IoT & Wireless Devices

1.What are IoT devices?

• Internet of Things Devices or IoT devices are pieces of hardware with a sensor that transmits data from one place to another over the Internet. Some of the types of IoT devices include wireless sensors, software, actuators, and computer devices. IoT devices are what makes IoT useful for business, whether they’re transmitting environmental data from a manufacturing facility, information about a patient’s medical device, insight into transportation logistics, or data from always-on smart home devices.

2.What are some examples of IoT devices?

• Smart Homes: One of the most common applications of the IoT is its use in Smart Homes because it is the one that is most affordable and readily available to consumers. There are numerous smart products that users can use to control with their voices to make their lives more connected than ever.
• Wearables: With the integration of IoT into watches, their uses have expanded not from telling time but now they enable text messaging, phone calls, play music, monitor heart rate and more.
• Connected Cars: These vehicles are equipped with Internet access and can share that access with others, just like connecting to a wireless network in a home or office. More vehicles are starting to come equipped with this functionality, so prepare to see more apps included in future cars.

3.Which technologies are typically used in building smart IoT devices?

• Some of the technology based components used in IoT devices are listed below:
  • ESP: The ESP is a low-cost Wi-Fi microchip, with a full TCP/IP stack and microcontroller capability. This small module allows microcontrollers to connect to a Wi-Fi network and make simple TCP/IP connections using Hayes-style commands.
  • Lora: LoRa stands for Long Range Radio and is mainly targeted for M2M and IoT networks. This technology will enable public or multi-tenant networks to connect a number of applications running on the same network.
  • Wifi: WiFi is a wireless protocol that was built with the intent of replacing Ethernet using wireless communication over unlicensed bands.
  • GSM: GSM is a standard-based Low Power Wide Area technology. It is based on eGPRS and designed as a high capacity, long range, low energy and low complexity cellular system for IoT communications.
    Bluetooth: Bluetooth is a critical component to IoT devices, enabling the transfer of data through mesh networks in a variety of settings.
  • NRF: On nRF Cloud you can monitor your data being streamed to the IoT in real-time, or pull data from the database to see device data streamed earlier.
    Smart Products: A smart product is a device that is linked to the internet so it can share information about itself, its environment and users.
  • NFC: Near Field Communications (NFC) is a very short-range wireless technology that allows for some unique user experience

4.What makes a device a smart device?

• A smart device is an electronic device that is generally connected to other devices or networks via different wireless protocols such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, NFC, Wi-Fi, LiFi, 3G, etc., that can operate to some extent interactively and autonomously. Smart devices gather and share data from the edge of the network, and while they may be small, they are powerful.

5.What is the IoT Product lifecycle?

• There are four stages to the IoT product life cycle. These are Design, Deployment, ongoing Management, and Decommissioning.
  • Design: This is the first stage of the life cycle but it is an important part of the cycle.  In this stage, the developers have to consider requirements from the next three stages of the product life cycle to ensure that the product can easily support each stage.
  • Deployment: Deployment is the second stage of the product life cycle, and itself can come in a few phases such as proof-of-concepts, pilots, and commercial roll out. Deployments of IoT solutions are much more complex than traditional products, as there are many more stakeholders involved.
  • Ongoing Management: This  is the third stage of the product life cycle, and likely the longest one. During this stage, multiple stakeholders may need to access the device to be able to monitor its status, provide maintenance, provide updates, and optimize its performance.
  • Decommissioning: This stage is typically overlooked in many product designs.  End users and other stakeholders have to be able to quickly and securely remove a device from service and onboard a new one.

6.What are the advantages of IoT devices?

• IoT can provide you the ability to collect data from the network and use advanced analytics to uncover business insights and opportunities, and reduce operational cost.
• Collected data can be used to build the historical trends that predict and put you in front of issues before they occur.
• With IoT, sensors and smart devices provide the capability to manage a network of physical objects.
• Advancement of IoT technologies can benefit the organization to reduce their operational cost and other costs to earn maximum profit. Every organization tries to reduce their operational cost but only that enterprise becomes successful which uses maximum use of IoT solutions for their purpose.
• The use of smart devices has increased the insignificant amount and it is accepted by the organizations. There is an advancement in smart device applications and used in different sectors like transportation, hospitality, healthcare, and education.

7.What is difference between XBee and Zigbee?

• XBee and Zigbee are related but different technologies. Zigbee is a low-power wireless communication protocol designed for wireless control and monitoring applications in IoT and industrial automation. XBee is a brand of wireless communication modules that use the Zigbee protocol.
• Zigbee is a standard that defines the physical and data link layers of wireless communication. It operates on a mesh network topology, allowing for a large number of devices to be connected in a network. Zigbee is designed for low-power consumption and has a range of up to 100 meters. It uses the 2.4 GHz frequency band and is commonly used in home automation and industrial control applications.
• XBee, on the other hand, is a product line of wireless communication modules manufactured by Digi International that use the Zigbee protocol. The XBee modules come in different form factors and frequencies, and can be used in a variety of IoT applications. The XBee modules offer a range of features and benefits that make them attractive for IoT applications, including low power consumption, reliability, and ease of use.