First of all, what is the Internet of Things in our cognition?
In fact, the Internet of Things (IoT) concept is based on information carriers such as the Internet and traditional telecommunication networks. Through various devices and technologies such as information sensors, radio frequency identification technology, global positioning system, infrared sensors, and laser scanners, it collects any object or process that needs to be monitored, connected, and interacted in real time, and collects its sound, light, and heat. , electricity, mechanics, chemistry, biology, location and other required information, through various possible network access, realize the ubiquitous connection between things and things, things and people, and realize the intelligent perception and identification of objects and processes And management, it allows all ordinary physical objects that can be independently addressed to form an interconnected network.
Simply put, the Internet of Things is the network connection of various objects with the help of sensors and chips.
At present, in all aspects of social life and production, the Internet of Things is using sensing technology and smart devices to fully perceive and identify the real world, and then complete calculation, processing and mining through network interconnection to achieve the relationship between people and things, things and things. Information exchange finally realizes the real-time grasp of the real world, and even provides effective solutions for human beings to deal with various problems. It is foreseeable that in the near future, the combination of cloud technology and the Internet of Things will greatly affect our daily life, so that we can always be online, always aware, and always connected.
Blockchain is an indispensable piece of the puzzle to realize the Internet of Things
According to GSMA forecast, the number of global IoT terminal connections will reach 25 billion in 2025. In addition, McKinsey & Company predicts that the Internet of Things will bring an impact of more than US$11 trillion to the global economy by 2025. This means that in the next ten years and beyond, the Internet of Things (IoT), which has the potential to grow exponentially, will be an important technology that changes the rules of the game in the market.
If the Internet brings about the connection of "people and people" and "people and information", then the Internet of Things goes a step further and realizes the comprehensive connection of "people and things" and "things and things". That is to say, the Internet of Things no longer takes "people" as the single connection center, and things and things can realize autonomous connection without human control, creating a virtual (information, data, process) and physical (human, machine, commodity) ) are mutually mapped and tightly coupled systems. Physical entities establish their own digital twins in the virtual world, making their states traceable, analyzable, and predictable.
On the other hand, through the Internet of Things, people can install low-cost, low-energy consumption, and interconnected sensors on any object to collect personal, environmental, or specific system data in real time, and check water pipe leakage from a remote location. Cellphones are even used to track flu outbreaks. When everything is an entrance, in addition to the data generated by the user's active interaction, many passive data of the user will be recorded in real time and without feeling. Therefore, enterprises can comprehensively, three-dimensionally and dynamically understand user needs.
According to the reporter's understanding, companies such as Tencent, Huawei Technologies, and Heshu Group currently rank among the top in the number of domestic Internet of Things combined with blockchain technology scientific research patent applications, mainly focusing on smart contracts, artificial intelligence, transaction data processing and other related technical fields. Including the "Internet of Things Data Management Method, Device, Internet of Things Data Resource Pool and Equipment" of Tencent Technology that has been published by the National Intellectual Property Bureau, the authorized "Internet of Things Control System, Method and Device", and the authorized "IoT Networking system, Internet of Things service provision and monitoring method", "A Fault Analysis System Based on the Internet of Things and Energy Blockchain", "An Optimal Consensus Based on Energy Blockchain" published by Heshu Group Mechanism", etc.
Key ways blockchain will strengthen IoT technology
Blockchain properties hold enormous value to IoT infrastructure and point the way to a more transparent future. Blockchain technology can be used to support IoT deployments by improving decentralization, increasing security and bringing better visibility to connected devices.
In an accelerating digital world, here are five key ways IoT and blockchain can work together to improve business outcomes.
1. Data authenticity for quality assurance
Due to its immutability, blockchain can add a powerful framework to quality assurance processes. When an organization combines IoT and blockchain technology, it can quickly and accurately detect any instances of tampering with data or goods. If someone tries to question the trustworthiness of the data collected by IoT devices, the blockchain holds evidence of any changes or anomalies.
2. Device Tracking for Error Capture
IoT networks can be very large, and a deployment can easily contain thousands or even hundreds of thousands of endpoints. When you have such a large number of endpoint devices, errors and inconsistencies can seem like random events. Blockchain technology allows each IoT endpoint to be assigned a unique key, sending encrypted challenge and response messages. These unique keys build device profiles to help identify inconsistencies, whether errors are isolated incidents or recurring failures that require attention.
3. Faster automated smart contracts
IoT technology makes automation possible. But when the endpoint detects something that requires human intervention, everything stops. This can be extremely damaging to an organization. With the help of smart contracts, blockchain can be used to authorize responses across IoT networks.
4. Decentralization for enhanced security
There is no getting around the fact that IoT devices can be hacked. Regardless of the connection method used to the internet, aspects of blockchain can add an additional layer of security. Since blockchain is decentralized, a malicious third party cannot just hack a single server and destroy your data. Also, any attempt to access the data and make any changes will be logged immutable. Just because someone has physical access to a device, using a blockchain doesn't mean they have access to any of its data or functionality.
5. Employee performance usage records
Blockchain can also go beyond IoT sensor technology to track user behavior as well. This allows businesses to understand who, when and how devices are being used.
Just as a device's history can provide insight into its reliability, so too can a user's history be used to assess its reliability and performance levels. This can help businesses reward outstanding employees, analyze patterns and decision-making processes, and improve the quality of output.
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The combination of the Internet and the blockchain is inevitable. Nowadays, there are more and more applications combining the Internet and the blockchain. It can be said that the combination of the Internet of Things and the blockchain makes the application of the Internet of Things more powerful.
At present, many blockchain-combined IoT platforms are emerging both at home and abroad. After all, everything is interconnected, and safety comes first.
There is no doubt that the security of the Internet of Things is the first problem to be solved in the development of the Internet of Things, and although the blockchain cannot completely solve it, its role is obvious. In a digital environment that introduces blockchain and decentralized autonomous sovereign identities, the data collected by the Internet of Things can allow the community to understand resource reserves and development needs, thereby ensuring information security, accountability and data privacy.
The Internet of Things and the blockchain are the trend of the Internet of Things and the value of the blockchain.