• Blockchain technology enables dependable, secure, and safe management and storage of digital identities, providing a consistent, interoperable, and tamper-resistant infrastructure that offers significant benefits for organizations, users, and Internet of Things (IoT) management systems.
• Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize digital identity management by providing a decentralized and secure way to store and share identity information.

We are all well aware of blockchain technology, but how much do we know about blockchain on Digital Identity? This blog is all about introducing you to the new market of digital identity blockchain.

As Industry 4.0 spreads, the boundaries of the technological revolution have been surpassed in many ways. Consequently, digital identity has become a critical aspect of digital services. Blockchain technology enables dependable, secure, and safe management and storage of digital identities, providing a consistent, interoperable, and tamper-resistant infrastructure that significantly benefits organizations, users, and Internet of Things (IoT) management systems.

Since digital identity technologies are relatively new in the market, it is crucial to have a good understanding of the impact of blockchain technology on digital identity and its transformative potential. By reviewing the following comprehensive information, you will gain the knowledge necessary to determine whether blockchain is a dependable option for digital identity.

What is Digital Identity, and Why is it Important?

Digital identity refers to an individual or entity’s online representation, including personal data, attributes, and digital behavior. The set of information uniquely identifies a person or organization in the digital world.

There is a common misconception that digital identity only pertains to personal data available online to anyone. However, this notion needs to be narrower, as digital identity encompasses much more than social media profiles, email addresses, and physical addresses.

In reality, it encompasses all the information about you that can be found online, such as pictures, shopping habits, website usage patterns, and even banking information.

Digital identity is related to blockchain as it helps ensure accuracy while speeding up the customer onboarding process. Effective digital identity management is critical to prevent money laundering and fraudulent activity. Furthermore, such management could contribute to streamlining and standardizing citizen services nations provide.

For instance, Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative includes the National Digital Identity (NDI) system, which allows citizens secure access to e-governance services. Nonetheless, if not managed appropriately, digital identity can give rise to privacy and security concerns.

Challenges of Digital Identity Management

While digital identity can provide convenience and effectiveness, it also brings certain risks and challenges due to the increasing prevalence of cyberattacks in the digital age. Therefore, the safe management of data is crucial for online service providers. This requires significant investments and expertise in cybersecurity to implement security measures, develop internal plans for fraud prevention and risk assessment, and effectively tackle the challenges associated with digital identity.

Below are a few more challenges:

• Security: Cybercriminals constantly seek ways to steal identities and personal information. Therefore, it is essential to implement strong security measures such as encryption and two-factor authentication to protect digital identities from being stolen or compromised.
• Privacy: Individuals may be uncomfortable with sharing their personal information online and may not trust the organizations or entities collecting their data. Therefore, it is essential to establish clear privacy policies and give individuals control over their personal information.
• Interoperability: Digital identity systems are often siloed and incompatible with other systems. This can make it difficult for individuals to use their digital identities across different platforms and services. It is important to develop interoperable digital identity systems that can work across different platforms and services to address this challenge.
• Legal and regulatory compliance: Digital identity management must comply with various laws and regulations, such as data protection laws, consumer protection laws, and anti-money laundering laws. Failure to comply with these laws can result in legal and financial consequences.
• User adoption: Finally, adopting digital identity systems can be challenging. Some individuals may need more awareness or trust in the system to refrain from using digital identities. To encourage adoption, it is important to educate individuals about the benefits of digital identity management and provide user-friendly interfaces that are easy to use.

What is Digital Identity in Blockchain?

As per Allied Market Research, the global market size for managing blockchain identities was valued at USD 107 million in 2018 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 79.2% from 2019 to 2026, reaching a market value of USD 11.46 billion.

Decentralization is a defining characteristic of digital identities in blockchain networks, allowing individuals to manage their personal information and exercise greater control over it. These digital identities have diverse applications, including access control, digital signature, voting, and identity verification, which help enhance the security and reliability of the blockchain network by mitigating fraud risks.

Final Words

In conclusion, blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize digital identity management by providing a decentralized and secure way to store and share identity information. Using blockchain for identity management can help reduce identity fraud, increase user privacy and control, and improve efficiency and convenience for users. However, some challenges need to be addressed, such as interoperability between different blockchain platforms and ensuring the protection of user data. As the technology continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how blockchain will shape the future of digital identity management.

Blockchain’s decentralized structure makes it ideal for developing data management systems that are both transparent and trustworthy. With blockchain, it is possible to merge various digital identities from different platforms into a single digital identity that the user can control and own. Further research is recommended to gain a deeper understanding of blockchain-based digital identity and its practical applications.

• Qualcomm’s Aware platform furnishes ubiquitous global connectivity, intelligently optimizing and fusing location technologies with critical device management, sensor alerts, and control features.
• The platform stretches beyond silicon, encompassing technology from PoLTE Corp and Skyhook Wireless Inc., both companies purchased by Qualcomm in 2022.

Qualcomm Technologies Inc. recently disclosed a new platform designed to enable enterprises and developers to harness real-time information and data insights so they can speed up their digital transformation programs.

