IoT Testing Blogs | ImpactQA Wed, 24 Jul 2024 09:39:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 https://www.impactqa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/cropped-favicon-32x32.png IoT Testing Blogs | ImpactQA 32 32 Integration Challenges and IoT’s Transformative Role in Energy and Utility Sector https://www.impactqa.com/blog/integration-challenges-and-iots-transformative-role-in-energy-and-utility-sector/ Mon, 06 May 2024 11:59:27 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=1924629 Energy demands are skyrocketing, with the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicting a near 50% […]

The post Integration Challenges and IoT’s Transformative Role in Energy and Utility Sector appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
Energy demands are skyrocketing, with the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicting a near 50% increase in global consumption by 2050. This looming challenge presents a clear opportunity for the energy and utility sector for a smarter, more efficient approach.

This granular level of detail allows for a much deeper understanding of consumption patterns, pinpointing inefficiencies and opportunities for optimization. This data-driven approach, estimated to save $80 billion annually by 2040, is revolutionizing how we manage energy. The global market for IoT in utilities is booming, expected to reach $53.8 billion by 2024, reflecting the immense potential of this technology to reshape the future of energy. As more utilities invest in IoT solutions, we can expect even greater strides towards a sustainable and efficient energy grid.

Transformative Power of IoT in the Energy and Utility Sector

Transformative Power of IoT in the Energy and Utility Sector

The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) is fundamentally reshaping the energy and utility sector. Let’s explore some key areas where IoT is making a significant impact:

1. Intelligent Grid Solutions

The transformative influence of IoT on the utility sector is prominently demonstrated through the introduction of intelligent grids and sophisticated energy networks that employ IoT sensors to monitor electricity usage in real time. These grids optimize energy distribution by effectively aligning supply with demand, thereby conserving energy, minimizing the risk of outages, and facilitating the smooth integration of renewable energy sources. Consequently, they pave the way for a more resilient and environmentally sustainable energy infrastructure.

2. Efficient Metering Solutions

IoT technologies have brought about Automated Meter Reading (AMR), fundamentally transforming the management of water, gas, and electricity consumption without the need for human intervention. This progress decreases labor expenses and greatly improves accuracy levels. Apart from streamlining billing processes, AMR allows for the early detection of issues such as leaks or energy theft which allow prompt interventions to minimize waste and cut operational costs.

3. Proactive Asset Care

Unplanned equipment failures can lead to significant downtime, impacting the productivity and profitability of utility firms. However, IoT-driven predictive maintenance offers a transformative remedy. IoT devices continuously monitor equipment status, proactively alerting operators to impending issues and enabling timely interventions to prevent major disruptions, thus saving time and reducing maintenance costs.

4. Disaster Preparedness

IoT’s inherent data delivery capabilities within the energy and utility sector promote enhanced communication among grids, nodes, and utility companies. This improved communication facilitates accurate monitoring and strengthens preparedness for natural and human-induced disasters. With IoT, companies can promptly identify the root causes of grid failures and anticipate associated challenges. Moreover, the use of data-driven prediction models helps in anticipating potential events, leading to proactive responses. Utilities can enhance grid sustainability and disaster preparedness through the implementation of IoT technologies, resulting in more resilient and efficient energy systems.

Integration Challenges in IoT Testing for Energy and Utility

Integration Challenges in IoT Testing for Energy and Utility

Below are some key pointers highlighting significant challenges encountered in IoT testing for energy and utility sectors:

1. IoT Data Integration Challenges

Integrating IoT data efficiently with existing systems poses a significant hurdle in the energy and utility industry. The sheer volume of data generated by IoT devices and differences in data formats can result in inconsistencies and inefficiencies. It is crucial to implement advanced data integration tools and robust data quality management protocols to ensure accurate and consistent data across all systems.

2. Scalability Optimization Solutions

As organizations adopt IoT solutions into their operations, they may encounter scalability and performance issues. Legacy infrastructure might struggle to cope with the increased workload and data traffic, impacting overall system efficiency. Adopting a phased integration approach, coupled with infrastructure upgrades and optimization, helps alleviate scalability challenges and maintains optimal performance levels.

