A recent report by Vodafone Business found that COVID-19 has ignited a surge in Internet of Things (IoT) adoption, with 79 percent of U.S. businesses saying they’ve launched new IoT projects as a result of the ongoing health crisis. However, as IoT continues to digitally transform enterprises and their operations, business leaders must understand how their workers interact with IoT and equip their workforces with the training needed to deploy this disruptive technology effectively.

Unfortunately, despite the unique skill sets and processes that IoT demands, worker training is a consistently overlooked element of IoT. This is especially true for industrial IoT (IIoT) sensors and other devices used across the utilities and manufacturing sectors. Numerous industrial organizations are realizing the value of IIoT, but many of these businesses tend to over-rely on automation and fail to support their workers on the front lines whose jobs are immensely impacted by IIoT adoption, and the vast troves of data it creates.

As IIoT emerges as a go-to vehicle for driving operational visibility, efficiency and bottom-line savings, IIoT frontrunners are increasingly extending IoT data to the edges of the enterprise, where workers in the field interact with the physical equipment and the world around them. This means more and more industrial workers are using mobile apps, wearable technology and augmented reality solutions to carry out day-to-day tasks.

For oil and gas companies, for example, IIoT increases the real-time data monitoring of rigs and optimizes productivity, but this data still needs to be communicated to workers on rig sites to allow them to update processes accordingly. Similarly, across manufacturing, sensors on production lines can create efficiencies, yet there are often still field workers doing the heavy lifting, and the data created on these lines will prove critical to how they do their jobs. Therefore, if these essential workers are not properly trained on new IoT-related tasks, the skills gap across the industrial sector will widen dramatically and these organizations will likely face costly repercussions.

While most organizations have training programs in place that cover basic processes of each role, traditional training methods simply do not apply when providing digital training. More often than not, the training and ongoing support required to build a well-equipped, engaged industrial workforce is not in place. 

It’s important to train workers in the environment in which they will be working. For IoT tools used on the job, these digital trainings should be hands-on, self-guided simulations that occur within the IoT applications themselves. However, to carry out a strategic, full-scale IIoT transformation, organizations cannot view training as a “one and done” event.

Rather, it’s important to implement a digital training solution that delivers ongoing employee education and real-time support that proactively reinforces learning. In addition, as IIoT rapidly evolves, these ongoing trainings will allow industrial organizations and their workforces to adapt accordingly and accommodate new trends, cultural expectations, best practices and security and compliance procedures.

IIoT is now a vital component of digital transformation in industry, especially as these organizations continue to grapple with the unique circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. IoT technology holds great promise, but at the end of the day it’s the humans who are ultimately interacting with IoT systems and leveraging the actionable insights that they provide who business leaders cannot afford to lose sight of in their technology deployments.

Before overhauling traditional infrastructure in favor of IIoT technologies, organizations must ask themselves how they will upskill their workforce and empower them to retain these newly learned skills. Those that best prepare their employees with the initial and ongoing education needed to take on this new industrial revolution will be best prepared to surpass competitors and break into new markets. 

The post Investing in the Human Element of IIoT appeared first on Artificial Intelligence.

The possibilities opened up to us by the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) is a beautiful thing. However, not enough attention is being paid to the software that goes into the things of IoT. This can be a daunting challenge, since, unlike centralized IT infrastructure, there are, by one estimate, at least 30 billion IoT devices now in the world, and every second, 127 new IoT devices are connected to the internet.

Many of these devices aren’t dumb. They are increasingly growing sophisticated and intelligent in their own right, housing significant amounts of local code. The catch is that means a lot of software that needs tending. Gartner estimates that right now, 10 percent of enterprise-generated data is created and processed at the edge, and within five years, that figure will reach 75 percent.

For sensors inside a refrigerator or washing machine, software issues mean inconvenience. Inside automobiles or vehicles, it means trouble. For software running medical devices, it could mean life or death.

“Code rot” is one source of potential trouble for these devices. There’s nothing new about code rot, it’s a scourge that has been with us for some time. It happens when the environment surrounding software changes, when software degrades, or as technical debt accumulates as software is loaded down with enhancements or updates.

It can bog down even the most well-designed enterprise systems. However, as increasingly sophisticated code gets deployed at the edges, more attention needs to be paid to IoT devices and highly distributed systems, especially those with critical functions. Jeremy Vaughan, founder of CEO of TauruSeer, recently sounded the alarm on the code running medical edge environments.

Vaughan was spurred into action when the continuous glucose monitor (CGM) function on a mobile app used by his daughter, who has had Type-1 Diabetes her entire life, failed. “Features were disappearing, critical alerts weren’t working, and notifications just stopped,” he stated. As a result, his nine-year-old daughter, who relied on the CGM alerts, had to rely on their own instincts.

