Internet Of Things (iot) : Benefits And Challenges !

The world we live in today is full of advanced technology. Life has become so much better through the introduction of the internet. As the advancement of technology changes our world, there is no doubt that the internet is changing our life every day. We are now getting into a time where almost all devices will be connected to the internet i.e. the era of Internet of Things (IoT)

Internet of Things (IoT) is a technology that connects devices to the internet and allows them to communicate together through the medium of the internet. It is one of the most powerful and exciting developments in the Information Technology age. It involves interaction between the physical and digital world.

How IoT works:
The process of IoT starts with devices that have inbuilt sensors. The devices are connected to IoT platform which stores data from all the connected devices. The important data is then used to perform tasks that fulfil the needs of the users. This implies that less human efforts are required in IoT enabled devices.

Examples of devices that can be connected to the internet of things platform are wristwatch, smartphone, laptop, car, refrigerator, washing machine, TV etc. Anything that can be connected to the internet can be considered as a device for Internet of Things e.g. smart irrigation system, smart home, smart city etc.

In this digital era, Internet of Things is a powerful project that will expand the Information Technology industries and beat the imagination of most technology giants of the world.

According to Strategy Analytics, the number of smart home devices purchased is expected to exceed 1.94 billion by 2023, with device sales exceeding $78 billion by that time.

In another report by a research and advisory company Gartner, over a quarter of all cyber attacks against businesses will be IoT based by 2025.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is considered to be both beneficial and challenging. In this article, our focus is on both the benefits and the challenges.

Benefits of Internet of Things:
1. It makes life easier and more comfortable.
2. It increases efficiency in the production of goods.

3. Fast internet connectivity.
4. Easy access to all devices.
5. It saves a lot of time.
6. Maximum security of life and property.
7. Quick diagnosis of patients in hospital.
8. It helps education with better and faster method of teaching.

9. Less human efforts are required.
10. Fast business transactions.
11. Improves customer service & experience.
Challenges of Internet of Things :
1. Buying of new IoT products will involve more expenses.

2. A lot of data is needed to keep the IoT devices working.

3. It will be difficult to know when a device is faulty because many devices are connected.

4. It exposes more devices to vulnerability because the number of IoT devices & projects are increasing on daily basis.

5. Fake IoT products can easily be manufactured.
6. Hackers can gain access to many devices through the vulnerability of only one device.

7. Many countries will need a lot of money to change theirs cities to smart cities.

8. Malware & ransomware attacks will increase because cybercriminals are aware that the entire world is moving to an era of Internet of Things (IoT)

9. Manufacturers may not provide regular updates because of their interest in making a lot of sales.

10. Smart cars can easily be hijacked by highly skilled hackers through remote access.

Rotimi Onadipe, Tel: +234-8169121819 Email: [email protected]