3. Security Concerns and Potential Vulnerabilities

Ensuring robust security measures is paramount when integrating IoT with existing systems. Legacy systems may lack modern cybersecurity features, leaving them susceptible to new threats introduced by IoT devices. Conducting thorough security assessments and implementing advanced security measures such as encryption and intrusion detection systems are essential to effectively mitigate cyber risks.

Suggested Read

Top 7 Security Measures for IoT Systems

4. Complex Systems

The complexity of existing systems presents a significant obstacle to IoT integration across various sectors. These systems may have been customized over time to fulfill specific business needs, rendering them incompatible with standard IoT integration solutions. Expertise in IoT technologies and existing systems is necessary to devise tailored integration strategies that accommodate system complexity effectively.

5. Standardization Challenges

The absence of standardization in communication protocols and data formats complicates IoT integration efforts. Establishing unified communication protocols and deploying data normalization processes are important for supporting effortless communication and integration between disparate systems and devices.

6. Compatibility Upgrades

Upgrading existing systems to integrate with IoT devices demands thorough strategizing and flawless implementation. Outdated hardware and software often lack compatibility with contemporary IoT standards, necessitating a phased approach to upgrades and the development of interfaces to bridge compatibility gaps.

7. Cost-Benefit Considerations

Striking a balance between the costs of IoT integration and anticipated returns is crucial during implementation across industries. Upfront costs, including hardware upgrades and software development, can be substantial, making a thorough cost-benefit analysis indispensable. Implementing integration in phases offers better financial control and allows for continuous assessment of return on investment (ROI).

Why Choose ImpactQA?

ImpactQA has strategically developed a diverse array of foundational accelerators and utilities tailored specifically for IoT testing, effectively addressing integration challenges in this dynamic domain. Our extensive offerings, including the IoT Testing platform and IoT Assurance Framework, empower delivery teams to effortlessly incorporate IoT testing into their workflows. Our resources are readily accessible within our IoT testing lab, positioning ImpactQA as a key partner for its clientele across various sectors.

Our specialized tools and expertise equip organizations to navigate the intricacies of IoT. From ensuring efficient data integration to optimizing scalability and security, our expertise enables clients to fully leverage the benefits of IoT technology.

Contact us today to explore how we can drive your IoT initiatives forward.

 

The post Integration Challenges and IoT’s Transformative Role in Energy and Utility Sector appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
Smart Cities IoT: The Age of Home Wellness Technology https://www.impactqa.com/blog/smart-cities-iot-the-age-of-home-wellness-technology/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/smart-cities-iot-the-age-of-home-wellness-technology/#respond Wed, 10 May 2023 07:39:39 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=26763 Cities can now adopt and modify technology for their benefit because of lifestyle evolution and […]

The post Smart Cities IoT: The Age of Home Wellness Technology appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
Cities can now adopt and modify technology for their benefit because of lifestyle evolution and the ongoing decline in the cost of that technology. A number of significant cities have accelerated their transition to the future by embracing smart cities and the Internet of Things (IoT), which has emerged as a global trend.

Although people may focus on comfort and luxury, since the Covid pandemic, home wellness and mental health have become increasingly important. You have access to everything, from voice-activated music systems to smart mood lighting and air purifiers.

Recently, Mr Jyoti Prasad Bhatt, CEO at ImpactQA, expressed his outlook on the rise of home wellness technology through a recent Forbes Technology Council post.

He highlighted how a network of small but powerful devices now permeates our homes and workspaces. In the current times, we live around many sensors, actuators, and processing software. The wide range of technology we are familiar with lets us call this an ‘intelligent era’.

JP was precise in mentioning that-

“Integrating IoT’s technical potential with wellness expertise, some companies have provided solutions that have fully span visibility of every home aspect, even those that are not visible to the human eye. To achieve this, IoT uses a suite of different sensors and actuators such as cameras, microphones and lights. These are capable of monitoring nearly every element of a home, including the current temperature, pressure, pollution levels, density, type of microparticles in the air, lighting and sound levels.”

Smart City IoT – Safeguarding Home Wellness for You

Several leading American real estate conglomerates have recently reworked their plans to prioritize total community welfare by delivering ground-breaking solutions centred on home wellness technology. Some companies, such as Delos, a leader in wellness real estate, are already making headlines. Delos technology has proven effective in providing dawn simulation for improved sleep and illumination programming to assist occupants/residents with increased focus and productivity.