The apps, which Vaughan had downloaded in 2016, were “completely useless” by the end of 2018. “The Vaughans felt alone, but suspected they weren’t. They took to the reviews on Google Play and Apple App store and discovered hundreds of patients and caregivers complaining about similar issues.”

Code rot isn’t the only issue lurking in medical device software. A recent study out of Stanford University finds the training data used for the AI algorithms in medical devices are only based on a small sample of patients. Most algorithms, 71 percent, are trained on datasets from patients in only three geographic areas — California, Massachusetts and New York — “and that the majority of states have no represented patients whatsoever.” While the Stanford research didn’t expose bad outcomes from AI trained on the geographies, but raised questions about the validity of the algorithms for patients in other areas.

“We need to understand the impact of these biases and whether considerable investments should be made to remove them,” says Russ Altman, associate director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. “Geography correlates to a zillion things relative to health. “It correlates to lifestyle and what you eat and the diet you are exposed to; it can correlate to weather exposure and other exposures depending on if you live in an area with fracking or high EPA levels of toxic chemicals – all of that is correlated with geography.”

The Stanford study urges the employment of larger and more diverse datasets for the development of AI algorithms that go into devices. However, the researchers caution, obtaining large datasets is an expensive process. “The public also should be skeptical when medical AI systems are developed from narrow training datasets. And regulators must scrutinize the training methods for these new machine learning systems,” they urge.

In terms of the viability of the software itself, Vaughan cites technical debt accumulated with within medical device and app software that can severely reduce their accuracy and efficacy. “After two years, we blindly trusted that the [glucose monitoring] app had been rebuilt,” he relates. “Unfortunately, the only improvements were quick fixes and patchwork. Technical debt wasn’t addressed. We validated errors on all devices and still found reviews sharing similar stories.” He urges transparency on the components within these devices and apps, including following US Food and Drug Administration guidelines that call for a “Cybersecurity Bill of Materials (CBOM)” that lists out “commercial, open source, and off-the-shelf software and hardware components that are or could become susceptible to vulnerabilities.”

More and more computing and software development is moving to the edge. The challenge is applying the principles of agile development, software lifecycle management and quality control learned over the years in the data center to the edges, and applying automation on a vaster scale to keep billions of devices current.

The post When ‘code rot’ becomes a matter of life or death, especially in the Internet of Things appeared first on Artificial Intelligence.

In September, the House of Representatives passed a bill requiring that all internet of things (IoT) devices purchased by the government meet minimum security requirements.

Of course, with everything being connected to everything, there needs to be a step function improvement in the security of the networks being used to share information. I have seen reports that indicate as much as 98% of traffic from IoT devices are unencrypted today, and clearly that number has to become near zero. Security is not free. It is relatively bulky from a silicon area perspective and burns energy. But it is a prerequisite for the services on which we want to be relying on in the coming years.

H.R. 1668 has the potential to improve the security of the IoT for two high-level reasons. Any activity that places cybersecurity front and center of IoT conversations is a good thing. This bill could and should create demand for higher quality devices, which incentivizes the supply chain to build platforms. This is different from other (market “push”) security initiatives and standards such as Arm’s Platform Security Architecture, in which it is a technology company proposing something. Here it is an end customer stipulating requirement that creates market “pull.”

The bill also outlines key themes that should be addressed rather than getting caught up in specific technologies.

That said, I think some elements of this show where the U.S. government may have some challenges. There are three elements we feel could do with improvement here:

No device can be regarded as 100% secure. Software has to provide earlier recognition that a device has been compromised. We have seen that in the enterprise arena; hacks can remain hidden for months, such as in the Citrix case in which hackers laid dormant for five months. The bill’s section 4, subsection 2, should be a separate section that discusses this set of system capabilities. Maybe it is contemplated and articulated under “patching” or “secure development,” but it is important enough to be called out separately.

The publishing guidelines in another section (Section 4, C I) are set for five years. This is simply too slow. This industry is far more dynamic and will need a cadence far quicker than this.

I believe in applying different (tiered) levels of security based on the device’s use case and the value of the data that could be exposed. The concern here is that there will be some applications that need absolute bulletproof security. There will be other things (simple sensors) for which less security is required—doing a one-size-fits-all approach risks making systems too costly, too power-hungry etc.

Now, given that a lot of consumer devices aren’t things that would be purchased by the U.S. government, one could argue whether this will really help with the security of those devices in any way? Granted, volume is relatively low in the U.S. government, so I’m hopeful that companies that are driven to meet these requirements will also sell those products into other applications. That’s why it is important for tiered levels of security, as this might better help hit price and power points for broader adoption.

