The IoT of Things

The IoT of Things

INF 220 IS Principles

THE IOT OF THINGS

Since the very beginning mankind have been working to improve their lives and make them easier. Over the last few decades, we have had innovations such as internet technology that have allowed for much improvement in our lives, making many tasks much easier and less time consuming. The IoT of things is a concept that our devices can be connected simply with the switching on of the internet to each other. For instance, our cellphones can connect to our headphones to listen to music, our refrigerators can take our shopping list and send it to our phones, and we can provide special instructions to our washing machines based from the garments we are washing. In fact, there was something I read on forbes.com that rang very true, “Anything that can be connected, will be connected” (Morgan, 2014). The concept of IoT has really come to life as a direct result of the creation of internet technology and we have seen many companies in different markets thrive due to the innovations it has provided them. Areas such as Manufacturing, Medical and Health Care Systems, and Transportation have all benefited through the years due to this. One area in specific I would like to discuss is Building and Home Automation. With this paper I intend to discuss the innovations that this industry has seen due to the IoT of things, as well as an innovation between smart cars and smart home systems that I believe would benefit both, the consumer and business’s a like. I will also identify the pros and cons that products like these will have. Ultimately showing that the need for this product outweighs any cons that it may have.

Building and Home Automations make our lives much easier, for instance, it’s 7am and your alarm clock goes off, your coffee starts brewing downstairs, you turn on shower and yell “Alexa, turn on my Spotify playlist.” Or “Alexa what is the weather going to be today?” What we do not realize is that innovations like Alexa Home, make the simplest tasks, such as picking up our phone and turning on music or even looking at the weather forecast so we know how to dress for the day, even more simple. It saves us time and energy, and some advancements save us money. From turning of lights in a company when everyone has left for the day, to turning on our air conditioner in our house when we get into our vehicle to go home, the innovations in this area are limitless.

One product that I believe will change the future is the innovations between smart cars and smart homes. Many of our homes today have security systems installed and many of us spend countless hours in the car, either driving to activities or back and forth to work. Our time is precious. With the advancements in this area due to the IoT of things, we can further improve the current innovations in this field. Primarily both the automotive market and the home security markets run independently from each other. However, by connecting them you can potentially increase your customer base. Thus, increasing the benefit of business-to-business electronic commerce in both markets. If you buy a vehicle that has this type of system, you usually must pay a monthly fee to have the security system enabled and monitored. Therefor by buying one, you must buy the other.

Imagine getting into your car and getting an alert that says someone is at your door. You look at your phone application for your home security system and realize it’s your daughter. Her keys to the front door were left on the kitchen counter and she can’t get into the house. You are about 30 minutes from home, but it’s raining heavily outside and you do not want her to be stuck outside in the rain. What do you do? Luckily you have a smart home package that allows you to connect your car to your home and through a button on your steering wheel that allows a voice command you are able to tell security system to disarm the alarm and unluck the front door, your daughter is now safely in the house and you command the door to relock alarm back on, problem solved.

The connections between your smart car and your smart home can be endless and allow you to save money energy in many areas. For instance, smart controls set from your car to your house can set the temperature in your house to your comfort allowing you to save money on your heating/cooling bill. If your kids forget to turn off the lights in their bedroom you can do this with the click of a button and a spoken command. This automation can benefit small business owners as well. Since every dollar spent effects the bottom line, having innovations in technology that allow for you to manage your security, electricity, and other areas of your business at your fingertips can minimize waste and ultimately help to increase profit.

Having security systems both in a business and a home also lower your insurance premiums. Also helping to cut costs where possible. According to Professional Preventative Security, only 17 percent of the American population has security systems and the other 83 percent of those homes are 300 percent more likely to be burglarized than 17 percent that with security systems It is said that your security system works like a vaccine for your home/business and property. It can’t prevent all instances of intrusion, but it can decrease your risks, and in the case of a successful break-in, help reduce the cumulative value of your losses. Because of this, insurance companies will give you a significant discount on your insurance premiums. In their eye, by limiting your risks, you thereby reduce the likelihood of your insurance provider having to pay a claim because of burglary.

So, what are the pro’s and con’s of this system. Well your pros are that it helps to simplify your life in many areas, it also helps to cut costs in energy and wasted time. You can decrease your insurance premiums and have an added sense of security that you have the options to be able to do such things as turn on and off your lights or unlock the door for your daughter when she forgets her keys. The pros are plentiful, however with pro’s there are always con’s. Though there might not be many, except that the technology or software may have to be updated at some point in your vehicle if you are one of those who keeps their cars for many years. If you are like me, and trade in your car every two three years this is not a worry. The other negative aspect of this is that with the system you would likely have to pay a membership fee to keep your security company monitoring your home. This fee is usually very minimal monthly, and this usually is much cheaper than the increase in your insurance if you do not have a security system. According to the Insurance Information Institute, your insurance premiums could drop anywhere from 15 to 20 percent by having a comprehensive security system.

In conclusion, Home Automation can be a benefit to us all in regards to how we simplify our days, it is more of a convenience if anything, however when you add in the communication with your home security and your smart car you up the ante By connecting your smart home and your smart car to your security system you increase the security of your home, decrease the costs of your insurance premiums and your chances for loss. You also add in a sense of sound mind by knowing that you are able to do certain things like unlock the doors for a loved one. All though you have the benefits of cheaper insurance premiums there is always the con of having to pay a monthly membership to the security company that is providing you the service. However, the benefits greatly outweigh the costs therefor it is reasonable to say, that having a smart car/ smart home automation system is would benefit both the consumer and businesses alike.

Resources

How to save money on your homeowners insurance. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2019, from https://www.iii.org/article/how-to-save-money-on-your-homeowners-insurance

10 Reasons Your Business Needs a Video Surveillance System. (2017, April 13). Retrieved October 09, 2017, from https://pro-vigil.com/2017/01/26/10-reasons-business-needs-video-surveillance-system/

Morgan, J. (2017, April 20). A Simple Explanation Of ‘The Internet Of Things’. Retrieved April 22, 2019, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2014/05/13/simple-explanation-internet-things-that-anyone-can-understand/#25dc15351d09