How Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Computing Overcome the Limitations of IoT

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• How Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Computing Overcome the Limitations of IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) has hit a brick wall: latency. Each new IoT device adds an endless stream of data that cannot be processed until it reaches the cloud. The further the device is from your servers, or the easier the data is to navigate, the longer it will take to find and act on the relevant data. With around 50 billion IoT devices in the world today, traditional cloud-based IoT has reached a breaking point. Calculating the data takes too long, compromising the benefits of collecting the data in the first place. That's why engineers are turning to advanced computing: letting devices process and respond to data locally, eliminating the problem of latency. Consider if a traffic camera detects a crashed car or if a factory sensor detects a chemical leak. Typically, your device does not have the computing power to indicate that something is out of the ordinary. It simply sends a constant stream of data to the cloud, where system engineers must spot a needle in a haystack of routine data from all other devices. You can reduce disastrous security times by empowering your peripheral devices to interpret data on-premises. Embedded with artificial intelligence technology, they can give split-second responses without human intervention. Armed with AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) algorithms, edge devices have much greater potential for businesses, especially in the security and transportation industries. Security cameras can store local data for facial recognition, allowing immediate identification even when they lose connection to their servers. Specialized industries like casinos can use deep learning to investigate suspicious behavior and then send updates to their cameras so they can immediately notify security without delay. AIoT, which combines AI and IoT, has already become an essential part of manufacturing for various industries, such as autonomous vehicles and aerospace. Autonomous delivery drones or smart cars cannot be late because they have to make split-second decisions in response to stimuli or deal with constant crashes. Planes have pilots, of course, but AIoT sensors embedded in parts of the plane can report equipment failures faster, reducing maintenance time and flight delays. You may have noticed a pattern with these examples. AIoT works well with technology essential to human security, which means that (A) it must be completely insulated from cyber-attacks and (B) it must also be physically protected from damage or tampering.

Embedded AI serves a vital security purpose for your peripheral devices (Image credit: Pixabay) As a starting point, you'll want to integrate your peripheral devices with a fast-charging processor, with sufficient flash memory and system memory (RAM) for real-time data management. But beyond that, you need physical modifications to meet your industrial needs. Devices like security cameras will need an isolated and encrypted LAN, ideally running over Power over Ethernet (also known as PoE). Any device placed in an outdoor environment should perform just as well in extremely hot summers as it does in humid winters. Automotive and aircraft processors will be vulnerable to vibration and contamination, while medical devices will need to avoid magnetization. For your business to rely on artificial intelligence instead of human operators, you need AIoT devices that can withstand the specific challenges of your industry, so they don't fail at critical moments. It means trusting a hardware developer to produce custom equipment to your specifications. And as you can see in the video above, companies like Innodisk offer specialty SSDs designed for just about any environment or scenario. Currently, most IoT devices are passive collectors of data that can be processed later by their servers. However, by using strict AI, these devices become active security solutions – eliminating latency and the need for human intervention, and reducing the strain on your cloud servers. With the right hardware to protect and respond to your data, your devices will become much more intelligent and valuable to your business.