In part two of this preview, internationally renowned Smart IoT speakers share their views of the industry ahead of what is claimed to be the world’s largest IoT event.
Technological developments
2016 will also see significant technological advances, as several speakers discussed.
“The IoT market today is like Lego blocks 20 years ago. Back then, diverse building blocks of various sizes and colours were available; with imagination, patience and skills one was able to build everything and anything,” commented Srdjan Krco, PhD E.E., CEO and co-founder, DunavNET.
“Similarly, with IoT platforms, radio technologies, sensors, data processing, visualisation and other software components, one can build any IoT system, given adequate expertise, skills and imagination. What is missing are pre-packaged IoT solutions that combine all necessary components, from sensors, to radio technology to cloud platform and web and mobile applications, optimised for particular application, but built using generic, reusable components to ensure interoperability and rapid expansion – similar to the way Lego packages selected components required to build fire stations, cities, Star Wars or robots, together with detailed assembly instructions, says Michael Westcott, co-founder, CloserStill Media.
“In 2016, IoT market needs productification, i.e. ready to use (“plug and play”) solutions, optimised for vertical use cases, but built using horizontal platforms and components. Furthermore, these plug and play solutions need to be widely available on different marketplaces, providing global reach and seamless end-user experience during deployment and usage, hiding away all the complexity behind.”
Ian Moyse, Rackspace, added “Customer service and delivery are now king, and with the Internet of Things we will see creative leverages being applied. For example, imagine a fridge that can automatically order food for you, being provided free by a retailer on the basis that it is tuned to only order replenishment products from them, or a device that monitors your driving route, and time of day, and rewards you with discounts on your car tax for avoiding peak roads at peak times. The possibilities are endless now that the barriers of technology and affordability have been removed.”
The ‘Uncomfortable Middle Ground’
However, despite the huge benefits IoT will bring, there are vital issues that must be addressed to unlock its full potential. According to Dean Johnson FCSD, head of innovation at Brandwidth, “We’re living in the ‘Uncomfortable Middle Ground’, that awkward grey area between the creation of platforms and devices and realising their potential. Therefore, in order to be ground-breaking, plenty of good (and bad) ideas will fall by the wayside in the rush to offer a seamless experience. That top layer is by far the toughest to crack but the rewards for perseverance are definitely high. With great arm-waving comes great responsibility and the need to deliver on a promise. In order to achieve this, our connected world needs to be truly connected.”
The responsibility mentioned by Johnson is also echoed by Mike Weston’s, CEO at data science consultancy Profusion:
“If the IoT does gain widespread adoption, there comes a host of issues with securing consumers’ data, which is both a blessing and a curse. At the moment, it is generally considered that innovation is outstripping the security of IoT devices. These could become rich pickings for any hackers, should one of these devices become commonplace in every home.
The data produced through IoT devices will allow business to create better targeted ads, more informed products and be better at resourcing. What each business will need to understand when using data produced by the IoT, is that each individual has a certain tolerance for ‘creepiness’ and businesses must not exceed that, to avoid a potential public backlash.”
This Way Up
There is no doubt that 2016 we will see huge strides forward in the Industrial Internet of Things, which is radically redefining just what it means to be connected, especially for businesses.
That’s where Smart IoT London 2016 comes in, bringing together the entire IoT ecosystem in a way that hasn’t ever been done before. The global technology and business event, set to be the largest gathering of Internet of Things (IoT) expertise in the world, will provide a vital platform for nurturing IoT evolution, and adds to the vast number of reasons why 2016 will be the year of IoT.
The author of this blog is Michael Westcott, Co-Founder, CloserStill Media.
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