The Qualcomm Aware Platform strives to respond to the issues wherein system design complexity and ecosystem fragmentation frequently prevent “internet of things” deployments from reaching their full potential. According to the company, Qualcomm Aware integrates silicon and an extensive ecosystem of hardware and software partners with a developer-friendly cloud framework to provide services for directing assets that need accurate, time-sensitive, and critical decision-making.

The platform furnishes ubiquitous global connectivity, intelligently optimizing and fusing location technologies with critical device management, sensor alerts, and control features. The integration is said to provide a new baseline for IoT and help enterprises handle operational efficiencies.

Critical use cases that Aware can serve consist of utility asset monitoring, cold chain distribution, warehouse and inventory management, and cargo shipment tracking.

The Aware service is based upon three main pillars:

• Technology leadership
• Enablement of an expansive ecosystem of software and hardware partners
• Application programming interface-first architecture and developer-convenient tools that empower interoperability with leading enterprise software tools and partner clouds

The platform stretches beyond silicon, encompassing technology from PoLTE Corp and Skyhook Wireless Inc., both companies purchased by Qualcomm in 2022. The technology consists of proprietary positioning techniques and a solid global signal database of about eight billion wireless Media Access Control or MAC addresses, and hundreds of millions of cells.

As per the company, in combination with Qualcomm’s current location technology, the acquired technology empowers Aware to provide ubiquitous and intelligent location capabilities in an always-on and low-power manner. The platform is designed intelligently to work in challenging signal environments, consisting of underground, indoors, and when devices are offline, furnishing critical awareness and condition monitoring context to enterprise solutions for operational visibility and end-to-end asset.

The platform comprises the encryption and mutual authentication of all device-to-cloud communications and cloud security tools. It also supplies device management, global cellular connectivity, and provisioning.

Senior vice president and general manager of connected smart systems at Qualcomm, Jeff Torrance, said, “Qualcomm Technologies is rapidly diversifying with new opportunities. Qualcomm Aware is designed to support organizations across industries with a scalable, cost-effective, capital-efficient investment solution that delivers an accelerated time to market, simplifies digital transformation, and delivers transformative insights needed to mitigate risk, make more informed business decisions, and navigate challenges across industries.”

Initial launch partners include BASF SE, Ferrero International S.A., Foxconn (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd.), Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp, Microsoft Corp, Maersk A/S and Mondelēz International Inc., among others.

The availability of Qualcomm Aware is expectedly later this year.

• Micro data centers facilitate data processing and storage at the network edge or wherever the user needs concentrated computing power.
• Edge computing plays a crucial role in effectively implementing several embedded applications such as Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and deep learning.

The question of where businesses should store their data is evolving as industries depend more on data for day-to-day operations. As enterprises transition to the cloud, high latency and bandwidth difficulties substantially impact regular operations.

Organizations are forced to use Edge computing power due to the growing demand for real-time data. For better performance, keeping the processing close by is essential, and many businesses use micro data centers (MDC) for their edge computing requirements.

This blog highlights edge computing and how data centers drive the revolution in edge computing.

Diving into Micro Data Centers

A micro data center provides the operations of a traditional data center in a compact unit of rack-mounted IT equipment isolated from the cloud data center or centralized enterprise. Being a highly integrated alternative to IT closets or small server rooms, micro data centers offer specific applications across the network. The composition and placement of these micro data centers are managed to fit a wide range of applications, ranging from a small office cabinet to a shipping container that protects racks in harsh, remote surroundings.

Micro data centers facilitate data processing and storage at the network edge or wherever the user needs concentrated computing power but lacks the capital, business case, and space for a fully-equipped data center. The real-time data processing insights can be easily accessed to immediately act on for leveraging business agility and competitive advantage. Besides, these data centers are easy to deploy and can be incorporated with few routers switching between data sources and servers.

What is Edge Computing?

Edge computing plays a crucial role in effectively implementing several embedded applications such as Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and deep learning. Since traditional data centers cannot meet these application requirements, the Edge Micro-Data Center (EMDC) comes into the picture.

By embedding intelligence with systems, i.e., to the edge, it becomes feasible to generate highly autonomous and decision-oriented capabilities. This reduces reliance on centralized systems by providing other significant advantages concerning lower prices, reduced latency, and energy savings.

Examples of early utilities of edge computing include robotic surgery, autonomous vehicles, augmented reality in manufacturing, and drones. The operational requirements of these applications are met by integrating edge infrastructure such as EMDCs.

Edge computing can reduce response times in mission-critical applications to facilitate real-time operations. The cloud serves the role of a memory unit in data storage while peripheral nodes process large data volumes, thus improving sensitivity and overall data security. Edge computing technology can effectively enhance the range of services and applications by natively supporting AI instead of solely depending on AI in the cloud.

Various modern-day applications such as smart manufacturing, industry 4.0, 5G, smart cities, robotics, and machine vision thrive on edge computing technological approach.

