In response to Agnes Maria Fuentes

The Internet of Things is adding another layer to our increasingly complicated world, and it is going to have far-reaching social consequences. The risk of letting this new frontier of connectedness be controlled by technology owners, rather than by the users, poses a clear and present risk, and a significant design challenge.

 To make the IoT work for us, rather than it becoming a self-censoring force in the privacy of our own homes, will take not just technical know-how, but sensitivity to social interactions and a human-centered, empathetic approach. This is where design has a fundamental role to play.

The Internet of Things is adding another layer to our increasingly complicated world, and it is going to have far-reaching social consequences. The risk of letting this new frontier of connectedness be controlled by technology owners, rather than by the users, poses a clear and present risk, and a significant design challenge.

In smart cities we see stores that are already using IoT to help monitor stock and improve the customer experience with staff using tablets to provide extra information and sales points. Outside those stores, augmented reality window displays can engage shoppers as they pass and beacon technology can send messages and offers to people’s phones.

In response to Slobodan Ivanovic

In many countries, we’re already in the early stages of smart motorways that help route traffic efficiently and can help navigate around delays or accidents faster than traditional roads.

When smart cars become common, these roads, connected by 5G networks, will group vehicles for efficiency and reduce driving gaps to improve traffic flow. They can enforce safe driving habits, variable speed limits, and report dangerous behavior. IoT and smart cities will kick in car makers and dealers build future cars based around these systems that are interoperable with each other.

In many countries, we’re already in the early stages of smart motorways that help route traffic efficiently and can help navigate around delays or accidents faster than traditional roads.

The IoT offers a new way to analyze and measure city life, from detecting if water pipes are leaking, to measuring traffic flows on the roads and understanding if buildings are using energy in the most efficient way. The availability of highly localized weather predictions focused on municipal operations has the potential to mitigate the impact of severe weather on citizens and local infrastructure.

A lightbulb that can be switched on using a smartphone app is an IoT device, as is a motion sensor or a smart thermostat in your office or a connected streetlight. An IoT device could be as fluffy as a child's toy or as serious as a driverless truck, or as complicated as a jet engine that's now filled with thousands of sensors collecting and transmitting data back to make sure it is operating efficiently. At an even bigger scale, smart cities projects are filling entire regions with sensors to help us understand and control the environment.

If you really look close at the Internet of Everything you see that, it is as much related to the Internet of Things as it is to the technologies and realities which we typically see as foundational for digital transformation.  After all, what else is a distributed network with data, people, process and devices than a technological and conceptual view of today’s hyper-connected digital business reality with a twist of distributed technologies?

In the IoE, identity must extend beyond the conventional. If identity is compromised, the security perimeter is defeated. Simultaneously, creating a unified identity that addresses users in the physical and virtual world will continue to be a challenge. It’s something we like to keep stressing.

In response to Olena Matey

In the latest cloud and computer network technologies there is a shift away from a centralized view towards the network elements and edges as well. In an age where software eats the world, network intelligence and virtualization, along with the injection of software defined networking turn networks and all their components in a decentralized, yet centrally manageable, reality. And with edge computing the focus is on analysis IN the network.

In document and data capture there is a shift from traditional centralized approaches towards distributed or decentralized capture models and to hybrid approaches whereby the traditional way of centrally digitizing documents in one place is making way for these decentralized models, wherever they make sense.

In the latest cloud and computer network technologies there is a shift away from a centralized view towards the network elements and edges as well. In an age where software eats the world, network intelligence and virtualization, along with the injection of software defined networking turn networks and all their components in a decentralized, yet centrally manageable, reality. And with edge computing the focus is on analysis IN the network.

Here is a document of the offical GDPR text.

In terms of updates, many systems only include support for a set timeframe. For legacy and new assets, security can lapse if extra support is not added. And as many IoT devices stay in the network for many years, adding security can be challenging.

With the steady stream of data that IoT provides, companies can offer personalized service without compromising efficiency. "IoT offers the potential for organizations to better target, communicate and serve customers in a more personalized, one-to-one manner -- and do it at scale," said Kate Leggett, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester Research.

The tech term “always on” or “always-on” refers to systems that are continuously available, plugged in, or connected to power sources and networks. Always on may also refer to systems that are continually operational — that do not take breaks, but continue to hum along through all hours of the day and night.

Pervasive computing devices have evolved to include not only laptops, notebooks and smartphones, but also tablets, wearable devices, fleet management and pipeline components, lighting systems, appliances and sensors, and so on.

It’s virtually impossible to imagine a city without conjuring an image of its skyline, or at the very least, a vista of the buildings that populate it. Likewise, in smart cities, smart buildings play a role as dominant as any skyscraper. The future belongs to structures with sensor networks that can monitor electricity and water usage in real time, track sustainability performance and interact with other parts of the smart city.

Along with New York City, London is conducting a major rollout of connected sidewalk kiosks, which will replace existing phone booths. These smart hubs will offer residents free Wi-Fi access, device charging and tablets with maps and city information.

