The Internet of Things (IoT) comprises interconnected entities with each offering a particular degree of adaptiveness, behavioral autonomy, and communication with other connected devices. Connectivity may integrate various topological forms and integrate complex network that connects these things to the Internet via the use of proprietary communication protocols.
When we talk about things, they could be virtual or physical. They all have a programmable representation in the digital world. Also, they can reach the physical world though actuation/sensing capabilities. Details such as status, location, or identity of the thing are included in the representation. These things provide services with or without the need for human intervention.
IoT has to do with the physical devices connected to the internet. These devices are all receiving and transmitting data. The integration of IoT data with IBM Cloud technologies makes it possible for businesses to get valuable insights to enhance almost all aspects of their operations and as well ensure innovative, new business models.
What is IBM IoT?
To understand IBM IoT, one needs to understand what IBM offers and what type of organization it is. IBM stands for International Business Machines Corporation. As one of the world’s largest technology companies, IBM has operations in over 170 countries and more than 345,000 employees across the world.
This giant technology company specializes in the production and distributing of computer software and hardware. Also, it designs cloud computing and data analytics. Over the years, IBM has served as a research and development corporation with inventions such as UPC barcode, floppy disk, and the hard disk drive.
Key Areas where IBM IoT is conducting Strategic Work
IBM has invested in research and development of the Internet of Things. Furthermore, strategic work in IoT has been performed in key areas.
In the Edge area, IBM IoT is addressing issues in which privacy, security, bandwidth, or latency can’t allow data to be moved to a cloud platform. There is a great need to analyze and process IoT information at the edge, close to where the data was generated. Furthermore, the research in edge are gives considerations to challenges being faced in the data analytics and IoT application domain.
External research communities address this issues in concepts like mobile computing for telecommunication networks and fog computing for data networks.
In the Platform area, IBM is making research about technologies that can produce a scalable platform for IoT and offer support to the requirements of the IoT domain. The IoT domain features a workload produced by devices and sensors. Also, it needs more adaptive real-time data processing and more scalability.
As regards the Solutions area, IBM is providing new solutions that are integrate cognitive computing technologies in the edge and cloud context, to provide new IoT solutions. Therefore, this will include developing new solutions for elderly wellness, cognitive dialogs, cognitive buildings, home insurance, Industry 4.0, IoT data discovery, home insurance, and other solutions in industries.
The Internet of Things research are by IBM spans across various labs in the world, with major activities in India, Australia, Dublin, and China labs among others.
IBM IoT Connected Vehicles
IBM has extended the power of AI and data analytics to internet connected cars. The IBM IoT Connected Vehicle Insight uses real-time data about vehicles, drivers, and the surrounding to maximize in-car experience. This cloud service streams data from the sensors of vehicles and then integrates AI and analytics to have an idea of the driver behavior.
Also, it connects with other data systems in the cloud like traffic and weather, to add situational awareness. This information helps connected vehicles to easily detect problems with quality or safety and then carry out immediate action.
For instance, the collision avoidance system of a vehicle can improve when connected to real-time traffic and weather conditions. Also, the SaaS platform offers enhanced navigation features like destination prediction, according to particular driver patterns.
What are the key features of IBM IoT Connected Vehicle Insights?
The IBM IoT connected vehicle insights offers some basic features which include:
- Vehicle insights and event detection
- Integration with third-party data, APIs and apps
- Product quality improvement
- Dedicated SaaS environment
- Designed for modern systems and standards
Key Benefits of IBM IoT Connected Vehicle Insights
Optimization of arrival times and driver convenience
IBM IoT Connected Vehicle provides navigation features, map context, and optimal routing which help in improving the driver’s journey. The navigation features provided by this platform consider weather conditions, driver patterns, and real-time traffic.
Improvement of product quality
Also, this IBM IoT platform monitor data all through the life span of a vehicle to optimize production and engineering and as well detect malfunctions.
Ensure the safety of drivers
Vehicle systems can easily identify unsafe policy variations or practices by having access to real-time insights of driver behavior. This helps in responding effectively to any problem.
Improvement of revenue streams and business models
One of the benefits of the IBM IoT connected vehicle insight helps in enhancing revenue streams and business models.
IBM Watson IoT Platform
The IBM Watson IoT is a project developed by IBM. This project was initially aimed at designing a natural language-responsive system where questions asked in a human language can be interpreted and then answers can be analyzed. This system would provide answers to questions that it would take researchers time to get answers.
What is the IBM Watson IoT Platform?
The IBM Watson IoT Platform connects gateways, applications, and devices for IoT solutions. Also, this platform provides support for MQTT and REST protocols for administrative functions, applications, event processing, devices, and gateways. You will find The IBM Watson IoT Platform on the IBM Cloud platform which was once known as IBM Bluemix. Also, the IBM Cloud platform works based on Kubernetes and Cloud Foundry.
