Internet of Things: Applications & Challenges

This assignment delves into the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT), examining its vision, applications, and the research challenges it presents. It discusses IoT's potential to revolutionize various sectors, particularly smart cities, while highlighting key considerations for its successful implementation.

Running head: INTERNET OF THINGS
Internet of Things
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s note

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Discussion........................................................................................................................................3
Internet of Things......................................................................................................................3
Characteristics of IoT with Examples........................................................................................6
Impact of IoT on University Environment................................................................................9
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................11
References......................................................................................................................................13

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Introduction
Internet of Things is considered to be a fast growing network that comprises of connected
devices and objects. These objects have the capability of collecting as well as exchanging
information by utilizing embedded sensors (Al-Fuqaha et al., 2015). Cars, lights, thermostats,
refrigerators and other electrical appliances can be connected to the Internet of Things. IoT can
create smart home and smart cities as well. In this era of information and communication
technology, IoT is becoming an integral part of the society. Smart home can be considered to be
the most popular application of IoT. There are several products available in the market like Nest
Thermostat and Amazon Echo that can be controlled by the voice of the users and make the lives
of the users extremely easy. There are several characteristics of Internet of Things like
interconnectivity, heterogeneity and dynamic changes (Atzori, Iera & Morabito, 2014).
Numerous areas in the lives of the people are getting transformed due to the Internet of Things. It
has a great impact on the education system in the schools and universities. IoT has numerous
applications in the field of education.
This report discusses about the concept of IoT in details. It gives a clear overview about
the characteristics of IoT along with its examples and applications. This report focuses on the
impact of Internet of Things on the environment of universities. It discusses with proper logic
how the IoT will change the settings of the universities. This report also discusses about the
advantages and disadvantages of IoT. It gives a brief overview of the impact of IoT on the
society.

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Discussion
Internet of Things
A member if RFID development community had coined the term “Internet of Things” in
the year 1999. Recently this term has gained relevance due to the emergence and growth of cloud
computing, data analytics, ubiquitous and embedded communication as well as mobile devices
(Barnaghi et al., 2012). The world of Internet of Things or IoT consists of several devices that
are connected to private or public IP or Internet Protocol networks. These devices have the
capability to collect, analyze and use data for initiating actions and providing intelligence for the
purpose of managing, planning and making decisions. IoT is considered to be a network that
contains physical objects. Internet is not limited to computer networks. It is also network of other
devices like cameras, toys, vehicles, health instruments and home appliances. Internet of Things
or IoT is not based on a single technology (Da Xu, He & Li, 2014). It is a combination of various
software and hardware technologies. It is the integration of IT for the purpose of storing,
retrieving and processing data. It also includes communication technologies that consist of
electronic systems for the purpose of facilitating communication among individuals as well as
groups (Chandrakanth et al., 2014). The heterogeneous combination of communication
technology needs adaptation for the purpose of addressing IoT application needs like speed,
energy efficiency, security as well as reliability. Ethernet, ZigBee, Bluetooth, GPRS and GSM
are the key technologies for IoT.
There are three categories of Internet of Things: people to people, things or machines to
other things or machines and people to things or machines. IoT is a paradigm or concept that
considers ubiquitous presence in an environment that consists of various things through wired
and wireless connections (Cui, 2016). IoT has the ability to create a world where real, virtual and

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digital worlds converge in order to create and develop smart environments that has the capability
to make transport, cities, energy and other areas intelligent. Everyday objects and devices that is
recognizable, readable, addressable and locatable through sensing devices that can be controlled
via Internet irrespective of the means of communication whether vi wireless LAN, RFID, wide
area network or some other means (Feki et al., 2013). Everyday objects not only include
electronic devices but also things like clothes, chair, tree and many more. IoT can be considered
to be a recent revolution of Internet. Objects and devices make themselves intelligence and
recognizable by the process of communication. The main objective of Internet of Things or IoT
is to allow things to get connected at any time and from any place. IoT provides a global
infrastructure that enables the information society to make use of advanced services by
interconnecting things. Sensor networks, WSN, Wi-Fi, microcontroller, GPS, microprocessor,
GSM, RFID, GPRS, 2G, 3G and 4G technologies are responsible for making IoT applications
possible (Gubbi et al., 2013). These enabling technologies for IoT can be divided into categories
like: technologies that are used for improving the privacy and security, technologies that helps
the devices to acquire information that is contextual in nature and technologies that helps the
devices to process such contextual information. The last two categories are used for the purpose
of developing and injecting intelligence into the devices (Khan et al., 2012). They are the
building blocks. These characteristics differentiate IoT from Internet. The first category of
technologies is not a functional requirement and this helps in increased penetration of IoT.
There are several benefits of Internet of Things. Some of them are discussed below.
Task automation and better monitoring: IoT enables the people to automate the daily
tasks and control it without any human intervention. It maintains transparency in the various
processes of the machine to machine communication (Lee et al., 2013). The tasks are done in a

