The Internet of Things, or IoT, is now a common term to describe the continuously expanding network of tangible objects that are utilising the internet to connect, communicate and share data with users and each other..
Laptops and smartphones are excellent examples of this, and were some of the first to truly take advantage of the power of the internet.
At Control Freaks, we deal with IoT solutions in a range of complex systems to connect businesses together to create a more efficient production process, but we’ve seen a huge rise in IoT devices outside of professional settings too. This includes washing machines, lightbulbs, cameras and televisions.
In 2023, it’s estimated that more than 30 billion devices will be connected to the internet; giving us more options to generate, share, and study data across devices.
In this blog, we’re outlining some of the IoT trends we expect to see in 2023.
IoT Cyber Security
More means for us to access and make the most of the wonders of the internet, can only be a fantastic thing, but as more devices allow us to do this, the more opportunities present themselves for cyber attackers.
As connectivity increases in the coming twelve months and beyond, businesses, manufacturers and big tech will need to step up to continue to keep pace with the number of devices going online and the challenges that may bring in trying to protect data.
Developments for such systems are already gathering momentum in the US, as the White House National Council recently announced it intends to develop standard security labelling for consumer IoT device manufacturers early in the new year.
The UK is expected to follow suit with a similar tactic by introducing an amended Product Security and Telecommunications bill.
These labels will help inform buyers of the risks associated with introducing new IoT devices into their home. It’s about giving consumers all the information they need to understand the risks and rewards and how to manage and care for their data.
Increasing Reliance of Metaverse & Digital Twinning
For many businesses, one of the biggest assets of adopting the metaverse will be bringing together the virtual and real worlds.
By combining this with digital twin technologies, businesses will be able to develop hyper-realistic digital copies of an array of important and complex systems. This could be anything from a building to an entire manufacturing facility.
Users will be able to step into these digital worlds with the help of VR headsets and other similar devices, to gain a real grasp of how a system operates and what will happen when adjusting variables.
For example, someone could hop into the twinned version of a manufacturing system and understand what might happen to machinery or the manufacturing process if they were to make adjustments to a specific part of the process. This could ultimately determine whether this adjustment has improved or hindered the production line.
In effect, this could also be partnered with a smart conditioning monitoring system, which when working together could be an incredibly powerful preventative measure to significantly decrease manufacturing faults and downtime.
Stronger Regulations
In 2023, the EU has announced that it expects to introduce an updated legislation framework for IoT device manufacturers and operators to ensure they are given a much stronger set of restrictions in regards to data collection, storage and management.
Failure to adhere to these regulations, could cost tech businesses €15m or 2.5% of their turnover, whichever works out higher.
In China, 2023 marks the conclusion of a three-year operation initiated by the Chinese government to encourage IoT and smart technology infrastructure adoption.
This initiative was developed to push the IoT agenda to drive business growth and efficiency, but also to ensure that a platform for sustainable and socially responsible growth could be put into place.
Smart Cars
Autonomous vehicles have appeared more frequently in the news in the past few years, although not always for the right reasons.
However, similar technologies will certainly be driving the push towards a new frontier of IoT-enabled vehicles.
Although such advances will largely depend on the development of smart city infrastructure to ensure that every part of the ecosystem can be connected to the Internet of Things, this is certainly something that we’ll see huge advances with.
Smart car IoT will monitor the vehicle condition during journeys. Sensors will be able to gather real-time information about engine performance, fuel consumption, temperatures, fluid levels and other important analytics to help minimise breakdowns by alerting the driver to a potential issue, before a failure.
This can also give vehicle mechanics a full overview of the car’s condition before so much as opening a bonnet, thereby saving time and costs when it comes to diagnostics.
Fully autonomous vehicles aren’t likely to obtain large backing from the public just yet, but it’s clear that IoT-connected smart cars can play a significant role in improving road safety, emissions and improving reliability, all of which can push us into a new dawn for the automotive industry.
Conclusion
IoT is now beginning to deliver its potential as a commercialised technology; this will only continue into the future.
If you’re interested in learning more about what we’ve covered in this blog, or you’d like to hear more about our services or anything we’ve covered in this blog, why not get in touch today?