected to high-speed internet. At the same time, thanks to cooling and back-up power, Cloud Services is one of the most reliable IT solutions. At the same time, they are highly scalable solutions that provide deployment at any stage of the project and can be flexibly expanded as needed.

There are many cloud service providers on the market today. They differ in the level of services provided and in terms of scope (regional, worldwide) and last but not least, in the form of cloud computing distribution.


Project preparation based on this service is very fast and from the very beginning it is possible to achieve high quality and safety of the whole solution. An example of this is the predictive estimation service based on the analysis, processing and evaluation of large amounts of data. For these reasons, the cloud is an ideal place to store sensor data over wireless networks and then work with them.


A relatively new area of ​​cloud computing is the so-called SaaS (Software as a service) distribution model, which offers software rental as a service. Unlike the traditional provision of computing power and storage (IaaS, Infrastructure as a service), over which a functional platform (PaaS, Platform as a service) is being built, the SaaS service works with a highly available application that already offers specific functionality . Project preparation based on this service is very fast and from the very beginning it is possible to achieve high quality and safety of the whole solution.

  • APPLICATION (SW)

Applications within IT are understood as software, a program created by the programmer. The programs describe procedures and decisions based on entry requirements. For their life is necessary hardware, most often computer. Data processing and analysis applications are very large and have high computing power requirements, so they are most commonly operated on cloud platforms.

In the case of IoT devices, the term firmware is used. Firmware is specific software (application) designed for single-purpose device controlled by microprocessors (miniature computers). For the Internet of Things, applications are a place that defines how the entire system will behave and significantly influence the resulting solution. Especially in the field of Software it is important to take care of cyber security.