INTERNET OF THINGS: POSSIBILITIES & THREATS
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a system which connects all the devices to the internet and then to each other to facilitate the flow of information which would lead to automation of activities or minimising human involvement.
VIEW (POSSIBILITIES)
- By Maria Manjooran
The possibilities of IoT could be classified in the following ways;
Personal Automation: Home automation becomes a reality when all the devices at home are connected to the internet and works as and when it is required. This eases the busy life of the man today in terms of time, money and effort. The day to day activities could be carried out more efficiently, according to the schedules. This also helps man to perform multiple activities at a time.
Industrial Automation: IoT will pave way for a new industrial revolution. When the machines are connected to each other, they can fulfill the needs without or with minimal human intervention. This eliminated the cost of labour to a great extent. The manufacturer himself can control the production in the absence of workforce and take informed decisions regarding the inventory. This is very effective in the case of the dynamic business situations. Services could be offered more conveniently and quickly when connected to this system.
Smart Cities: Since the urban population is rapidly increasing and becoming unmanageable, the possibilities of IoT can be applied to make the cities ‘Smart-Cities’. All the problems faced by urban dwellers, from pollution to waste management, can be solved based on the alerts and information provided by the devices which are connected to the internet. This can also ensure the equitable distribution of resources like water. Monitoring traffic and parking can help in saving a lot of time and money and also reduces the CO2 emissions.
COUNTERVIEW
- By Techi Meshi
One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do
the work of one extraordinary man. ~Elbert Hubbard
Kevin Ashton cofounder and executive director of the Auto-ID Center at MIT, was the first to mention the Internet of Things in a presentation he made to Procter & Gamble in 1999. Though this word was first used in 1999, the IOT has been in development since the birth of technology, specifically the birth of “The Internet”.
Ever since the start of the technological revolution, there has been this quiet yet very profound race to achieve this so-called future of ‘Artificial Intelligence’! We are all so focused on advancing and uniting the world through technology that we many times fail to see the downsides to things. Yes, technology and internet have made things a lot easier for us. Knowledge is now literally at our fingertips! But have they made us any better? Are we humans, as a race, truly moving towards a future where we will be better than our current self. Will we have better physical and mental capability than what we do now?
This debate is as old as internet itself! Pro-technologists will argue that the good outweighs the bad however, I believe that this concept of ‘The internet of things’ will only make matters worse! There is already speculation among scientists about the negative impacts of technology on the developing brains of adolescence. Shorter attention
spans, lack of skills needed of critical thinking, some even believe that we as a generation have become “cognitive offloaders”. And I only bring up these issues because IOT will only make matters worse!
The common drawbacks that IOT brings forward are privacy issues, data sovereignty and most underrated but crucial point, the loss of human jobs. But I think there is something else, more sinister and conniving, that we need to be worried about and that is
“Technology-dependence”
Many may believe that our life is becoming better as we become more and more “Technology-savvy” but I disagree. I think rather than being savvy we are becoming more “technology-Dependent”. Those are two very different words meaning two very different things but it is the truth!
Try and recall the last time you memorised a phone number? Can’t? Do not worry! You are not alone. It is the same for most of the people around you. Our brains are being wired differently now. It is being forced to adapt to the onslaught of information that technology brings to us daily.
Remember when the quote “practice makes perfect” used to apply to the brain? We now have no need to memorise and remember things since the internet is a click away and can provide us with all the knowledge we could ever need. The concept of IOT may make our lives a lot easier but it will not make us as human beings any better! Are we really going to forsake our own capabilities to rely on machines to do the thinking for us? Are we really prepared to accept a future where we willingly let machines dictate our every move?
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