In fact, other interesting smart city implementations have worked out wonderfully for the masses.

The Nobi Lamp

The purpose of this device is to detect falls and quickly raise an emergency alarm if the occupants are unable to vocally check in.

Olly

Olly works uniquely to mimic sunlight during the day to help you wake up. In addition, it produces a darker evening light which signals your brain to go to bed.

The use of IoT for home wellness technology has the potential to help individuals take more control over their health and well-being, leading to improved quality of life and potentially lower healthcare costs. However, it is important to ensure that these technologies are designed with user privacy and security in mind, and that individuals have access to the necessary support and education to use and interpret the data generated by these devices effectively.

Why is this Imperative to Test Home Wellness Software?

Testing this software is crucial to ensure it functions correctly and provides accurate data to the end-users. Here are some reasons why testing home wellness IoT software is necessary:

Accuracy: Home wellness IoT software must provide accurate data to the end-users. Testing helps to ensure that the software measures data accurately and consistently. This is particularly important for users who rely on this data to manage their health conditions.

Reliability: Home wellness IoT software must be reliable and function correctly. Testing helps to identify and address issues such as software bugs, hardware malfunctions, or network connectivity problems, which could impact the reliability of the software.

Security: Home wellness IoT software often collects sensitive personal health data. Testing helps identify and address security vulnerabilities, ensuring the software protects user data from cyber-attacks.

Usability: Home wellness IoT software must be easy to use and navigate. Testing helps to identify and address user experience issues, such as confusing interfaces, difficult-to-read text, or unresponsive controls.

Compliance: Home wellness IoT software must comply with regulatory requirements, such as HIPAA or GDPR, which govern the collection and use of personal health data. Testing helps to ensure that the software complies with these regulations.

Customer Satisfaction: Testing helps to identify and address issues that could impact customer satisfaction, such as slow performance or inaccurate data. Home wellness IoT software can improve customer satisfaction and retention by addressing these issues.

How is the world Responding to Smart Cities IoT?

Singapore making a go-ahead with digital twins

Urban planners all over Singapore have been helped using 3D semantic modelling to successfully build a virtual replica of the actual city, create prototypes, and deftly test solutions. With real-time data available, the urban system is quickly improvised. For instance, in the virtual city planner, the height of the rooftops can be calculated to analyze the amount of sunlight that can be produced. As a result, solar panel placement can be easily determined by urban planners.

Barcelona and its smart energy consumption

Thanks to Sentilo, an IoT sensor network with real-time capabilities, Barcelona residents can now keep an eye on and manage the city’s diverse community. The city has installed thousands of sensors at various locations to track energy use in public spaces, including street lighting. The city was able to cut its energy consumption by 30% thanks to these data collection efforts.

To embrace technology in the form of smart devices, the thumb rule is to incorporate testing for thorough quality checks. Looking at the global expanse of home wellness tech as part of smart cities, there are definitely some interesting breakthroughs we should be excited about. In terms of existing innovations, it’s always better to collaborate with a trusted IoT testing partner to speed up release time without compromising quality.

 

The post Smart Cities IoT: The Age of Home Wellness Technology appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
https://www.impactqa.com/blog/smart-cities-iot-the-age-of-home-wellness-technology/feed/ 0
Embedded Testing Vs Software Testing – Key Differences https://www.impactqa.com/blog/embedded-testing-vs-software-testing-key-differences/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/embedded-testing-vs-software-testing-key-differences/#respond Tue, 13 Sep 2022 06:04:01 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=23097 As the complexity of the modern world grows by the day, testing current software has […]

The post Embedded Testing Vs Software Testing – Key Differences appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
As the complexity of the modern world grows by the day, testing current software has become critical for enterprises. Periodic testing is required to ensure the software’s functionality and system integrity. Similar to that, embedded systems/hardware do require proper testing to ensure high-end security for both software and hardware.

This blog offers a substantial difference between embedded testing services and regular software testing, finely highlighting the challenges around embedded software testing and the different ways to implement it.