This is only the first step in a long list that the U.S. government can look to for improving security. It should consider its role with “carrot” and “stick” initiatives, such as the U.S. taking an active role and driving down power usage for certain devices (screens, laptops and TVs) through the delivery of financial incentives for people that purchased energy-efficient devices. That is the “carrot” initiative; something similar for purchasing secure IoT devices might help.

The “stick” represents how the compliance of the bill is policed. The European government has agreed that IoT security is important and they are empowering governments to track and potentially issue punitive fines if devices are found to be “below the line” in terms of security. The U.S. government can do something similar. I believe tier 1 cloud infrastructure companies and service providers will be highly supportive; these are the companies that will likely appear on the front of a magazine if a specific company using their services is hacked, so it is prudent for them to raise the bar and to continue to raise it, as security is not a static thing.

The post The Good and Not So Good of the IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2020 appeared first on Artificial Intelligence.

The trucking industry, and the logistics that keep it running, have become fundamental to the success of supply chains, both nationally and internationally. Without those supply chains running smoothly, allowing for just-in-time orders and millions of successful daily deliveries, industries of all types would grind to a halt. The Brexit situation, with Great Britain withdrawing from the European Union, is a perfect example of the kind of chaos a broken supply chain can create.

Issues such as Brexit may have highlighted how important the trucking industry is, yet geo-political issues such as this are far from the only challenges currently facing freight and haulage, with market demands shifting quickly, and shipments growing accordingly. These issues have put trucking front and center in the eyes of those seeking industry disruption, and seismic changes to the way trucking works. As with so many transformations to the industrial landscape underway, it’s the Internet of Things (IoT), AI, and robotics leading the way and providing truly remarkable solutions to ever-growing problems.

A New Renaissance for the Trucking Industry?

Artificial intelligence, advanced robotics, and the Internet of Things are proving indispensable to the advancement of the trucking industry in the 21st century. While automated cars have dominated headlines in recent years, most analysts – quite reasonably – believe that it will be freight trucks which will be the first fully-automated vehicles in regular use on the roads. Once an AI-driven long-haul industry is in place, it’s not difficult to imagine the rest of the automotive industry catching up.

Reactions to such projections are mixed. While up to 65% of transport executives hail automation and IoT-driven trucking as nothing short of a renaissance for the industry, there are legitimate concerns that overshadow the excitement. First, there is a real risk of job losses – a common fear whenever AI is mentioned. Furthermore, there are legitimate security concerns regarding the onboard cybernetworks of autonomous trucks being hacked by cybercriminals, something which has been mitigated by innovations in the realm of anonymity networks, which can be adapted to autonomous vehicles.

Let’s take a closer look at five ways on which IoT and AI technology is transforming the trucking industry and consider the benefits to the business of just-in-time trucking and logistics.

1. Self-Driving Trucks are Safer

Perhaps the most convincing of all the arguments in support of the (seemingly unstoppable) rise of automated vehicles, both trucks and private cars, is the fact autonomous vehicles and AI-driven trucks are safer for everyone. Long-distance routes that demand long hours of high-intensity focus and alertness are dangerous for both the truck driver and those they encounter on the road. Reliable and accurate AI systems help reduce the risk of accidents, while alleviating pressures on drivers.

The trucking industry is in the midst of a personnel shortage. It’s a hard job. Fewer people are attracted to it, while the demand for haulage continues to increase. More autonomous trucks wouldn’t merely increase staff safety, they’d also help resolve capacity issues. Currently, autonomous trucks still require human drivers in the cockpit. However, as the robot systems become more skilled on their routes, a future of completely driverless fleets of trucks is easily foreseeable.

2. Staying on Top of Your Fleet

The trucking industry’s key expenses are obvious ones, such as fuel, insurance, and drivers’ wages. By tracking the locations, driving habits, and speed of the trucks in a fleet, expenses can be more successfully and efficiently managed. A combination of Big Data, AI, and IoT devices makes this happen more easily and accurately than ever before and requires little more effort than each driver having an ELD (electronic logging device) as part of their smartphone setup.

3. Fewer Repairs, Better Bottom Lines

IoT technology already plays a key role when it comes to overseeing the performance of factory equipment in the manufacturing industry, highlighting when parts need replacing, and keeping an eye on the smooth running of key components. There’s no reason why the same IoT data and technology shouldn’t be applied to the trucking industry by utilizing sensors that detect issues before they arise or recognize when vehicles need servicing.

This is a particularly attractive notion for trucking business owners and investors. Most trucking companies run up mountainous annual repair bills, as high as $15,000 per vehicle, plus another $4,000 for tires. Many of the issues that arise could have been spotted earlier. Cast in this light, smart trucks would save an immense amount of money while creating safer, more efficient fleets at the same time.

