The Internet of Things (IoT) is a paradigm that envisions a world where physical objects are connected to the Internet and can communicate with each other and with humans. IoT has the potential to transform various industries by enabling new applications and services that leverage the data and functionalities of connected things. In this article, we will review the current research and development of IoT from the industrial perspective, and discuss the key enabling technologies, major IoT applications, and future challenges and trends
IoT Background and Architecture
The term IoT was first coined by Kevin Ashton in 1999 to describe a system where physical objects are equipped with radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags that can be identified and tracked by RFID readers. Since then, the concept of IoT has evolved to include other technologies such as sensors, actuators, GPS, mobile devices, and cloud computing, that allow a variety of physical objects and devices to be associated with the Internet and to cooperate and communicate with each other
A commonly accepted definition of IoT is:
a dynamic global network infrastructure with self-configuring capabilities based on standard and interoperable communication protocols where physical and virtual ‘Things’ have identities, physical attributes, and virtual personalities and use intelligent interfaces, and are seamlessly integrated into the information network
IoT can be seen as a complex cyber-physical system that integrates various devices with sensing, identification, processing, communication, and networking capabilities. To design and implement IoT systems, a service-oriented architecture (SOA) is often adopted to abstract the functionalities and communication of heterogeneous devices and to provide a common platform for service integration and delivery. A typical SOA for IoT consists of four layers: sensing, networking, service, and interface
– The sensing layer is responsible for collecting data and information from the physical world using devices such as RFID tags, sensors, and smartphones. This layer also provides identification and localization functionalities for the connected things.
– The networking layer is responsible for connecting all the things together and allowing them to share and exchange information. This layer also aggregates and integrates information from existing IT infrastructures such as business systems, transportation systems, power grids, healthcare systems, etc. This layer involves technologies such as wireless networks, Internet protocols, and gateways.
– The service layer is responsible for providing a middleware platform that supports the seamless integration and management of services and applications in IoT. This layer also processes and analyzes the data and information collected from the sensing and networking layers, and provides service discovery, composition, and trustworthiness mechanisms. This layer involves technologies such as cloud computing, big data analytics, and Web services.
– The interface layer is responsible for providing user-friendly and intelligent interfaces for human–thing and thing–thing interactions. This layer also simplifies the access and control of things and services in IoT. This layer involves technologies such as smart phones, tablets, social networks, and intelligent agents.
Key Enabling Technologies
IoT relies on a number of key enabling technologies that provide the foundation and support for its implementation and operation. These technologies include:
– Identification and tracking technologies, such as RFID, barcode, and intelligent sensors, that allow things to be uniquely identified and monitored in IoT. These technologies are widely used in industries such as logistics, supply chain management, and healthcare, to improve the visibility, traceability, and efficiency of the processes and operations.
– Communication technologies, such as WiFi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, NFC, and cellular networks, that allow things to communicate and exchange information with each other and with the Internet. These technologies provide different levels of performance, reliability, security, and energy efficiency, depending on the requirements and constraints of the IoT applications.
– Networking technologies, such as IPv6, 6LoWPAN, M2M, and IoT gateways, that allow things to be connected and integrated into a global network infrastructure. These technologies provide interoperability, scalability, and adaptability for the heterogeneous and dynamic IoT environment.
– Service management technologies, such as SOA, cloud computing, and Web services, that allow things to offer their functionalities as standard and reusable services, and to be composed and orchestrated into value-added applications. These technologies provide a common platform and framework for service provisioning, discovery, and integration in IoT.
Key IoT Applications in Industries
IoT has a wide range of applications in various industrial domains, such as environmental monitoring, healthcare, food supply chain, mining, transportation, firefighting, and security. These applications aim to improve the quality, efficiency, safety, and sustainability of the industrial systems and processes, by leveraging the data and functionalities of the connected things. Some examples of IoT applications in industries are:
– Environmental monitoring: IoT can be used to monitor and control the environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, air quality, noise, and light, in different scenarios such as smart buildings, smart cities, smart agriculture, and smart energy. IoT can help to optimize the energy consumption, reduce the greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance the comfort and well-being of the occupants and citizens.