 

Key Differences: Software Testing and Embedded Testing

Embedded software testing and software testing may appear to be comparable, however the phrase “embedded” is the key differentiator.

The process of verifying and validating both software and hardware is known as embedded application testing. It assures us that the entire embedded system, involving software and hardware, is defect-free. It is primarily performed on hardware in order to uncover flaws. It also guarantees that the system satisfies the needs of the end user.

Embedded Testing Software Testing
Embedded testing can be executed on both hardware and software Majorly performed in a client-oriented server application
Embedded can either be based on black box or white box testing Software testing is purely dependent on manual black box testing
It is carried out to test the behavior of the hardware for the number of inputs provided to it, not related to any database Functionality, authentication, and some kind of database testing are the primary areas in software testing
Take less time and money as the complete testing process is manual Much costly and time-consuming compared to embedded system
Generally performed on embedded systems/hardware Software testing is majorly carried out on mobile, client-server and web applications
There is less scope for automation, mostly the whole process is manual Testing software can be done using both manual and automation approaches in the process

 

 

Suggested Read

5 Powerful Insights on Software Testing 2022

 

Embedded Testing Challenges

The primary differences listed above may provide some insight into the difficulties that one may encounter while performing embedded software testing. Here are a few major consequences that software engineers need to face during embedded testing:

Scope of Automation

Developers and test engineers face a hard time automating things while working on embedded testing projects, as embedded software testing solutions are more dependable on hardware and the interfaces involved with it. Thus, there’s a need to create a test rig that can support automation for both software and hardware.

High Hardware Dependency

Because of constrained access to hardware, hardware dependency is one of the most significant challenges encountered during embedded software testing. However, emulators and simulators may not exactly mirror the behavior of the actual device and may provide an erroneous sense of system operation and application usage.

 

Suggested Read

All You Need to Know about the Internet of Things (IoT)

 

Periodic Software Updates

Security fixes, RTOS updates, kernel upgrades, and other upgrades must be performed on an embedded system on a regular basis. Such modifications can have a direct impact on testing processes, rendering them more complicated. As a result, more attention is required during the development, production, and deployment processes.

Repeatable Defects

Defects in embedded systems are more difficult to reproduce/recreate. This indicates that the embedded tester should pay more attention to each and every error occurrence, significantly higher than in a conventional situation. Aside from collecting as much data as is reasonably required to change the system and locate the source of the fault.

High Ratio of Open-Source Software

The availability of open-source components for embedded application testing is pretty high and dominant. As a result, they lack comprehensive testing. There are several test combinations and resulting outcomes.

 

Different Ways of Performing Embedded Testing

There are basically five levels of testing for embedded systems which are followed industry-wide:

 

Infographic on Integration

Software Unit Testing

The unit module can either be a function, procedure or class. During the software development process, it is accomplished by isolating a part of code and validating its accuracy. Unit testing is typically carried out under the supervision of a developer and then passed on to a peer-review model. Test cases are created based on the module specifications.

Integration Testing

Integration testing for embedded systems can be further classified into two parts for better understanding – A) Software Integration Testing and B) Software/Hardware Integration Testing

It comprises the interaction of software components with the hardware domain. This test can also be used to examine the interaction between software and built-in peripheral devices.

Embedded application testing is always performed in a real-world context that is similar to that of software. Because thorough testing cannot be performed in a simulated environment, most testers regard embedded testing services as an essential task.

System Unit Testing

The test module is a framework that contains complete information on software codes, and the real-time operating system (RTOS), including specifics about communications, mechanisms, and interruptions, among other things. From here, the point of control protocol is used to send communication and guarantee that it is routed through the RTOS message queues.

The developer or system integration team then examines the system resources to ensure that the system can support the embedded system execution. Gray box testing is frequently used in this process.

System Integration Testing

The whole testing module starts from a set of components, including subsystem components, within a single nod. The Control and Observations Points are a combination of network communication protocols and RTOS, including network messages and RTOS events. Additional mentionable components such as Virtual Tester can play a similar role to a node.

System Validation Testing

The module which needs to be tested is either a complete subsystem or the entire embedded system. The goal of this final test is to meet the functional criteria of the external entity. It should be noted that an external entity can be either a human or a device in a telecommunications network, or both.