Enabling Edge Computing with Micro Data Centers

With industries heavily relying on data for daily operations, the question of data storage has been evolving. As organizations are adopting cloud storage, the issues of bandwidth and latency are influencing their daily functions. Many enterprises observed that their operations require crucial applications that use robust real-time analysis, which the cloud and centralized data centers can no longer serve.

The increasing requirement for real-time data has been compelling organizations to adopt edge computing. Many companies use micro data centers for edge computing requirements by keeping the processes integrated to enhance performance.

The following advantages of edge computing can be reaped by using micro data centers:

• Data Security

Security becomes a primary concern when it comes to dealing with sensitive, confidential data. Despite devices being adequately secured, a safer architecture actually lowers the chances of a data breach. The dispersed edge computing architecture makes it challenging to accord over traditional models. It also becomes feasible to cut loose a single breached area without the need to shut down the overall system.

• Bandwidth

A large number of networks work with restricted bandwidth. Increasing bandwidth is expensive and does not necessarily resolve all the issues. On the other hand, Edge computing effectively lowers bandwidth by reducing the overall traffic volume reciprocating in central servers. Redundant processing tasks and narrowing hindrances are discarded by IT so that users can take advantage of faster resultant performance.

• Latency

Traditional networking mandates data to be transmitted to centralizing servers for processing. The servers then revert with instructions in case of any response. This altogether causes a delay.

Micro data centers with edge computing can deliver quick response time across more traditional models. As it processes crucial functions close to the user, it can cause considerable delays in operation.

 Domains Leveraging Edge Computing and Micro Data Centers

Most enterprises work with real-time processing and also use 5G technology, sensors, IoT, etc. These industries often encounter issues of latency and bandwidth limitation. Edge computing integrated with micro data centers resolves these hurdles by curbing data travel. Although beneficial to most organizations, edge computing is crucial for industries utilizing cutting-edge resources and smart devices. To name a few, energy, retail, manufacturing, telecommunications, transportation, healthcare, and gaming can be precisely mentioned.

With the emergence of 5G, many companies now demand micro data centers’ processing resources. Besides, these enterprises will likely undergo a digital transition and require processing power to stay in the competitive market.

Major Benefits of Micro Data Center

Being compact-sized, micro data centers exhibit a powerful performance delivery to help organizations across the domain to enhance their digital strategies. The primary benefits are as follows:

1) Quick Integration: Micro data centers’ compact assembly and faster deployment timelines show they are quickly operational, whether pre-assembled or customized. The flexibility in cost and construction of a micro data center makes it suitable for operational requirements and expenses.

2) Space Compatible: Micro data centers are suitable for limited-space applications in retail stores, factory floors, remote industrial sites, or cellular towers. Due to compact integration and size, they are handy and portable compared to other equipment installed in the server closet. Another advantage it serves is that the installation can be shipped to a different location where IT personnel are not available, and some constraints prevent on-site installation.

3) Availability: Micro data centers can be configured for any degree of availability according to the application requirements. Though the risk of downtime can be lowered, the cost increases due to higher availability.

4) Remote Coordination: The configuration and design of micro data centers are suitable for remote devices and power management. With remote coordination capabilities, managing and monitoring micro data centers in highly isolated locations become easy, negating site travel expenses and the wait for in-demand technicians.

5) Effective Cooling Systems: The advanced micro data center design helps enhance cooling efficiency. Well-curated airflow management coupled with cooling systems can lower energy waste and other problems caused by exhaust air recirculation.

6) Scalability: Micro data centers can support current and future requirements. They can be easily upgraded or extended at any given time. Major updates include enhanced power capacity, increased battery backup runtime, management features, redundancy, and provisional cooling.

Conclusion

The small-footprint data hubs, such as micro data centers, will be an integral segment of future IT operations. The integration of edge computing and micro data centers can simplify major technical hurdles and make the system operations quicker. End-users’ accessibility to storage and computational resources can be facilitated with micro data centers. Moreover, the cost of operation, installation, and deployment time reduces with surging scalability and resilience.

• The OS isn’t for desktops or phones. Instead, it’s for the Internet of Things, maybe for smart homes.
• Even though the project is still in its early stages, the GitHub repository boasts of Rust-based sel4-sys Crate add-ons that provide seL4 syscall APIs.

Google has revealed KataOS, an early venture into a new secure operating system for embedded systems on open-source RISC-V chips.

Google’s KataOS is written “almost entirely in Rust,” the programming language used by the Android Open-Source Project and the Linux kernel project.

The open-source team at Google, which is building intelligent AmbiML (ambient machine-learning) systems, explained, “KataOS is also implemented almost entirely in Rust, which provides a strong starting point for software security since it eliminates entire classes of bugs, such as off-by-one errors and buffer overflows.”

On its project GitHub page, it stressed that KataOS and the umbrella project name, Sparrow, are “works in progress.” Sparrow is an example of how KataOS is used.

Google said, “Our team in Google Research has set out to solve this problem by building a provably secure platform that’s optimized for embedded devices that run ML applications. This is an ongoing project with plenty left to do, but we’re excited to share some early details and invite others to collaborate on the platform so we can all build intelligent ambient systems that have security built-in by default.”

