The Future of IoT and Home Automation

Today, there are more devices online than people. Everything from the devices in your pocket to the objects in your home to the car you drive can transmit information about your life, thanks to the ground-breaking “Internet of Things” technology. The number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices worldwide is forecast to triple from 9.7 billion in 2020 to more than 29 billion in 2030. 

The Emergence of the ‘Smart’ Home

About fifty years ago, “The Smart Home” was an imaginary place belonging to the realm of sci-fi writers. At the turn of the 21st century, most homes had goods once considered extravagant luxuries like multiple televisions and refrigerators. But all of these devices had restrictions compared to smart devices as they all needed actual humans to operate them.

And thus, the stage was set for the next evolution in appliance convenience–the incorporation of the ‘smart.’ The emergence of the cloud gave way to “The Internet of Things,” a tech that enables modern household appliances and devices to connect with minimal human intervention.

The smart home tech market, as we know it, took off at the turn of the millennium, and from 2014 onwards, the market has quite literally exploded.

Home Automation Devices: From Then to Now

• Though never commercially developed, the ECHO IV Home Automation Device of the 1960s was capable of computing shopping lists, controlling a home’s ambient temperature, and even turning devices ON and OFF. 
• “Wondrwall’s Reactive House Management System could singlehandedly manage the house heating, lighting, and security.
• “Alex’s IoT Air Ventilating System includes a weather compensation element that automatically adapts to the weather. 
• A company, Heat Works, is producing a smart mini dishwasher that can also cook food. 
• “Livin” is another company that makes smart showers enabling one to pre-set the temperature. 
• Smart fridges can order groceries as and when needed.

According to market research, more than half of the younger generation already own a smart gadget, with those aged 23 to 34 most likely to hold one of the available items. Smart homes, smart devices, and smart thermostats and fans account for the vast bulk of purchased technology. Intelligent lighting and intelligent CO detectors are also growing in popularity. Thus, it seems that the industry’s near future is exceedingly bright.

Learn about IOT automation here: IoT Automation – How Feasible It Is?

What is So Smart About “Smart” Tech?

The “Smartphone” plays a crucial role in the IoT services world as it allows one to control several devices through one app. IoT devices consist of many sensors and mini-computer processors that collect data via machine learning. 

The IoT’s system can collect data from its surroundings through machine learning, allowing it to learn your preferences and adapt accordingly. 

The Future of Smart Tech

With the increased interconnectivity of devices, it’s not too incredible to imagine that one’s house can begin functioning like a personal assistant by anticipating needs and fulfilling them proactively. In fact, the house of the future may know you better than you’ll ever know yourself.

Sounds too good to be true? Then, join me in envisioning a ‘smart’ day in the not-so-distant future!

“Imagine a day when the clock reschedules to draw details from your calendar to prepare you for an upcoming meeting. As it wakes you up, the shower turns itself ON and prepares for your arrival by pre-warming to your preferred temperature. Your personal machine star robot chef is preparing the breakfast; the electric car is fully charged and ready to take you to the office via the most traffic-free route.

As you’re at work, the house is being cleaned by a series of cleaner bots. When you get home after a long day’s work, dinner is prepared and served. Can’t make it in time for dinner? Then you may have an unexpected delivery via drone. The package includes a new course of medication for an impending illness that your smart toilet detected after analyzing your body discharges in the morning!“

IoT Security Risks

While this dream is by no means unattainable, it will also open up a host of other challenges. Increasing security issues like software flaws and hackers can discourage users from utilizing IoT devices. Since IoT devices are mini-computers and connect to the internet, they are vulnerable to malware and hackers. The more devices you have, the more susceptible you will be to getting hacked, as each device provides a window of opportunity to a malicious actor. 

Must read: IoT and Fire Hazards: How Quality Testing Niche Govt Apps can Save Lives

For example, take Google Nest or the Amazon Echo device at home. Intelligent hackers can easily steal passwords, card information, and bank details that have been shared with someone or saved to one of your devices. Hackers can access the IoT network by one of the connected devices and infect the malware, which can freeze computers, TV, and other devices until you pay a bulk, mostly in cryptocurrency. The smart devices can also be infiltrated to spy on you, making your smart home turn against you!

To ensure this never happens, here are a few best practices to keep in mind:

• Never hesitate to update security upgrades
• Create a strong password for each of your devices
• Maintain your routers up to date.
• Make use of two-factor authentication to log in

Conclusion 

It is essential to consider security from the earliest research and development phases when developing IoT solutions. Nevertheless, guaranteeing robust cybersecurity of devices, networks, and data in IoT contexts is difficult due to the frequency of cyberattacks and the difficulty of searching for potential system vulnerabilities.     

In IoT projects, it might be challenging to implement solid security measures. In addition to hardware limits, integrating security measures may raise a solution’s cost and development time, neither of which is beneficial for enterprises. Safely developing IoT devices requires software engineers and quality assurance professionals to understand penetration testing. At Indium, we have assembled teams of experts to develop embedded and IoT solutions, engineering for cybersecurity projects, and security testing.