 

Conclusion

From this point, it is understandable that the difficulties involved with embedded software testing are higher compared to software testing. The heavy reliance on the hardware environment, which is developed concurrently with the program and is frequently necessary to do reliable software testing. It can be difficult to test software without custom tools, which makes focusing on testing in the late phases extremely appealing.

Partner with us, ImpactQA is a prominent embedded testing service provider, which has been aggressively involved in giving intelligent embedded solutions to worldwide organizations to strengthen their embedded system.

The post Embedded Testing Vs Software Testing – Key Differences appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
https://www.impactqa.com/blog/embedded-testing-vs-software-testing-key-differences/feed/ 0
Transforming Commercial Insurance with the Power of IoT Testing  https://www.impactqa.com/blog/transforming-commercial-insurance-with-the-power-of-iot-testing/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/transforming-commercial-insurance-with-the-power-of-iot-testing/#respond Mon, 11 Jul 2022 09:26:35 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=22427 The Internet of Things (IoT) is and has long been sweeping the globe. One can’t […]

The post Transforming Commercial Insurance with the Power of IoT Testing  appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
The Internet of Things (IoT) is and has long been sweeping the globe. One can’t fully foresee the scope of an IoT’s potential influence. It has significance in practically every area of human activity, including security, healthcare, and transportation. The opportunities and hazards are limitless, but so are the problems. For example, in the insurance sector alone, companies are looking at new ways to adopt IoT to drive down operational costs as well as make their businesses more effective and efficient.  

According to a Research Dive market study, the global IoT insurance market is expected to generate $402,990.0 million by 2027 and grow at a CAGR of 54.0 percent from 2020 to 2027. This covers a summary of the current market landscape, covering key industry aspects such as significant growth and restraining factors, hurdles, and various development prospects.  

Benefits of IoT-enabled Insurance Product

Understanding why insurance businesses should implement IoT technologies or even give them serious consideration is crucial. Here are a few important aspects that must be taken into account.

Generate a New Source of Revenue

Insurance companies used to generate money by charging consumers for their insurance coverage. This was the approach until now, but imagine if they had more data on their consumers’ habits. This will open up several revenue-generating potentials and allow them to provide personalized solutions based on their present needs.

To generate a high market demand for new products and services, one can make use of predictive maintenance, security & surveillance, telemedicine, and healthcare. In a nutshell, personalized recommendation services for everyday actions will develop a separate market and new ROI for insurance companies.

Better Risk Evaluation and Prevention

Insurers may adopt a proactive rather than reactive approach by integrating IoT data. Teams can now anticipate the appearance of events rather than react to them after they occur. Because of the revolutionary new possibilities provided by IoT, insurance companies can now move their value offering from risk coverage to risk prevention, giving clients a superior overall value and experience.

Although insurance firms are not responsible for risk management, adopting IoT, for this reason, can help consumers and insurers communicate.

Cut Down Costs

According to studies, insurance firms lose the bulk of their money due to fraudulent claims. This may be brought under control and costs reduced by combining IoT data to establish a better and stronger fraud detection framework based on sensor driver decisions, allowing companies to save hundreds of billions of dollars each year by simply detecting erroneous claims through sensor data analysis.

Underwriters can simply produce accurate risk calculations with additional data on each individual customer. As a result, risk assessment becomes more exact and individualized. Dynamic insurance plans will not only protect insurers by imposing penalties for poor conduct but will also encourage consumers to be more careful by rewarding good behavior.

Enhance Business Relationship

Since the interactions between the two parties are so restricted, insurance firms are not recognized for having great connections with their consumers. Unless there is a claim, the only time an insurer and a customer speak is when they agree on a condition or through any previous contract renewal or cancellation procedure.

Organizations may now communicate with their clients more regularly with IoT data by providing real-time relevant solutions via newsletters. This provides a completely new level of client experience, presumably minimizing churn and allowing us to be more competitive in ways other than merely lowering premium prices.

Few Significant Use Cases of IoT in Commercial Insurance

ImpactQA - Use cases of IoT apps

IoT Testing Benefits in Transforming Commercial Insurance

Flawless Application Performance

The coverage of IoT applications is fueled by data and operates in real-time. Insurance providers should ensure that IoT apps operate smoothly under all scenarios. As a result, these seamless IoT apps assist insurers in reducing paperwork and moving through the claim process swiftly and easily.