The OS isn’t for desktops or phones. Instead, it’s for the Internet of Things, maybe for smart homes.

The goal is to build secure systems for embedded hardware or edge devices like network-connected cameras that can be used to take pictures that are then processed for machine learning on the device or in the cloud.

The new “security-first” sel4 microkernel is being used to build the OS. It’s open source but has nothing to do with Linux or Google’s Fuchsia OS.

Data61, the digital branch of the Australian research organization CSIRO, released sel4 in 2010 as a mathematically proven correct, bug-free kernel. The Linux Foundation runs the selL4 Foundation.

Google explained, “As the foundation for this new operating system, we chose seL4 as the microkernel because it puts security front and center; it is mathematically proven secure, with guaranteed confidentiality, integrity, and availability.”

“Through the seL4 CAmkES framework, we’re also able to provide statically-defined and analyzable system components. KataOS provides a verifiably-secure platform that protects the user’s privacy because it is logically impossible for applications to breach the kernel’s hardware security protections, and the system components are verifiably secure.”

Even though the project is still in its early stages, the GitHub repository boasts Rust-based sel4-sys Crate add-ons that provide seL4 syscall APIs. It also has a root server written in Rust, which allows for dynamic system-wide memory management and changes to seL4 that will enable the root server to give back the memory it used. It also made debugging possible.

The objective is to support processors with the RISC-V architecture, which has caught the attention of NASA, Intel, and others.

Google notes, “Sparrow includes a logically-secure root of trust built with OpenTitan on a RISC-V architecture. However, for our initial release, we’re targeting a more standard 64-bit ARM platform running in simulation with QEMU.”

What will happen with KataOS is still to be seen. A few years ago, Google released its Fuchsia OS, which was also aimed at the IoT. It was running on Made by Google devices like the Nest Hub, but as noted by 9 to 5Google, recent changes to Fuchsia suggest that Google wants to make it more than just an OS for smart home devices.

• The kernel, which offers the essential set of hardware drivers and functional services that charge an operating system, is the foundation of Linux.
• While Rust could not make it to Linux 6.0, it will likely be in the Linux 6.1 kernel version, which may be available by the end of 2022.

The open-source Linux operating system is integral to delivering cloud and enterprise applications. In fact, Linux-based compute resources are offered by every cloud provider, including Microsoft. Linux is often the platform of choice for embedded and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The top Linux distribution vendors currently include Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, the German company SUSE, and IBM’s Red Hat division.

According to Fortune Business Insights, the market for Linux will increase from USD 6.27 billion in 2022 to USD 22.15 billion by 2029.

The kernel, which offers the essential set of hardware drivers and functional services that charge an operating system, is the foundation of Linux. Developer Linus Torvalds originally released the Linux kernel in 1992. Torvalds continues to guide the release process to this day with the contributions of hundreds of people worldwide.

Fast iterations of the Linux kernel, resulting in fresh major releases every 8 to ten weeks. The 6.0 kernel, the most recent version, was made public by Torvalds yesterday. Since the March 2019 release of version 5.0, the jump to 6.0 is the first significant version number change.

However, the increase in numbers isn’t always a sign of a specific technical achievement. Linux 5.19 was the last update before Linux 6.0. In his announcement for the release of Linux 6.0, Linus Torvalds stated, “So, as is hopefully clear to everybody, the major version number change is more about me running out of fingers and toes than it is about any big fundamental changes. But, of course, there are a lot of various changes in 6.0 — we’ve got over 15k nonmerge commits in there in total, after all, and as such, 6.0 is one of the bigger releases, at least in numbers of commits in a while.”

Runtime Verification makes Linux more secure

Each new Linux kernel comes with a plethora of features, many of which are geared toward supporting new hardware. Enhanced support for Intel Arc A770 GPUs and Intel Habana Labs Gaudi 2 AI accelerators is among the latest hardware drivers in Linux 6.0.

According to Jiri Kosina, head of SUSE Labs Core and Hardware, Linux 6.0 has many performance enhancements. One such enhancement is the removal of an energy-margin heuristic from the Linux scheduler, which generally leads to better energy utilization. This algorithm restricted process migration across CPUs. Kosina also pointed out that the arm64 chip architecture can now swap transparent hugepages for memory in a suitable manner, considerably increasing the throughput of some workloads.

While hardware support is vital, according to senior principal software engineer at Red Hat Daniel Bristot de Oliveira, the new Runtime Verification subsystem feature, which he created, stands out the most.

Runtime Verification is also called a formal verification tool. With formal verification, the operation of a system and the execution of different processes are verified mathematically to ensure that systems operate correctly. According to De Oliveira, Runtime Verification (RV) is a simple yet demanding formal verification technique with a valuable strategy for complicated systems. RV analyzes the trace of the system’s actual execution and compares it against a formal specification of the system behavior.

