ACT 8.1 - WRITTEN REPORT

 

ACTIVITY 8.1 - WRITTEN REPORT

Examine this article https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7368922/ and identify the issues and challenges of the Internet of Things. Create a written report with not less than 500 words.

IoT is a transformative force across many sectors, promising efficiency and quality of life. Its rapid development, however, also brings several issues and challenges that need to be addressed in order to ensure sustainable integration into society. This report identifies and analyzes the key challenges associated with IoT technologies based on insights from recent literature.

1. Environmental Footprint

One of the major challenges IoT faces is its environmental footprint. The amounts of energy and resources required in the production and running of IoT devices are huge, leading to increased fossil fuel consumption and consumption of raw materials. A lot of manufacturing processes of electronic components involve hazardous chemicals that result in a lot of wastes contributing to pollution and degradation of the environment. Moreover, the recycling percent for e-waste remains as low as 20% percent, which enhances scarcity of resources and environmental deterioration associated with e-waste. Therefore, the need of increasing IOT devices and to save from these damages needs the recycling techniques to be up-to-date and the manufacturers need green manufacturing to control these damage.

2. Security Problems

The other most critical factor of this field is Security. The interconnected nature of IoT devices means there are many entry points for cyberattacks and, therefore, vulnerable to hacking and data breaches. In the absence of proper security measures, this sensitive information may be accessed illegally and, therefore pose risks not only to the individual but also to the organization and national security. The challenge is finding strong security frameworks that can protect the system from threats that are in a constant evolution, ensuring that users' privacy remains intact. This includes robust encryption protocols, software updates, and comprehensive security policies.

3. Infrastructure Limitations

The IoT technologies' effective implementation is determined by the availability of robust network infrastructure.

Most areas are still experiencing internet connectivity and bandwidth constraints that might impede the implementation of IoT solutions. For example, slow Wi-Fi speed in some regions can limit IoT functionality, which leads to ineffective operations. As the deployment of IoT devices is ramping up, the demand for fast internet connectivity and efficient network coverage will grow as a need to support the operations [1].

 

4. Challenges in Data Management

IoT generates an enormous volume of data to be processed, analyzed, and stored. The problem is the data comes in large volumes, velocity, and variety. Thus, organizations must develop complex data management systems to handle real-time streams of data while maintaining integrity and security over the data. Furthermore, there is a requirement for standardized protocols on data sharing between devices for interoperability and enhanced functionality of IoT systems.

5. Economic Barrier

IoT technologies don't have easy economics in terms of adoption. Although IoT promises to be efficient and saves more in the long run, its development comes with substantial costs in infrastructures construction, devices and systems purchasing.

Such costs could be hard for SMEs to bear and would tend to further increase the disparity in IoT technology access between sectors.

6. Societal Implications

No social considerations can be ignored while the technology is being extensively implemented, and the rate of employment will decline in many areas by using IoT-based technologies due to the loss of traditional occupation opportunities for workers. This can even lead to an increased trend of dependence on technology rather than real-time social interaction among individuals, eventually weakening community cohesion and welfare [1]. All the above factors have to be considered in the IoT implementations so that it helps to support the welfare of the society.

The Internet of Things has huge potential to increase efficiency and quality of life in many industries, but it is coupled with massive challenges that need to be proactively addressed. Environmental issues such as resource consumption and waste management need urgent action through sustainable practices. Security vulnerabilities must be mitigated by having robust frameworks protecting user data while ensuring privacy.

In addition, addressing the infrastructure limitations would allow for massive adoption of IoT technologies. Suitable strategies for data management will be necessary in addressing the complexity in such large volumes of generated data.

 Economic barriers should also be addressed to ensure an equal share of IoT solutions between the various sectors.

Understanding the social implications will help overcome negative impacts on employment and community dynamics as society goes into an increasingly interconnected landscape shaped by IoT technologies. Awareness of these challenges early on is essential for stakeholders to strive towards a more sustainable, inclusive future powered by the Internet of Things.