This aspect of AI, called predictive maintenance, allows problems to be addressed before they become severe (and more expensive), generating both peace of mind and a better ROI in the process. It’s no wonder that almost 90% of trucking business owners firmly believe that IoT technology is fundamental to their future success.

4. Keeping Shipments in Good Condition

Sensitive cargo, such as plants and flowers or time-sensitive perishable goods, have long been a source of headaches for the entire industry. IoT technology can automatically adjust variables like temperature and humidity in order to ensure optimal conditions for such cargo. Furthermore, it can help drivers select the best routes, taking into account road conditions, construction zones, and accidents to a timely and well-preserved delivery, both of which are critical for consistently happy customers.

In the home package delivery industry (UPS and FedEx), we’ve already seen how the ability to track packages leads to increased customer satisfaction. AI and IoT advancements allow this same functionality to be applied to commercial trucking. This industry, as much as any, can use all the trust it can find in order to future proof it for decades to come.

5. Greater Efficiency in Loading and Unloading Cargo

Last-mile deliveries and just-in-time services are on the increase, which means that every second makes a difference in logistic success rates. Robots working alongside personnel in warehouses, or working independently and fully-automated, have already made significant improvements in efficiency and time-saving procedures.

Speedier loading and unloading times allow trucks to complete more orders in a day. We’re already seeing the latest robotics technologies implemented in warehouses run by companies such as FedEx, with impressive results. Automation in the warehouse is another way to mitigate issues caused by worker shortages, and another key investment area which could save the industry millions.

IoT in the Trucking Industry: Endless Potential

There’s no questioning the fact that robotics, IoT, and AI have and will continue to cause disruption in the trucking industry, helping business owners save time and money, while staying on top of a rapidly changing and often unpredictable sector. Data-driven and tech-centric developments have been the catalysts for the digital transformation currently underway within trucking. From all indications, it appears as though the industry will act as a bellwether for the future of automated vehicles and logistics in general.

While many of the technological advances predicted for the trucking industry remain in the earliest stages, it’s clear that the business of trucking has responded positively, and is quick to adopt the latest IoT developments. With the potential to become a bonafide high-tech sector, the trucking industry plans to keep breaking new technological ground.

The post Delivering the Revolution: How the Trucking Industry Utilizes the IoT and AI appeared first on Artificial Intelligence.

In recent years, the Internet of Things has been hailed as a game changer for businesses. The Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT) is helping businesses to evolve even further. In just a few decades, industrial robots have become commonplace in factory settings across the world, and they only continue to gain popularity for their productivity and profitability.

Robotics have created a revolution in manufacturing. The cooperation between robots and IoT technology have enhanced supply chain operations, reducing the challenges of rising e-commerce demands and warehouse worker shortages, and streamlining industry processes in a more efficient and cost-effective way.

Robotics have long been successful in several structured industrial applications, due to their high level of accuracy, precision, endurance and speed. And while robotics have largely become more affordable in recent years, during the early stages of implementation in the supply chain, there was a high cost factor, which meant robotics needed to be evaluated and integrated correctly to avoid jeopardizing their value.

In order to achieve the best possible return on investment (ROI), at the fastest rate, businesses must have a strategy to integrate any new robotics technology with all other IoT endpoints to ensure the entire supply chain is secure and operating seamlessly, to avoid system interruptions or loss of revenue, and gain valuable data insights.

The proliferating trend of automation sweeping across the globe has meant that from 2020 to 2022, almost two million new units of industrial robots are expected to be installed in factories around the world. In fact, Europe has the highest robot density globally, with an average value of 114 units per 10,000 employees in the manufacturing industry alone.

A supply chain revolution

Today, most tasks that are crucial to the supply chain, including the movement of products from within a warehouse or distribution center, rely heavily on robotic technology to achieve the maximum level of efficiency and accuracy needed to meet demands. An example of this would be Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), which are quickly becoming a staple in supply chain warehouses. Portable, automated and sensor driven machines, AGVs work to navigate the warehouse floor at a faster rate than any human worker, and they can work around the clock, seven days a week. By speeding up operations and removing the chance of human error, the integration of robotic technologies like AGVs is fast becoming the key to increased supply chain productivity

IoRT is a concept in which intelligent technology can monitor and manipulate the events happening around them by fusing their sensor data and making use of local conditions to decide on a particular course of action of how to behave or control objects in the physical world.

