Emerging standards, and questions, about the Internet of Things

[Brink]

The "Internet of Things" is great in theory -- sensors and applications across a range of systems and devices communicate in real time, providing telemetry to track everything from jet aircraft engines to mailed documents. The potential is limitless, but it's going to take some footwork to make it all come together.

Those are some of the thoughts expressed at an IoT Festival held at MIT -- attended by systems developers, security experts, data scientists, and artists from across a spectrum of industries. While the event took place earlier this year, it raised an abundance of points worth resurfacing. Andy Oram, writing in O'Reilly Radar, provides a nice overview of the issues discussed, ranging from architecture to standards to privacy.

Read more at: Emerging standards, and questions, about the Internet of Things | ZDNet

 

[lehnerus2000]

How much privacy and personal autonomy are we willing to risk to reap the IoT’s potential for improving life, saving resources, and lowering costs?

All of it, as long as some CEO gets a huge bonus as a result.

Any benefits to the consumer are purely coincidental and unintended.
"Form an orderly queue to receive your IoT tracking chip implant."

How do we persuade manufacturers to build standard communication protocols into everyday objects?

Place the BoD of related businesses in "protective custody".

At the first sign of corporate shenanigans, ship them off to "Gitmo" for "rougher than usual handling".

What role should governments play in all this?

Extremely brutal enforcement of the standards (unlike every other area of IT).

What impact will the IoT have on jobs, and how can we prepare the workforce?

If you want it to create jobs, let the government run it.

The first thing that happens, when a government organisation is sold to the private sector, is that the majority of the workforce is sacked.

If you want it to create CEO bonuses, let the private sector run it.

The second thing that happens, when a government organisation is sold to the private sector, is that the CEO receives a huge bonus (generated by the savings created as a result of sacking the workforce).