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Smart devices that can speak to each other and help you do better business? It’s happening – and more is on the way
Small businesses may be getting a grasp on how mobile technology, big data and the cloud are making their work more effective and efficient. But the next step is already here – the ‘Internet of Everything’ (IoE).
Sometimes referred to as the ‘Internet of Things’, IoE refers to the interconnection of a whole range of physical objects through electronics, software and sensors, and with the people who interact with them.
Stephen Wilson, an independent security and privacy consultant and managing director of Lockstep Consulting, says that a lot of the buzz around IoE is not necessarily useful to understand how it will begin to change the way we work.
“The stuff that gets the most press, like changing your thermostat from your mobile phone, are frankly a little bit gimmicky,” says Wilson. “The real business value in these type of things is a lot more modest than the headlines often suggest.”
Some small businesses are already beginning to leverage IoE technology to help become more efficient, he says.
“The useful thing to consider is that smart devices will be making autonomous decisions about their context and circumstances, and becoming intelligent agents for their users,” he explains.
Mackenzie Health, a regional hospital in Ontario, is using an IoE platform developed by BlackBerry with the aim of creating a ‘smart hospital’. A network of sensors, smart beds and phones is being developed which allows hospital staff to anticipate and respond to patient needs in real time.
The IoE is also starting to become more prevalent in the automotive industry. Drivers can create individual profiles and change in-car temperatures, seat position and steering wheel tilt from mobile devices. Cars can also record critical performance data which can help determine when they need maintenance or servicing. In the field of asset tracking, packages can be followed every step of the way from delivery to the door and followed in real time.
“I think that were going to be surprised by the possibilities of IoE,” Wilson says. “The real value for businesses is mobility and connectivity.
“If we understand the cloud is sitting in the background and all these connections are mediated by the cloud, your way in is through mobile technology.”
He points to Google Maps as an example of how data from IoE technology is gathered to create a traffic analysis portrait with information sourced from customers’ phones.
“We should be seeing more and more applications like that available for businesses and business owners,” he says.
This data will be able to provide valuable insights into customers. But Wilson warns that businesses need to be wary of the privacy and security implications.
“There’s already so much big data sourced from computers, but the data we’re going to get from phones, cars and fitness trackers – we haven’t seen anything yet!”
When it comes to thinking about human safety – data security is paramount. Just think about data used in vehicles and electronic car systems and data transmitted by healthcare monitors. The spotlight has been shining on Fiat Chrysler recently, after hackers simulated taking remote control of the car’s engine, brakes, and entertainment system in a Jeep Cherokee which has since resulted in the company recalling nearly 8,000 SUVs to date. At a recent BlackBerry security event in New York, security experts showed how to hack into a medical device that controls what kind of drugs are given to patients – showing how it could harm or kill a patient. As cars and medical devices become smarter and more connected, they also potentially become a “soft underbelly” for attackers if they are not secured from the ground up.
Security and also privacy are key as businesses start to work with connected machines. Businesses also need to remember that if they’re collecting information through smart devices that privacy obligations still apply.
“Data flow is complicated enough on the internet,” says Wilson. “But when things are reporting by themselves and everything has an IP address, business that are sucking in this data often don’t know what they’re getting.
“Companies need to make sure they know what data they’re receiving and why they’re receiving it. They need to think about if they are ‘over collecting’, and have a really good reason to collect it.”
Wilson advices caution, not only because of privacy concerns to individuals, but because of the security risk to the companies collecting it.
“Everyone gets breached these days and before you do you want to make sure you know what you have in your database and make sure it’s necessary,” he says.
“There’s nothing worse than having a major database breach and finding out you had a whole lot of data you didn’t even know was there.
“It’s really straight forward to a do privacy obligation assessment for your business and, for all sorts of reasons, you need to be on top of data flow and understand what it is.”
Find out more from BlackBerry about the internet of everything.
Written by: Jacob Robinson
BlackBerry is for serious business people and the most demanding businesses – large and small – that want superior productivity, ultimate security and effective communications. BlackBerry cross-platform mobility solutions are completely redefining workplace productivity and pushing the boundaries to deliver truly connected and secured business environments today.