Manufacturing and transportation and logistics companies have been pioneers of today’s IoRT revolution, leading the way to connect and automate industry operations. Given the complex nature of the supply chain, the use of robotics helps to streamline operations by developing process-driven automated functions, simplifying processes and working at a tireless pace to meet ever-increasing demands. What’s more, they are not restricted by the weight capacity of humans, nor do they have a limit to their energy levels. With today’s trend of fast delivery services and an influx of increasing e-commerce traffic, robotics is a smart way for businesses to keep up with current consumer demands and expectations.

Using robotics to create a greater ROI

Supply chain businesses have been implementing and actively exploring IoRT transformation initiatives for some time, and research shows this uptake will only continue to grow in the future.

In the supply chain, the deployment of robotics focuses mainly on increasing productivity and lowering operational costs. However, to gain the highest value, supply chains must optimize their robotic systems as part of an all-encompassing supply chain strategy, not just in silos.

IoRT operations become most powerful when they are seamlessly connected to a centralized supply chain management system that connects the responsibilities of employees; aligning both managers and the IT departments to manage and optimize the use of all supply chain technologies and systems, including robotics. Never has this technology been more business critical. Having visibility across an entire supply chain, before a crisis or shut down hits, will provide greater confidence and knowledge on what to do next.

When properly integrated, all supply chain business teams have access to real-time visibility of all connected endpoints and a wealth of data insights from the entire supply chain, including the performance and accuracy of the IoRT. This helps to enhance the use of robotics alongside other technologies and to rapidly uncover any robotics technical issues or inefficiencies. It allows technical support staff to act at the earliest possible opportunity, and in turn minimize the impact of costly slowed productivity or complete outages. Real-time insights provided by an integrated mobility and IoT management platform can help reduce the overhead costs of tasks, such as maintenance and program updates, by identifying system problems before they happen.

Return on investment from the technology implemented within supply chains is key, particularly during the turbulence of today’s current financial climate. Using predictive maintenance for IoRT ensures the technology is working at its maximum capacity and best, as well as making it possible to make an evaluation on whether they are effective for the business. 

There is no doubt that the use of robotic automation in the supply chain can boost both productivity and revenue, and the importance of that is being felt across all industries and supply chains. But just implementing the software will not benefit the business in the long term. To guarantee the highest value from robotics investments, and to ensure they don’t get lost, businesses must effectively converge business-critical IoRT and other IoT endpoints into a holistic and secure supply chain management ecosystem.

The post How the Internet of Robotic Things is helping supply chains to evolve in times of uncertainty appeared first on Artificial Intelligence.

South Africa’s economy is easing back towards levels of activity last seen before the Covid-19 lockdown. Logistics fleets are returning to full capacity, and private travel is now similarly back to previous levels.

The reason we can confidently make this assertion is the vast amounts of data now available to us about movement on South African roads. As an operator in the vehicle recovery and fleet management space, we have access to this data.

This data now informs pivotal strategic decisions, it drives business planning, efficiency enhancements, and life-and-death safety initiatives. The source of this vast ocean of information is that popular current buzzword – the Internet of Things (IoT).

IoT technology has been around for decades – even if its name is more recent. Tracking and monitoring devices have long been in use – employing radio and satellite methodology, and later 3G and LTE platforms.

The move towards the mass, high-speed connectivity promised by 5G mobile broadband promises to take the industry to a new level of insight, providing critical data that vastly improves customer services, safety, and profitability.

No longer are IoT insights a nice-to-have capability, or simply a security concern. They are vital. No business operating in the mobility space can afford to ignore the value of IoT.

IoT finds application in several aspects of modern business. In public transport, for instance, camera technology is now used to monitor driver behaviour as well as social-distancing and safety compliance.

Newer-generation cameras are capable of image recognition, customer counts and even remote infrared body-temperature screening.

Initially, short-range RF technology simply told customers the location of their vehicles. As the technology progressed, we were able to gather more information through GPS trackers, cameras and ever more precise sensors.

Today, companies can assess and modify driving behaviour. This has opened up opportunities for both consumers as well as insurers and vehicle finance companies. They can now offer personalised premiums and encourage efficient, safe driving that benefits drivers, businesses and society at large.

We have seen our offering evolve from tracking to connectivity and data management. Technology also now lets us give clients access to data platforms and dashboards where they can manage and customise their own track-and-trace service.

Clients can also now take ownership of their own security, setting geofencing and alert parameters for their vehicles and family members.

Commercial transport firms can set up automated logbooks, panic buttons and driver alerts.

In the consumer space, the next step of technological evolution is the understanding of the car as a permanently connected information and entertainment hub.

When the connected car can guarantee broadband access, the final piece of the puzzle falls into place. We can now move seamlessly between our home, vehicle and office environments while remaining connected throughout. This is the dawn of the Connected Life.

Thanks to IoT, this state of eternal connectivity generates constant, exponentially growing amounts of data. The challenge, and the true differentiator in an IoT space where equipment is largely commoditised, is how to use and interpret that information.