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uniform manner. The service quality is maintained and raised as well. Necessary actions can be
taken in emergency situations.
Efficiency: It is easy to obtain accurate results as the efficiency in case of machine to
machine communication and interaction is more (Miorandi et al., 2012). Valuable time can be
saved. People get the opportunity to do something creative rather than repeating the same task on
a daily basis.
Cost effective: Internet of Things enables the people to utilize resources and energy
optimally (Rifkin, 2014). It has the capability to alert the people when there is any damage or
breakdown of the system (Patel et al., 2016). This helps the people to save money. It is feasible
for the people to use these kinds of technologies.
Quality of life: Internet of Things will increase the convenience and comfort of the
people. It helps in the better management of the daily activities of the people.
There are few cons of Internet of Things. Some of them are discussed below.
Security and privacy: All the devices starting from home appliances to transport and
water supply services, everything is connected to Internet (Perera et al., 2014). These devices
have information stored in it. Hackers can attack these devices and gain unauthorized access to
the sensitive information. It can cause disaster if the confidential data is lost and misused by the
external intruders. Consider a situation when a health device gets hacked by an attacker. In this
case the hacker will be able to change the settings of the device and harm the patient.
Compatibility: Different devices of various manufacturers need to be connected that leads
to compatibility issues. If all manufacturers follow a common standard then this problem can be

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resolved. Even Bluetooth enabled devices have these problems. Android phones cannot be
connected via Bluetooth with any iPhone. Issues related to compatibility may promote monopoly
in the market where the users will buy devices from a single manufacturer.
Complexity: IoT is a complex as well as diverse network. If there are any bugs or failure
in the hardware or software then it will lead to serious issues. Inconvenience can also be caused
by power failure.
Lesser employment: Unskilled workers might lose their jobs if the daily activities get
automated. The rate of unemployment might rise in the society. This problem can be resolved by
proper education of the society.
Control: Technology plays a significant role in the lives of the people. It is said to control
the lives of the people. People are getting dependent on technology and the younger generation is
getting addicted to it. People are losing control over their own lives.
Characteristics of IoT with Examples
Interconnectivity: Internet of Things has the capability to get connected to the
infrastructure of information and communication technology. There are various kinds of
connectivity like PAN, WAN, LAN and NAN. The devices mainly use the WAN, LAN and
PAN for interconnecting with each other. Home devices can use LAN to get connected to the
Internet (Singh, Tripathi & Jara, 2014)). 4G and 3G connections can be used for communication
with other devices. Smartphone can get connected to other smartphones by enabling the
Bluetooth option in the devices. This interconnection allows the devices to exchange information
and data among each other.

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Heterogeneity: The IoT devices are heterogeneous in nature as they belong to different
manufacturers. They have different networks and hardware platforms. They have the capability
to interact with other service platforms and other devices via different networks (Stankovic,
2014). For example, LAN connects Microsoft Windows as well as Linux computers with the
Apple computers. A wireless network that uses various access technologies is another example
of a heterogeneous network. A wireless network can provide service through wireless LAN and
can maintain services while switching to cellular networks. This is called wireless heterogeneous
networks.
Connect living and inanimate things: The trials of IoT started with connecting the
industrial devices. Today the concept has widened and it deals with connecting everything
including everyday devices and objects. The objects can be gas turbines and even automobiles. It
can also be living things like people, farm animals and plants (Vermesan & Friess, 2013).The
cow tracking project held in Essex will be able to use the collected data from radio tags for
monitoring the behavior and illness of the cows. Health devices and wearable computing devices
such as Fuel band and Fitbit are best examples that show how people are getting connected to the
landscape of Internet of Things.
Sensors: The devices in the IoT landscape will contain sensors. These sensors will play a
major role in monitoring the locations, vibrations, motions as well as temperature. These sensors
will be able to connect to one another and to the systems that can interpret the information that is
present in the data feeds of the sensors. These sensors will play a significant role in providing
new information to the company and people (Vlacheas et al., 2013). Nest is a smart thermostat
that is connected to Internet. It has sensors in it that adjusts temperature depending on whether
the user is at home, asleep, awake, cold or hot in order to make the house efficient and save

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cooling and heating bills. This also allows alerting the user when something is wrong with the
cooling or heating systems. Then there are smart plugs that has the ability to monitor the energy
consumed by the devices in order to make the house completely energy efficient.
Dynamic changes: The devices that are present in the landscape of IoT have the ability to
change dynamically. The best example for this is the Philips Hue system of lighting. These are
smart bulbs that have the capability to change colors based on the user’s choice. It can match the
in photos that are uploaded via this app. Smartphones can be used for the purpose of turning the
bulb on and off (Whitmore, Agarwal & Da Xu, 2015). The users can synchronize the hue bulbs
with music systems for a perfect light and sound party. The system of smart locks enables the
users to unlock the doors without any keys. Friends and relatives can use this system to enter the
house. But the users can disable the system when they do not want a particular person to enter
their homes.
Safety: There are several benefits of IoT. But at the same time there are certain safety
issues as well. The devices of IoT are connected to the Internet and are susceptible to several
threats and risks (Yang, 2014). The information that is present in the devices can get misused and
lost by the unauthorized users. Strong security features and policies must be incorporated for the
purpose of protecting the devices from any external intrusion. The networks, endpoints and the
moving data can be protected by strong security policies and procedures. If the healthcare
devices are hacked then the patient data will be lost and it will affect the health of the patient.
The attackers can also change the settings of the devices. This will help affect the patients.

