THE CONNECTED WORLD
According to Forbes by 2020 the healthcare Internet of Things (IoT) market ALONE is estimated to be worth $117 billion. But what does that mean for data and personal security?
With current healthcare devices ranging from wireless blood pressure monitors to connected toothbrushes, how are these devices meant to benefit us?
Oral B's Smart Series Toothbrushes give consumers statistics about their brushing habits. They state that the purpose of this device is "not to outsmart dental professionals, but to work hand-in-hand with them". The device can be programmed by the dental professionals to focus on problem zones within the mouth. YES, YOU HEARD IT HERE...YOUR TOOTHBRUSH IS ABOUT TO BECOME AN ENDPOINT THAT COMMUNICATES TO A NETWORK!!
Smart Cities
Some of the woes encountered by people living in large cities around the world are congestion and traffic. In San Francisco they've implemented a network of sensors that can determine if a parking spot is being used. This information can be accessed via an app and allows people to find the nearest available parking spot. PARKING SPOTS CONNECTED!
Another example of how urban environments are making use of a connected environment is in Bath where they've implemented BigBelly's Intelligent Waste & Recycling Collection System. This system helps Bath and North East Somerset Council reduce litter and collection frequency. YOUR BINS ARE ABOUT TO BE CONNECTED! It's predicted to save the council ￡170,000 each year with the real-time remote monitoring reducing collection frequency by nearly 80%.
So what's next?
Gartner is predicting that by 2020 there will be 20.8 billion connected devices with the list of their uses growing quickly with every industry from healthcare to agriculture expected to benefit.
As our homes, towns and cities become even more connected and with the numbers of devices soaring, manufacturers need to ensure both their software and hardware are secure to prevent future cyber attacks and data leaks. Protecting your endpoints has never been more important.....You should be talking to IBM today about MaaS360 .... IBM Security is here ready to protect you right now. LET'S CONNECT!