The IBM Watson IoT platform helps you to manage connected devices so users can have access to historical and live data. There are several features offered by the IBM Watson Platform. These features include:
Dashboard
When you gain access to this platform, you will see the dash board. The dashboard of the IBM Watson IoT platform comprises a number of cards and boards that offer different visualization options for IoT solution. To get familiar with the dashboard, you can explore the cards and boards. Also, the dashboard is user-friendly. Therefore, it makes it easy for users to navigate.
Devices, gateways, and applications
The device management control system is another feature the IBM IoT platform offers. With this feature, users can develop and remove devices, gateways, and applications. Also, this feature helps users to check and enable actions in the device, like a reset or a firmware upgrade request.
API keys can be created to ensure applications connect properly to the IoT organization and communicate with the other components.
Security
IBM IoT platform can help in managing the security aspects of a solution. This may likely include checking the rules of a country, designing policies for device connections, and providing white and black lists for the IP address of a device. Also, you can have control over users allowed or prevented from managing the IoT organization.
Benefits of IBM IoT Platform
IBM IoT platform helps users to start their IoT project quickly. This cloud-hosted platform is designed to make users easily derive value from their IoT devices. Also, it offers capabilities like IoT data storage, device registration, and IoT data connectivity. Below are benefits of the IBM IoT Platform:
Management and connection of devices
You can easily connect to the IBM IoT platform and then connect and manage your IoT devices. Also, users can create their own mobile IoT apps and visualization dashboards.
Enables team development
The IBM IoT platform enables team development of IoT. This is because IBM IoT enables the development of AI technologies in addition to the facilities provided by this platform.
Easy interaction with the platform
This platform is a very easy one to interact with. All you need is to understand the structure of the platform. Also, it allows you to easily navigate around each devices.
Active performance management
One of the benefits of IBM IoT Platform is its analytic capabilities to detect new correlations and as well search and know signatures in data in order to figure out operational problems with equipment.
How IBM helps you get the Best Value from Your IoT Data
The journey of IBM IoT has evolved over the years. However, it is indeed a journey during those years. Here are ways organizations can get value from their IoT efforts.
Collect data
Collecting data from your devices is important. At first, when IoT was introduced, we were surprised what we could achieve with this technology. When we discovered we could get things like light bulbs connected to the IoT. Also, we realized this connectivity could help us turn on and off these devices. This is why it is important you collect data into a usable format.
Pattern Visualization
Businesses increased their expectations as IoT matured. Therefore, the focus shifted to pattern visualization. It isn’t all about turning off and on the bulb conveniently, but how the connected light bulb provides data on how it is being utilized. With this data, you can understand your bulb’s energy usage and how to regulate it. For instance, you can decide to dim your lights to keep energy usage on check or decide not to light up some places at a particular time. Businesses need to have a clear understanding about the patterns in their data.
Advance to analytics
Analytics can make data smarter as it enables you to have real-time data about your IoT device. It gives you a better picture of the happenings in your devices and environment. Also, it enables you to identify patterns and predict outcomes. In the long run, this will help you in adopting new practices that would help you prevent possible problems.
More Facts about IBM IoT Platform
The IBM IoT platform offers a straightforward and simple user interface where devices can be managed easily and simply. Also, users can add devices and control any access to their IoT service. This platform helps users to monitor the usage of their data. As a cloud-hosted service, IBM IoT helps you to derive value from IoT devices.
The device management service provided by this platform enables users to carry out device actions such as firmware update or reboot, get metadata and device diagnostics, or execute bulk device removal and addition.
Users can also receive and send commands to their devices. They can achieve this by integrating MQTT with TLS to enable communication between their devices and IBM services. IBM IoT platform offers data lifecycle management. This means that users can access real-time data from their devices. They can as well choose to store data for a desired period. This allows users to gain access to historical data.
Security is a crucial aspect of IoT deployment plan. Also, security by design is what everyone integrating IoT should think about. This entails that IoT devices and software are safe for end-users and manufacturers.
This is why IBM IoT security framework is protecting IoT devices and data from potential risk. IBM Watson IoT platform integrates security by design in its infrastructure and platform. It is a big deal to have access to IoT devices and firmware. The ability to view, manage, and update.
IoT risk and security management is a big challenge that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Also, protecting the IoT infrastructure is a priority for enterprises.
Conclusion
The IBM Watson IoT Platform connects gateways, applications, and devices for IoT solutions. Also, this platform provides support for MQTT and REST protocols for administrative functions, applications, event processing, devices, and gateways. You will find The IBM Watson IoT Platform on the IBM Cloud platform which was once known as IBM Bluemix.
The IBM IoT platform enables team development of IoT. This is because IBM IoT enables the development of AI technologies in addition to the facilities provided by this platform. The world has experienced a big change since the introduction of IoT.