Data enrichment is the new frontier. A company such as ours has moved from simple vehicle tracking, into the Big Data space. We have built our own Big Data platform, in partnership with Stellenbosch University, which we launched about two years ago. The platform currently processes around 300 million data points per day.

Big Data platforms allow for the provision of data-centric services such as predictive models. For instance, insurance companies can now use drivers’ unique biometric data-sets to identify when performance is impaired due to fatigue or alcohol. In this way, IoT enables the evolution from accident reconstruction to accident prevention, using the power of data.

As far as claims validation goes, data analysis powered by artificial intelligence can make this an almost instantaneous process.

Another trend we are seeing is OEMs entering the data and connectivity space. While this transition has not yet reached its ultimate form, based on our global partnerships with Toyota, we anticipate carmakers taking ownership of engine- and vehicle-centric information and its connectivity.

Supplementary services, such as theft recovery, and jamming detection will likely be provided by local suppliers. With the rise of the connected vehicle, infotainment will become another differentiator, and possibly another income stream for OEMs, or third-party suppliers.

The final stage of this data-centric move to connected mobility may be the establishment of a single, interoperable data platform, shared by cars, infrastructure, service providers and governments. Until such a scenario arrives, we will see connectivity gradually gaining in significance as the key enabler of movement.

It must not be overlooked that these oceans of data that our mobility now generates come with significant security risks. Cybersecurity is now a mobility issue, and we’ll need to keep building technologies and policies to protect our customers and their data.

The key is proactive threat management, using artificial intelligence to proactively anticipate and manage such threats on a dedicated cybersecurity platform.

IoT is the technology that has transformed modern business. That transformation is taking place in several spaces at once – safety, mobility, accessibility, sustainability, cost control, operations, information and analytics.

Each of these areas offers opportunities for organisations able to build proficiencies themselves, or to build partnerships to provide such services. In an emerging platform economy, where data is ubiquitous, the organizations with the platforms to deliver services using that data will dominate.

Technology is no longer a differentiator, but an enabler. It enables the objectives and strategies of organizations, so they can serve their customers and be competitive. As such, it is indispensable. IoT, overlaid with AI, is no longer a grudge purchase. It’s essential.

The post Internet of Things is transforming the mobility space appeared first on Artificial Intelligence.

Software AG, a Germany-based enterprise software company, has become the latest technology company to report a major ransomware attack, Jeremy Cowan reports.

Unconfirmed reports in German media indicate that employee data including passport & ID information and internal emails, have been accessed and encrypted by a gang named Clop after the ransomware it uses. A ransom of US$23 million (€19.50 million) is said to have been demanded for the data’s release. The IT company has annual revenues of more than €800 million.

According to the Darmstadt company, the attack began on the evening of October 3rd and Software AG was forced to suspend all internal communications. This took its customer helpdesk offline – a situation that continues at the time of writing.

Customers are still being directed to contact dedicated email addresses with any questions or concerns. Software AG has since confirmed it has evidence of data downloads being made due to a malware attack.

In its first public response the company said: “Today, Software AG has obtained first evidence that data was downloaded from Software AG’s servers and employee notebooks. There are still no indications for services to the customers, including the cloud-based services, being disrupted. The company is refining its operations and internal processes continuously.

“Software AG is further investigating the incident and is doing everything in its power to contain the data leak and to resolve the ongoing disruption of its internal systems, in particular to restart its internal systems as soon as possible which had been shut down for security reasons.”

The Internet of Things (IoT) specialist claims more than 10,000 IT customers including Airbus, Credit Suisse bank, and the German airline Lufthansa. Following initial uncertainty Software AG now says that customer data has not been compromised. The data breach was revealed in an online update and in statements to German financial institutions. The company’s note said the attack had been ongoing since last Monday and had yet to be fully contained.

Commenting on the attack today, Boris Cipot, senior security engineer at Synopsys says, “No individual or organisation, big or small, is safe from cyber-attacks. Ransomware is a common attack type today, whereby an attacker penetrates the victim’s resources and encrypts or downloads the data on it. The victim then needs to pay a ransom in order to receive the decryption key and hope they get their data back and that it has not been downloaded to be misused later on.

“For individuals, private data, pictures and documents may be affected. For companies, the data held for ransom is likely even more important. Indeed, such attacks can cause government offices to shut down. While in the case of Software AG, it has not brought their whole operations to a standstill, it will be interesting to see what impact the reported breach had on the company and what they did to recover,” Cipot says.