Provides Robust Data Protection

IoT apps are data-driven, and vast amounts of data are saved and sent between devices. It is vital to guarantee that no data breaches or data loss occur as a result of the use of these apps. IoT testing is also required to secure IoT apps and data from potential cyber threats.

Assist in Managing Complex Data

Every millisecond, IoT sensors generate vast amounts of data. To achieve proper IoT integration, insurance businesses must ensure sufficient capacity and effective data management capabilities, which can only be accomplished by implementing IoT testing of insurance apps.

Verify Cross-platform Compatibility

Insurance IoT apps are available to policyholders on a variety of devices and operating systems. IoT testing is required to verify that IoT apps work seamlessly across all devices and operating systems.

Reduce Cost

End-to-end testing of IoT apps is a greater advantage for insurance organizations in working on the improved efficiency of their apps. IoT app features such as automated tracking, alert, and maintenance capabilities enable insurers to notify policyholders far in advance of any issue developing. Insurers can cut claim expenses while improving profits in this manner.

Refine Customer Engagement

IoT apps provide insurers with real-time consumer data, allowing them to provide better policies. Insurers may improve their customer interaction practices and so engage more clients.

Because IoT devices are associated with a variety of different devices over the internet, determining the existence of the fundamental problem may be challenging. As a result, IoT testing ensures that IoT applications meet required quality and performance standards, allowing for an excellent user experience. This testing approach contributes to the detection and remediation of flaws in IoT apps, as well as the overall quality of IoT apps.

Conclusion

IoT applications are rapidly expanding across several industrial verticals. The adoption of IoT apps in the healthcare, insurance, and automotive industries has skyrocketed. The ability of IoT apps to track, analyze, and assess real-time data collected by IoT sensors and devices tremendously aids the insurance business in offering better insurance services.

To maximize the benefits of IoT applications in the insurance industry, testing is required to assure the quality, security, and performance of these apps.

Explore new frontiers with ImpactQA as your IoT testing partner by utilizing cutting-edge technology solutions specifically suited for insurance firms.

The post Transforming Commercial Insurance with the Power of IoT Testing  appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
https://www.impactqa.com/blog/transforming-commercial-insurance-with-the-power-of-iot-testing/feed/ 0
Security and Privacy Issues with IoT Healthcare Devices https://www.impactqa.com/blog/security-and-privacy-issues-with-iot-healthcare-devices/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/security-and-privacy-issues-with-iot-healthcare-devices/#respond Thu, 21 Oct 2021 12:20:14 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=20623 First things first, though the Internet of things or IoT as it’s called needs no […]

The post Security and Privacy Issues with IoT Healthcare Devices appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
First things first, though the Internet of things or IoT as it’s called needs no introduction, IoT is the networking of physical devices that are connected through a single server.

As per research by Reports and Data, the global IoT in Healthcare Market is forecasted to grow at a rate of 19.8% from USD 60.83 Billion in 2019 to USD 260.75 Billion in 2027. The scope and benefits of IoT in healthcare can be majorly associated with trends about innovations in medicine, medical devices, and overall healthcare service delivery for maximum customer satisfaction.

These devices give you the liberty to be connected remotely across an active network infrastructure that allows better integration of devices with your computer systems. This kind of integration helps with improved efficiency and accuracy adding to a ton of economic benefits for you and your clients.

Today IoT has a huge influence on the healthcare sector that involves easy monitoring of patients and using such data for better analytics. Talking about IoT for medical device integration, the focus has shifted towards the end consumer needs that include medical devices made to record data of the patients’ everyday vitals. A lot of this process is automated that includes auto-generated reports and treatment recommendations. The hiccup that arises here is the little importance companies give to the privacy of this data. Easy accessibility of such critical information to someone outside or even within the system gives them the power to severely injure or even kill someone without being detected. The rise of such hackable medical devices has pushed the food and drug administration (FDA) to issue formal guidance on how such cyber vulnerabilities must be handled. Today we have enough QA consulting companies that deliver step-by-step guidance on how to proceed with safely releasing a medical healthcare device into the market.