According to de Oliveira, “It’s a fundamental feature for enabling the usage of Linux in safety-critical systems, a trend that is mainly led by automotive and industrial applications. But it will also help to improve Linux’s reliability in general across industries and use scenarios.”

Rust: Coming in Linux 6.1

At the Open Source Summit in June, Linus Torvalds said that he had anticipated the open-source Rust programming language to be included in Linux soon.

While Rust could not make it to Linux 6.0, it will likely be in the Linux 6.1 kernel version, which may be available by the end of 2022. Google Linux kernel developer Kees Cook made the official request on October 1 for the addition of the first piece of code that will allow Rust support in Linux 6.1.

Rust will help improve security and dependability, much like the Runtime Verification functionality that is now present in Linux 6.0.

“One of the main advantages of Rust is its focus on safety, mainly regarding memory access and preventing data races,” de Oliveira said. “Even with this safety emphasis, Rust still provides fast runtimes and low overheads.”

• Sixty-five percent of survey respondents expressed concern or extreme concern about their capacity to attract sufficient talent to satisfy their objectives.

Data is growing in volume, velocity, and diversity at unprecedented rates, and tech workers have front-row seats to the emergence of hyper-scale datasets – those containing over a trillion records. In 2022, Ocient polled 500 IT experts at director-level or above positions to know their thoughts about the future of data analysis at the hyper-scale level.

Of all those surveyed, 78% say their organization’s capacity to evaluate data is closely associated with its bottom line. There are innumerable possibilities to capitalize on the information created daily, and businesses that seize these opportunities will soon leverage the advantages.

Whether the data is collected from Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, consumer devices, or system logs, a thorough, timely analysis can help firms unearth various types of needle-in-a-haystack insights that result in the most successful and inventive new products and services.

Data infrastructure strain affects data analysis

However, data warehouses constructed and deployed only a few years ago are beginning to feel the burden of excessive data. Fifty-nine percent of the surveyed respondents actively want to replace their data warehouses, which they perceive as obsolete, restricted capabilities, and inflexible. Their future wish lists are enhanced performance, agility, connection, robust security, decreased complexity, and reasonable prices.

But locating the appropriate data warehouse is just a part of the challenge: The explosion of data and the requirement to analyze it necessitates individuals with the ideal mix of skills and experience. Unfortunately, recruiting these individuals is increasingly challenging, and 65% of survey respondents expressed concern or extreme concern about their capacity to attract sufficient talent to satisfy their objectives.

According to the Ocient research on hyper-scale data analysis and analytics, the world is entering beyond the era of big data and venturing into a period characterized by databases containing billions and trillions of records. IT workers know that beneath these records are endless chances to improve income, reduce expenditures, and move their businesses into the future.

But this is just the beginning as we are at the dawn of IoT’s veritable technology revolution. With time, advancements are being made in IoT and its associated technologies that are uncovering newer and more exciting possibilities. This seemingly endless stream of advancements brings some pretty exciting technologies – one of which is the Internet of Nano Things (IoNT).

What is the Internet of Nano Things?   

 The IoNT is a nascent technology that gained attention recently. It is a technology that works on IoT but on a nanoscale. The term itself describes it as the interconnection of nano-sized devices within existing networks.

The IoNT has roots in IoT and nanotechnology, according to StatNano, which defines it as “an interconnected system of very small devices that transfer data over a network.”

With advancements in technology, it is important to mark that the next computing revolution will be entirely outside the traditional desktop environment. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 18.2% globally between the year 2021 to 2027.

The IoNT can, thus, be said to be a convergent point where nanotechnology, the IoT, and Industry 4.0 meet. These regions converge within sensors that can be utilized in traditional IoT systems. However, the IoNT comprises small-scale IoT systems that are perfect for remote environmental monitoring and medical applications.

Difference between IoT and IoNT

The IoNT and IoT belong to the same kingdom. Here, the inter-connected devices are small and miniaturized to be categorized as nanoscale, ranging from .1 to 100 nanometers (a nanometer is one billionth of a meter).

Most technologies like environmental sensors in cars and homes or accelerometers and gyroscopes in smartphones that allow people to use navigation or location services are the latest examples of nanotechnologies that can be miniaturized to fit within small volumes.

All latest modern automation is based on nanoscale devices that can provide more intelligent technical options via communication. Such technology integrations drive innovation in every industry, from healthcare to automation and everyday household goods.

The IoNT acts as a network of nano-sized objects. Electronic devices are advanced in terms of design and manufacturing and are also highly well-packaged to prevent unwanted interference. At times, interference is difficult to manage because of the electromagnetic methods used for these devices’ wireless communication.

Need for IoNT

With IoNT, it is possible to connect multiple nanodevices across a network. This, when combined with other technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and machine learning, brings newer possibilities.

IoNT is similar to smartphones and can do almost anything like adding layers of functionality, new features, and increasing comfort. Anything that IoT does can be supercharged with IoNT. It is possible to achieve exceptionally finely granulated data from systems of nano-sized machines using IoNT.

IoNT systems also allow data to be gathered from notoriously tricky areas. This makes it possible to collect information from all corners that were inaccessible earlier and, thus, help us achieve a better future.