“Ransomware, as any other malware, can spread through different ways. Usually, they come through as scams, such as fake software that promises to do something like remove viruses from your computer; or as phishing emails, that lures the user to install something on their computer. Therefore, be careful when installing or downloading files from the internet. Be careful when someone offers you something for free. As always on the internet – if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is,” Cipot concludes.

The post IoT specialist Software AG hit by $23mn ransomware attack accessing staff data appeared first on Artificial Intelligence.

In its annual Internet of Things (IoT) survey, Internet of Things World found an overwhelming majority of (85 per cent) believe that security concerns remain a major obstacle to the roll out of IoT. Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of respondents said end-to-end IoT security is their top short-term priority, surpassing machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI).

With IoT potentially flooding wireless networks with billions of new connected devices, security must be a top priority for engineers and designers to keep up with the demands and to ensure that information travelling between devices with IoT connections remains secure. End users reported using more security software on average than the typical consumer, underscoring the complexity they face in protecting their existing communications networks.

If industrial companies are to push ahead with the introduction of IoT, they will be exposed to new security risks and need to protect themselves. The good news is that proven technologies such as token-based authentication and smart contracts suitable for IoT applications already exist that can mitigate the risk of security issues. Companies are still developing, learning from the risks and developing security management and insurance methods to protect their assets, industrial and otherwise, from security threats.

The internet has always been chaotic and will continue to be so in future but IoT has increased the potential for devastation. Companies developing industrial IoT applications face significant challenges, as many industrial devices have traditionally been designed in isolation. In 2016, the biggest hurdles to the introduction of IoT remained the same but were greatly outweighed by security.

In addition, large IT companies are continuously developing innovative solutions to ensure the security of IoT devices. Companies are rapidly expanding their risk, expanding to connect literally everything, and risking jeopardising their customers privacy, security and even livelihoods.

In 2016, Domain Name System (DNS) providers and major websites were crippled by distributed denial-of-service attacks carried out by IoT devices running Mirai malware. In May 2017, Junade Ali, a computer scientist at Cloudflare, found that native distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) vulnerabilities exist in over 70 per cent of the world’s IoT devices. The overall IoT security market grew by 27.9 per cent in 2016 due to growing infrastructure concerns, diversified usage and the adoption of smart home devices.

By the end of 2027, revenues are expected to reach nearly €15 billion, with revenues from smart grids. Network security remains the preferred solution for IoT security products, with network security solutions for smart grids, smart homes and smart city devices accounting for more than 50 per cent of the total IoT market in 2016. In addition, the global market for security and network management solutions in smart homes is predicted to expand at a faster rate at least up to 2027.

Most technical security issues are similar to those used in traditional servers, workstations and smartphones. In general, there are no significant differences in security levels between them and IoT devices.

Given that many surveys keep indicating that security keeps being the biggest concern, we can expect the supplier ecosystem to solve this problem once and for all. With the advent and massive deployment of IoT equipment coupled with the occasional breach of private data, companies are more cautious than ever, and rightly so.

IoT is extremely beneficial for commerce, education and society, and all are itching to invest more. The eSkills Malta Foundation therefore firmly believes it is time that sellers of IoT devices take a wider approach and carry out more research so that IoT devices are manufactured secure by default. In the meantime, it is highly recommended that such sellers offer a security implementation service to prospective customers.

The post Security concerns hamper IoT adoption appeared first on Artificial Intelligence.

There has been a lot of talk in recent years about the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT encompasses the literal billions of physical devices in use throughout the world that connect to the Internet. Some of these devices are tiny, while others are huge, but they all have the capability to collect and share data in real-time.

How It Works

Almost any physical object can act as an IoT device. All product designers need to do is create a device that collects or communicates information, then use services like those available at particle.io to connect it to the Internet. This allows the device to be controlled from anywhere by smartphone app or by computer.

Common Examples of IoT Devices

IoT devices are very diverse. They can be children’s toys or driverless trucks, and some larger objects are actually filled with smaller IoT components, such as an engine outfitted with many tiny sensors outfitted to transmit data back to an operating hub. Some of the most common examples of IoT devices include:

• Smart home technologies
• Wearable devices
• Connected cars
• Security systems
• And even smart cities

As a general rule, the term IoT is usually reserved for those devices that would not have been expected to feature Internet connectivity until recently. That means things like desktop and laptop computers, smartphones, and tablets are not a part of the Internet of Things.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI plays an important role in the emerging IoT. It can be used to interpret the data collected and transmitted by devices used in the physical world. Industries as diverse as agriculture and healthcare use AI to analyze data collected from Internet-connected sensors, objects, and devices.

The benefit of using AI to monitor and control certain elements of the IoT is that computers equipped with artificial intelligence can process information much faster than humans. Machine learning allows AI programs to automatically identify patterns, detect anomalies, and process data sets that would otherwise be far too large to understand. Humans can then use these AI-generated analyses to make more accurate assessments and predictions about their world.