The Internet of Things sounds like a consumer fantasy come true -- who wouldn't want to be able to turn off the lights at home from two towns away, or leave it to their refrigerator to make sure they know when milk, butter and other staples need to be replenished? But there's more to the IoT than lifestyle enhancement. It also includes a corporate side, enabling organizations to collect and analyze data from sensors on manufacturing equipment, pipelines, weather stations, smart meters, delivery trucks and other types of machinery.

Here are a few examples of IoT 'things': 

• Nest Smart Thermostat.
• WeMo Switch Smart Plug.
• Philips Hue Smart Bulbs.
• August Smart Lock.
• Canary Smart Security System.
• Samsung SmartThings Hub.
• Kolibree Smart Tooothbrush.
• Petnet Smart Pet Feeder.

IoT devices can be used to enable remote health monitoring and emergency notification systems. These health monitoring devices can range from blood pressure and heart rate monitors to advanced devices capable of monitoring specialized implants, such as pacemakers, Fitbit electronic wristbands, or advanced hearing aids.

Today everything is abou the internet in modern life. This is the most powerful tool and we have it in our pockets, our homes and our workplaces. The internet can help you see and learn anything, but it can also ruin you life. It's fascinating how quickly, the internet and mobile phones changed our lifes in the last 10 years. 

In response to Sherman Wolff

Browse the web for any amount of time and you’ll notice adverts following you from site to site that are filled with products you may have been looking at earlier. That’s because you're being tracked.  Website cookies have historically been used to track web browsing via a piece of data inserted into your browser, but other techniques such as MAC address and account tracking can be used to see what you’ve been doing on the web.

Sherman,

If you’re concerned about online tracking, it’s always worth delving into the privacy settings of various services, apps and web browsers to make sure they’re set to give you the level of privacy you want. Alternatively, there are anti-tracking tools and browser extensions to keep your activity under wraps.

In response to Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helga Breitner

Devices such as smart speakers could end up listening to you all the time, rather than just respond to an activation phrase, which, whether deliberately or not, would be a massive breach of privacy.

Browse the web for any amount of time and you’ll notice adverts following you from site to site that are filled with products you may have been looking at earlier. That’s because you're being tracked.  Website cookies have historically been used to track web browsing via a piece of data inserted into your browser, but other techniques such as MAC address and account tracking can be used to see what you’ve been doing on the web.

Devices such as smart speakers could end up listening to you all the time, rather than just respond to an activation phrase, which, whether deliberately or not, would be a massive breach of privacy.

One of the ways the IoT can improve our quality of life is in the field of Healthcare.  IoT-connected medical devices play a big role. Heart monitors can watch ailments like arrhythmia and alert doctors to adverse events in real time, and smart glucometers can track blood sugar readings via a smartphone app. Sensors embedded in orthopedic implants can communicate post-surgery performance.

In response to Baldur Helgason

Professor,

It is interesting that you bring up IoT communication.  Here is a page that discusses the various types of IoT protocols we need to be aware of.

Baldur,

Here is a beginner's guide to the way the IoT works.  In particular, it discusses the wireless technologies used to implement this type of network.

In response to Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helga Breitner

Today, the Internet of Things connects physical devices embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and actuators to the cloud and to each other. Devices communicate through different protocols and many were designed to tolerate intermittent connections and reduce network bandwidth requirements. All IoT communication must be secured using preventive security mechanisms and best practices, like device identity management, encryption, and access control as well as device auditing and monitoring.

Professor,

It is interesting that you bring up IoT communication.  Here is a page that discusses the various types of IoT protocols we need to be aware of.

Today, the Internet of Things connects physical devices embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and actuators to the cloud and to each other. Devices communicate through different protocols and many were designed to tolerate intermittent connections and reduce network bandwidth requirements. All IoT communication must be secured using preventive security mechanisms and best practices, like device identity management, encryption, and access control as well as device auditing and monitoring.

In response to Klas Eriksen

I am interested in finding out more about Privacy initiatives in the European Council as well as any education initiatives on privacy.

Klas,

There is an entity called the European Data Protection Supervisor.  You can find them here and learn more about their privacy and data protection initiatives.

Regulations catch up so slow with modern technologies, the whole political approach should be revised. But is it possible for politicians to regulate something that is a product of our minds and our thoughts? There are few organisations like Google and Amazon that arguably have more power and knowledge over us than our own countries.

Lucas,

You will be surprised to find out how they utilize the Data Cloud in Estonia.  Since its independence from Russia in 1991, Estonia has been rapidly implementing a digital economy. It established online voting in 2007, has provided many government services online, has medical records and prescriptions online and has a fibre broadband network that gives it average speeds similar to those of Korea.  Perhaps the most radical move by the Estonian Government was to introduce an e-Residency program in 2014 which would allow anyone from around the world to become a virtual citizen and start, and run, a business from Estonia.

Lucas, I do not know if you have heard of the European Cloud initiative.  Here you can read more about it.  Let me know if that answers your question.

Is there a data cloud in Europe in general or in any one European country in particular?

I was intrigued by what the video said about Privacy needing to be in plural (Privacies) and the fact that Millennials understand this.  That said, I myself am a Generation X guy and frankly did not quite understand this point.

This video makes an excellent point on life, living, and our understanding and appreciation of it.

I am interested in finding out more about Privacy initiatives in the European Council as well as any education initiatives on privacy.