Challenges in IoNT

Innovations come with newer challenges. Privacy with security and compatibility are the major issues faced by IoNT currently.

· Privacy and security

Nanodevices collect a large amount of important and confidential data, and, hence, privacy and data security concerns must be addressed. IoNT users must know who has access to their information and how it will be used.

Furthermore, it is essential to secure the collected data using encryption and cutting-edge cybersecurity protocols. If the data is left unprotected, cybercriminals can easily access this confidential data and misuse it. Hence, before implementing IoNT devices on a large scale, IoNT developers must find solutions to these issues.

· Compatibility

In the field of medicine, developing nanosensors that fit the requirement is quite  challenging. While working on any of it, developers must ensure that these nanosensors have no adverse effects on a patient’s body and can communicate through wearable devices without interruption.

Moreover, finding such materials will require extensive testing, making the entire process time-consuming and error-prone.

IoNT – beginning of new phase

Whatever innovation and changes IoNT has brought so far are just the tip of an iceberg. Who knows what new opportunities and possibilities this technology will open in the future?

IoNT technology, if used well, can contribute to significant improvements in key areas such as healthcare, manufacturing, and transport. Implementing the IoNT at a large scale for sure marks a symbol of progress for all different industries out there.

To read more about IoNT and similar technologies, visit our whitepapers here.

With advancements in IoT, the number of smart devices in homes and industries, too, is increasing. This has paved the way for the need to connect more devices to Wi-Fi across a larger area, ultimately giving birth to a new Wi-Fi technology called Wi-Fi HaLow, which claims to provide a range of up to 1km. HaLow’s data rate is scalable to 80 Mbps at 1m and 150 kbps at 1km.

All about Wi-Fi HaLow and its features

The wireless networking standard IEEE 802.11ah, also called Wi-Fi HaLow, is a new wireless standard explicitly meant to address the challenges of IoT devices. It is not just the next generation of Wi-Fi that can extend distances and increase the battery life of the Wi-Fi connected devices. This technology also represents an exciting future of wirelessly connected people and devices across the IoT. There are endless applications – from sensors, actuators, and security cameras to home automation, appliances, and thermostats – all of this contributes to improving user experience and productivity while reducing installation and operational costs.

Wi-Fi Alliance, the global organization that certifies Wi-Fi-focused companies, has granted certification to the newly-found Wi-Fi technology.

Wi-Fi HaLow works well with the existing Wi-Fi protocols and can easily connect with the current smart devices. It is said that this technology significantly improves the current Wi-Fi setup as no new infrastructure is needed.

Following are some of the other features that prove beneficial for IoT deployment –

• It can easily penetrate through walls and obstacles and operate on wearable devices.
• Equipped with various deep sleep power-saving modes, it is a low power consuming model.
• Operates on low-complexity radios, leading to low cost.
• Tremendous decrease in silicon complexity

Aspects of Wi-Fi HaLow

Wi-Fi HaLow technology consumes less power than the existing Wi-Fi networks. Regarding bandwidth, the technology has been developed to work in the sub-1 GHz spectrum against the current 2.4GHz to 5GHz standard Wi-Fi connections.

Due to its low frequency, the Wi-Fi HaLow enables a longer wavelength, which allows it to transmit data over longer distances. But to achieve this, it compromises the data speeds, making it suitable for IoT products that require fewer data to operate.

Wi-Fi Halow applications

Initially, Wi-Fi HaLow is expected to be used in indoor and outdoor applications that are out of reach for standard Wi-Fi, as with battery-operated surveillance systems, wireless cameras, and doorbells where Wi-Fi cannot reach.

It can also be used for large venues where a single HaLow access point can replace multiple access points, preventing inefficient, complex mesh architectures, simplifying installation and reducing the total ownership cost.

This technology will be much in demand by industrial automation, building automation, process control sensors, warehouses, and retail stores. Wi-Fi HaLow  will allow everything to remain connected in an increasingly automated world. Versatility makes Wi-Fi Halow a unique technology.

Wi-Fi HaLow can broadly be used in the following cases –

• Smart homes
• Access control
• Industrial process control
• Logistics and asset management
• Retail labels, signs and scanners
• Building automation
• Mobile devices
• Smart cities
• Agriculture and environmental sensors
• Surveillance systems

Wi-Fi HaLow products will provide new alternatives for unlicensed bands that support Internet Protocol (IP) networking and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) modulation, both of which are well-known in the PC ecosystem. There is also a growing support for the long-term prediction that Wi-Fi HaLow would extend the range of connectivity for mobile devices and PCs as part of the advent of a fourth band.

Wi-Fi HaLow marks advancements in future IoT devices

WI-Fi HaLow is considered an open standard within the Wi-Fi portfolio, which means it does not require proprietary gateways, hubs, or controllers. Wi-Fi HaLow networks will never interfere with the RF performance of other Wi-Fi networks, including Wi-Fi 4, 5, and 6.