Common Applications

This article has already discussed a few of the most common examples of IoT devices. Now, let’s take a look at their practical applications. Here are just a few of the ways that the IoT is changing daily life for consumers and businesses, alike:

• Home security cameras can now record and detect environmental changes, then alert homeowners via their smartphones.
• Elevator monitoring systems can track proper functioning and send the data to engineers so they can perform scheduled preventative maintenance before the elevators fail.
• Drivers can set their GPS systems to direct them to vacant parking spots in smart cities.
• Healthcare professionals can monitor multiple patients’ conditions remotely from one convenient location.
• Weather experts can now listen for earthquakes using IoT sensors and use associated AI programs to accurately determine risk.
• Farmers can use sensors to acquire data about soil and weather conditions and program their irrigation equipment to compensate for potential problems, increasing their yields.

These are just a few examples of how the IoT is changing the world. Consumers, commercial business owners, industrial manufacturers, and even farmers are now embracing the IoT and all it has to offer.

Benefits of Sharing Data between Connected Devices

One of the best things about the current and expected future proliferation of IoT tech is that it allows for increased data sharing between an ever-growing numbers of devices. This provides opportunities to increase the operational efficiency of businesses, get a better scientific understanding of physical and sociological conditions, and provide more contextualized and responsive interactions with connected devices. Everyone benefits from increased data connectivity, from academics to business owners to end-users.

The Future of the IoT

No one can predict the future. Not even AI algorithms. That being said, it appears as though the Internet of Things is not just here to stay, but is slated to become a normal way of life for future generations.

As the IoT continues to progress and proliferate, it will become less visible. Consumers and business owners will come to accept it as a normal facet of life. There won’t be as much hype surrounding new smart home technologies or industrial data analytics programs. Instead, the IoT will become like the Internet is now: incredibly impressive, but taken for granted by most people.

Overcoming Challenges

The greatest challenge to be overcome before the IoT can really take off and appreciate broader acceptance is that it currently poses certain security issues. With more than 7 billion IoT devices already out there, not all manufacturers are on the same page about ensuring that their customers’ data will be protected. Governments across the world are already stepping up by creating new legislation to address these problems, but more will need to be done for the IoT to grow into its full potential.

The problem is, everything that is connected to the Internet can theoretically be hacked. Opponents of technological progress have also expressed concerns about privacy. If the entire world becomes connected, they say, it could threaten the privacy of all its inhabitants, creating a world where constant surveillance becomes the norm.

The solution to these problems is reliable standardization. Current IoT device manufacturers can do their part by prioritizing device security and selecting secure all-in-one IoT platforms to provide connectivity. In the future, they should expect more intervention from government agencies and consumer protection groups. Designing devices that will hold up to scrutiny now is the best way to prepare.

The Bottom Line

Whether consumers like it or not, the IoT is here to stay. It is already ushering in a new way of life for consumers and business owners, alike, offering an unprecedented level of convenience to the former and giving the latter the data they need to produce better products and keep up with changing times. Those who don’t want to be left behind would do well to embrace the IoT in its infancy so they can be prepared for the next innovations to come.

The post Understanding the Emerging Internet of Things appeared first on Artificial Intelligence.

New Delhi: SoftBank-owned UK chipmaker Arm has partnered with Microsoft to create Azure-based tools to enable developers transfer data from Arm-based Internet of Things (IoT) devices to Azure Cloud. The partnership will enable developers to easily target a broad range of Arm-based devices like intelligent computer-vision-enabled cameras, connected vehicles, AI gateways and intelligent appliances.

With over 30 billion active IoT devices in the world with 400 per cent growth over the past three years, the industry is moving incredibly fast. “Arm’s leading silicon architecture combined with their broad ecosystem and commitment to optimising developer experiences will enable this partnership to accelerate AI innovation for IoT devices, delivering better solutions and a better future for end-users,” said Moe Tanabian, Vice President, General Manager-Azure Edge Devices.

In one of the biggest tech deals, graphics giant NVIDIA in September announced it is acquiring Arm for $40 billion with an aim to create a premier computing company for the age of artificial intelligence (AI). Microsoft is working closely with the silicon ecosystem to launch an Azure-Ready Silicon programme.

“We are committed to helping foster innovation and diversity within the broader silicon and device ecosystems, and making it easy, fast, and cost-effective for our customers,” Microsoft said in a blog post on Thursday. “Our collaboration with Arm to facilitate an end-to-end AI toolchain to simplify development is an important part of this strategy”.

The post Microsoft, chip maker Arm to boost AI innovation for IoT devices appeared first on Artificial Intelligence.