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Impact of IoT on University Environment
Research studies have shown that there will be more than 285% increase in the number of
IoT devices from 2015 to 2020. There will be strong developments of IoT in various segments of
the society. The IoT devices can also be used for the purpose of developing a smart university. A
smart environment is something where there are networked devices and sensor enabled devices
that are used for the purpose of making the lives of the people comfortable. In present, all the
universities are being connected to the Internet. Universities can connect other objects like doors,
windows and benches to the Internet (Wortmann & Flüchter, 2015). These objects can be
attached with sensors for converting it into smart objects. Smart objects will enable a classical
university to become a smart university.
All the teacher and students have smartphones and other devices that are connected to the
Internet. IoT can facilitate the students and teachers to locate a specific place inside the campus.
Management faces difficulty to track the activities over an entire campus (Xia et al., 2012). IoT
will help the management team to look after this process. IoT will help in the effective
management of time. Smart universities will have several advantages like:
It gives the ability to monitor the flow of people who have the possibility of closing or
opening pathways to the hotspots on the campus and even lighting halls and corridors.
It enables the people to find a particular spot in the campus like classrooms, dining halls
and library.
It prevents the chance of disasters and accidents by constantly monitoring noise,
humidity, temperature, light and smoke in the various halls of the university.

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Several statistical analysis can be implemented for the purpose of taking measures for
increasing the education quality by improving the safety and environmental conditions.
It helps in reducing the consumption of electricity by proper monitoring of the lights and
other electrical devices in the institute.
Inventory of equipments and technologies can be easily achieved by a smart university.
It creates a social environment in the university where every member gets to interact of
each other.
Data that is accumulated by others can be used for achieving several useful applications.
There are various kinds of sensors that can be implemented or used in smart universities.
EN sensors can be used for the purpose of monitoring temperature, humidity, light and noise. SC
sensors can be used for detecting motion (Zanella et al., 2014). SF sensors can be used for the
purpose of detecting gas, smoke and fire. UT sensors can detect electrical voltage and NFC tags.
IN sensors can detect barcode, RFID card and QR tags. The universities can also develop the
following:
Smart parking: This will help the university to monitor its parking. It can help the staffs
to find out vacancies.
Smart lighting: The classroom lights can be adjusted and this will help to reduce the
consumption of electricity.
Smart tracking: RFID technology can be used for monitoring students present inside the
campus.

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Smart inventory: All the equipments and devices can have a barcode that will help to
maintain inventory. The barcodes will help to find out the specifications of the devices.
The number of smart objects are increasing at a fast pace. It is giving new opportunities
to the users (Jones & Mack, 2012). Universities cannot stand outside the modern world.
Universities can also become smart by using IoT devices. It will develop an efficient university
environment.
Conclusion
This report concluded that Internet of Things are gaining importance with time and it can
be used for creating a smart university that will help universities to operate in an efficient and
effective manners. This report explained the concepts of IoT in details along with its
characteristics. Internet of Things are devices that are connected to the Internet. These devices
can be used for automating the daily activities of the people. These devices have the capability to
exchange and collect data with the help of sensors. Things like lights, cars, refrigerators,
thermostats as well as electrical devices can be installed with sensors. This report showed how
IoT is gaining importance and becoming an integral part of the community. IoT has the
capability to create smart homes and cities. Amazon Echo is one such example of IoT that has
the capability to recognize the users’ voice and help the users to lead a simple life. This report
said that IoT has the capability to automate the daily activities of the people. People can utilize
their time in important activities. IoT provides a cost effective solution to the people. This report
also pointed out certain cons of IoT. Security is the major concern of IoT. The devices that are
connected to the internet can get hacked. This can harm the people in a severe manner. Other
issues include system bug and failure. This report also discussed about five main characteristics

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of IoT. Some of the characteristics are heterogeneity and interconnectivity. The devices mostly
make the use of WAN and LAN for getting internet connection. These devices have the
capability to monitor locations, temperature, vibrations as well as motions. This report also
showed the benefits that universities will get by adopting IoT. Smart universities can be created
by adopting IoT. IoT will enable the teachers and students to find specific location within the
university campus. This report said that universities will be able to gain various advantages like
reduction of electricity and effective inventory management. Universities can develop smart
lighting, tracking and parking within the campus.

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