Wi-Fi HaLow network is described as having a star-oriented architecture that overcomes many challenges associated with mesh networks, including data bottlenecks and latencies while delivering data over long distances.

Wi-Fi Alliance stated that Wi-Fi HaLow would be most helpful in “hard-to-reach places” like basements, garages, factories, attics, warehouses, and other spacious outdoor areas.

Adopting Wi-Fi HaLow will make different industries re-discover Wi-Fi itself, giving it a completely new look.

To read more about Wi-Fi HaLow and similar technologies, visit our whitepapers here.

The emergence of 5G

5G wireless is an umbrella term used to describe a set of standards and technologies for a faster wireless internet technology that is ideally 20 times faster and has 120 times less latency than 4G, thus opening the doors for IoT networking advances and support for new high-bandwidth applications.

5G enables faster, more secure, and more stable connectivity. It can power advancements in everything from self-driving cars to smart grids for renewable energy to AI-enabled robots. Let’s see how this technology has evolved:

• The first generation (1G) was about voice calls, shifting from wired to cordless or wireless phones.
• The second generation (2G) was about voice and texting. It enabled machine-to-machine communication for simple solutions such as remote monitoring and control, telematics, and more.
• The third generation (3G) was all about voice, text, and data. The technology started expanding its area, and inventions sped up.
• The fourth generation (4G) involved everything as in 3G voice, text, data with greater speed. It brought with it innovation, higher bandwidth, stronger security, greater capacity, and continuous connectivity.
• The fifth generation (5G) will be faster than all in all aspects – voice, text, data, and speed. It is fast enough to download a full-length HD movie in seconds.

Emergence of IoT

Imagine a world where smart homes can be unlocked using face recognition; lights turn off automatically one to 60 minutes after someone leaves the room, bills can be paid at the store without waiting in the queue, etc. All these actions are performed efficiently with the help of the Internet of Things (IoT). As we all know, the IoT is spreading rapidly and is backed by 5G cellular technology.  Together, the 5G and IoT ecosystem will introduce an era of smart manufacturing as one will be able to optimize customizable products and manufacturing procedures.

Research on 5G and IoT found the following –

• 5G and IoT-equipped machines will mark a global opportunity by 2024 worth 1.2 billion.
• 5G will be essential for building private wireless networks to support dependable IoT applications.
• Application revenue for edge computing in 5G is expected to increase by 40% of the total infrastructure spending by 2024.
• Implementing 5G will surely benefit IoT solutions because of its ability to handle low-power WAN IoT network capacities.
• IoT’s scope will increase when it comes to its impact on the daily lives of the customers and enterprise systems.
• 5G will optimize IoT networks through the use of radio frequency management to fulfil the demand of narrowband IoT applications and those required for higher bandwidth.
• It is expected that the biggest vertical for MEC (Multi-access Edge Computing) will be manufactured by 2024. It will be powered by private LTE (Long-Term Evolution) and 5G networks for the industrial segment.

Defining  5G IoT

5G is all about a new communication system, which includes a New Radio (5G NR) framework and an entirely new core network with a vision to improve wireless connections worldwide. It also includes the concept of multiple access for connectivity technologies, including satellites, fixed-line, Wi-Fi, and cellular network.

With the invention of IoT-enabled devices, 5G connects more devices at higher speeds. Thus, 5G creates an effective and smooth user experience no matter what application, devices, or services are used.

Massive cellular IoT solutions are defined as a low-cost, low-power solution. They flourish in deep and broad coverage environments, both indoors and outdoors. They provide secure connectivity and authentication that are simple to implement in any network topology, and are built for full-scope scalability and capacity expansions.

The power of 5G adaptability makes businesses, city developers, and other industrial organizations connect more devices with better capability.

Together 5G and IoT will build the future

Connectivity is at the heart of industry transformation, where 5G has a key role to play. It not only contributes to the evolution of communication but businesses and society, too. While walking on the path of 5G, operators need to be more active than just evolving network technology; they need to transform businesses to handle new opportunities.

With the integration of 5G and IoT networks, manufacturers can easily operate with flexibility and move forward in a dynamic ecosystem of suppliers and consumers. It depends on how individuals will benefit from industrial revolution 4.0, which has reached greater heights due to 5G and IoT collaboration.

6G on its way

As it is said, technology keeps evolving. While 5G is just about here, talks about the next step in the world of mobile connectivity, 6G is already on.

Research projects have already begun, and many believe that 5G may not meet the latency and reliability targets it is shooting for. These skeptics are already looking ahead to 6G, which they say will try to address these projected shortcomings.

The Center for Converged TeraHertz Communications and Sensing (ComSenTer) is already working to perform calls that will work with 100Gbps speed for each device.

Apart from adding reliability, overcoming reliability and boosting speed, 6G will also try to enable thousands of simultaneous connections. If successful, this feature could also help network IoT devices that can be installed multiple sensors and in different industrial settings.

Even in an early stage, 6G is already facing security issues in some areas due to the emergence of newly discovered potential for man-in-the-middle attacks found in the tera-hertz based networks. The bright side is that there is plenty of time to find solutions to these problems. Looking at the current scenario, it seems 6G networks will start functioning only after 2030.