– Healthcare: IoT can be used to provide personalized and mobile healthcare services, by using devices such as wearable sensors, smart phones, and tablets, to collect and analyze the biometric and physiological data of the patients, and to communicate with the doctors and caregivers. IoT can help to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases, and to reduce the healthcare costs and risks.
– Food supply chain: IoT can be used to track and trace the food products from the farm to the plate, by using devices such as RFID tags, sensors, and smart phones, to monitor the temperature, humidity, and quality of the food along the supply chain. IoT can help to ensure the food safety, reduce the food waste, and increase the customer satisfaction.
– Mining: IoT can be used to enhance the safety and efficiency of the mining production, by using devices such as RFID tags, sensors, and cameras, to monitor the location and condition of the miners, equipment, and environment, and to provide early warning and emergency rescue in case of accidents. IoT can help to prevent and reduce the mining disasters, and to improve the productivity and profitability of the mining industry.
– Transportation: IoT can be used to create intelligent transportation systems, by using devices such as GPS, sensors, and smart phones, to monitor and control the traffic flow, vehicle status, and driver behavior, and to provide navigation, parking, and entertainment services. IoT can help to reduce the traffic congestion, accidents, and pollution, and to improve the mobility, safety, and comfort of the travelers.
– Firefighting: IoT can be used to detect and prevent fire hazards, by using devices such as RFID tags, sensors, and cameras, to monitor the temperature, smoke, and flame of the buildings and facilities, and to provide early warning and fire suppression systems]. IoT can also be used to support the firefighting operations, by using devices such as smart helmets, smart suits, and drones, to provide real-time information and communication for the firefighters.
Research Challenges and Future Trends
Despite the promising potential and benefits of IoT, there are still many research challenges and open issues that need to be addressed, such as:
– Technical challenges, such as designing a scalable, adaptive, and interoperable architecture for IoT, developing efficient and reliable communication and networking protocols for IoT, providing effective and secure service management and data analytics for IoT, and integrating IoT with existing IT systems and legacy devices
– Standardization challenges, such as developing and adopting common standards and protocols for IoT, coordinating and harmonizing the efforts of different standardization organizations and stakeholders, and ensuring the compatibility and compliance of IoT products and services
– Security and privacy challenges, such as protecting the data and information exchanged and stored in IoT, preventing unauthorized access and disclosure of the IoT devices and services, and respecting the rights and preferences of the IoT users and owners.
In addition to addressing these challenges, there are also some emerging research trends and opportunities for IoT, such as:
– Integrating social networking with IoT, to enable the social interactions and collaborations among the IoT things and users, and to create new social applications and services based on the IoT data and functionalities
– Developing green IoT technologies, to reduce the energy consumption and environmental impact of the IoT devices and networks, and to provide energy-efficient and sustainable solutions for the IoT applications.
– Developing context-aware IoT middleware solutions, to provide intelligent and adaptive support for the IoT devices and applications, and to enable the context-awareness and self-management of the IoT systems.
– Employing artificial intelligence techniques to create intelligent things or smart objects, to enhance the capabilities and functionalities of the IoT devices and applications, and to enable the autonomous and proactive behaviors of the IoT systems.
– Combining IoT and cloud computing, to provide scalable, elastic, and cost-effective resources and services for the IoT devices and applications, and to enable the sensing as a service paradigm for the IoT systems.
Conclusion
IoT is a paradigm that transforms various industries by connecting physical objects to the Internet and enabling new applications and services that leverage the data and functionalities of connected things. In this article, we have reviewed the current research and development of IoT from the industrial perspective, and discussed the key enabling technologies, major IoT applications, and future challenges and trends. We hope that this article can provide a comprehensive and insightful overview of IoT in industries, and inspire more research and innovation in this promising field.