For more such technology-related content on 5G and IoT, visit our whitepapers here.

The IoT involves the setting up of a distributed network made of multiple physical systems consisting of embedded software, sensors, and connectivity options to collect and share data with each other and with the central platform through the internet.

According to a report by Juniper, the number of IoT devices in 2021 was about 46 billion, which are assumed to cross 75 billion devices by 2025. Of all, manufacturing, corporates or businesses, and healthcare are the top industries that use IoT technology.

The emergence of IoT platform

An IoT platform acts as a middleman between the world of physical objects and the world of actionable insights. It combines multiple tools and functionalities that enable users to develop unique hardware and software products to collect, store, analyze, and manage the huge amount of data generated from connected devices.

IoT development tools and platforms are considered to be the most important element of the IoT ecosystem. Every IoT gadget allows connection to other IoT gadgets and apps that provides data utilizing standard IPs.

IoT platforms help bridge the gap between data networks and device sensors. They connect the sensor system with the data and provide back-end apps information to make sense of adequate data created by several sensors.

There are plenty of IoT app development tools and platforms available in the market that can fulfil the increasing demand for IoT.

Now that we know what an IoT platform is, let’s discuss the types of IoT platforms in detail.

Forms of IoT platforms

Several types of IoT platforms can be used to design an IoT product –

• Hardware development platforms 

This type of platform provides physical development boards to create IoT devices, including microcontrollers, Systems on Chip (SoC), microprocessors, Systems on Module (SoM).

• App development platforms

Such a platform serves as an integrated development environment (IDE) with tools and features for coding applications.

• Connectivity platforms 

This platform enables communication technologies to connect physical objects with the data center (on-premise or cloud) and circulate information between them. MQTT, AMQP, DDS, ZigBee, WiFi, Bluetooth, Cellular, and LoRaWAN are well-known connectivity protocols and standards for the internet of things.

• Analytics platforms 

This platform uses intelligent algorithms to analyze collected information and transform it into actionable insights for customers.

• End-to-end IoT platforms 

This platform covers all aspects of IoT products, from development and connectivity to data management and visualization.

Top 5 IoT platforms

The IoT technology will evolve with time, making businesses look for the best IoT product solutions. IoT development tools keep track of IoT applications spread across various networks and require a medium to manage various upgrades to check how app alterations impact hardware responses.

Following are some of the best IoT development platforms that can help businesses manage their IoT functions smoothly –

1. Google Cloud IoT platform

This is one of the world’s best leading IoT platforms. Google built this platform for the IoT development tolls based on its end-to-end Google Cloud Platform. In collaboration with the cloud, Google offers various services such as advanced data analytics, business process optimization, and a completely managed infrastructure.

2.Cisco IoT Cloud connect

Cisco IoT Cloud connect was formed especially as an offering for mobile operators. Cisco provides reliable IoT hardware, gateways, routers, and other devices. Powerful industrial solutions, edge computing, high-level security, centralized connectivity, and data management are the main features of Cisco IoT Cloud Connect.

3. Salesforce IoT cloud

Salesforce IoT cloud platform specializes in dealing with customer relationship management and can very well address these segments with the help of IoT solutions.

The platform collects all the necessary information on a continuous basis through connected devices while delivering personalized experiences and forming stronger customer relations. It works parallel with Salesforce CRM (Customer Relationship Management), where information from connected assets is delivered directly to the CRM system to harness context-based actions immediately.

For example, if sensors find any fault in the factory, it gets reported directly in the CRM dashboard while manufacturing any product. In this case, the system can manage to manipulate parameters accordingly or create a service ticket.

4. IRI Voracity

IRI Voracity is an all-in-one data management platform that allows monitoring of data at every stage of business processes. The working of IRI voracity is based upon two engines, IRI CoSort and Hadoop, to process Big Data. It enables users to govern, discover, integrate, transform, analyze and migrate data from different sources in formats such as Unix, Linux or ISAM, MongoDB, Windows file systems, LDIF, HIVE, PostgreSQL, JSON, S3, MQTT, Kafka, and more.

5. Particle

Particle offers an edge-to-cloud IoT platform for global connectivity and device management, as well as hardware solutions, including production modules, hardware solutions, and asset tracking teams. The remarkable point about the Particle platform is it can easily integrate with third-party services providing professionals end-to-end services and developing products from concept to production.

Choosing the right platform

It’s difficult to suggest as no single platform is best suitable for any digital project. The choice will depend on the requirements of a business.

Many organizations are likely to shift to tech giants such as Amazon or Microsoft as their choice for cloud services. They are not just the popular service providers but also the most expensive ones. On the other hand, small companies are looking for more cost-efficient options that can easily fit their requirements.

While opting for a provider, one should consider the technical capabilities of a platform, industry-specific features, its partner ecosystem, and the provider’s reputation. These features should abide by the company’s strategy and budget too.

To read more on the Internet of Things and similar technologies, please visit our whitepapers here.