This write up will focus on the various security and privacy issues healthcare based applications face and what measures companies can take to secure their healthcare IoT devices.

 

Security and Privacy Issues with IoT in Healthcare:

 

DDoS with IoT Devices

Distributed Denial of Service or DDoS as it’s called is a non-intrusive internet attack carried out to dismantle the targeted website that eventually slows down the functionality of a server, application or network by flooding it with fake users traffic. This essentially means that a server is denying its service to the user resulting in the system crashing. There are various methods used to prevent your application from a DDoS trap that mostly uses malicious botnets. Off lately, the code of malware that builds botnets out of IoT products was publicly released that instantly increased the number of IoT devices infected by it to more than 450,000 approximately. The same value was close to 200,000 before. Imagine the amount of collateral damage this must have caused internally putting the security of thousands of application’s data at risk.

 

Wearable Technology and Associated Security Risks

Wearable technology and Security

The latest invention in the IoT for healthcare devices that rolled into the market has been wearable technology. Gadgets like smartwatches, wrist bands, smart monitors and other associated wearable devices work as extensions to your mobile devices and give access to news, notifications, texts, emails and much more. They come with an inbuilt sensor that measures your stress, SPO2, sleep and what not, but when it comes to security most of these devices fail to save you from malicious attackers.

Issues that range from personal data exposure to user interfaces that lacked two-factor authentication or the aptitude to freeze accounts after multiple failed password attempts all contributed to the extreme levels of vulnerability your integrated IoT devices can expose you to.

 

Top 4 Ways To Secure Your Healthcare IoT Devices

IoT Security Analytics

When it comes to healthcare, it is essential to track all major activities happening in your IoT enabled devices and applications. This can be accomplished by IoT security analytics. IoT security analytics give you notifications about potential cyber threats in your app well in advance, which gives you enough time to mitigate them before your app goes into a potential data risk. It helps you create a full proof protection strategy through in-depth data analysis where it uses data procured through different devices clubbed together.

Software Update

Major IoT devices need remote access and connection via sensors to collect data in the healthcare industry. Hackers majorly target remote devices integrated through a network because of their limited security provisions. When it comes to increasing security standards and significantly reducing the rapidly evolving cyber threats in networks, it’s essential to update your healthcare IoT device software from time to time.

These software updates help IoT devices incorporate new features by providing secure remote management firmware along with identifying and eliminating security breaches.

Public Key Infrastructure

Public Key Infrastructure or PKI is a security solution that authenticates devices and users in the online world. It provides encryption and authentication solutions for all IoT devices that can be used to gate private patient data and ensure its visible to only concerned departments. A PKI is a common and useful way of minimising the risks associated with transferring information from one device to another. It uses a cryptographic key to identify a user or device on an online network. This data can then be shared with internal departments to check the vulnerability of your application in the latter stages. The demand for PKIs has increased significantly and in order to enable safe authentication of your system, you need to install proper healthcare certificates.

Secure Cloud Platform

Today cloud platforms are the top preference of all major companies or businesses for data storage. Similarly, the healthcare sector also uses cloud platforms for storing and transferring essential data from IoT devices. Therefore, cloud data storage protection becomes a major concern to protect IoT healthcare devices from data breaches. The way to go ahead is proper authentication control. Some basic practices that can be adopted include changing passwords at regular intervals and ensuring the account is blocked for a defined time frame after repeated failed attempts.

Wrapping Up

There have been active researches across the industry that predict the interference of ransomware for a medical device or wearable technology. It’s obvious that IoT devices are here to stay and their involvement in healthcare cannot be limited. They help you cut costs and increase the efficiency of your systems to a great extent.

Hence, it’s is important to ensure that the networks we use run on automated workflows and give quick access to critical work information while ensuring the security of your applications. This can easily be accomplished by implementing proper security policies and implementing solutions that focus on vulnerabilities and configuration assessments, along with proper event monitoring.

Security of IoT healthcare devices isn’t just about figuring out security risks and securing data. It’s more about building strong and long-lasting relationships with your clients. You need a strong testing partner to create that kind of impact with your clients. ImpactQA’s dynamic application security testing services effectively expose your software vulnerabilities to minimize risks and ensure better security and scalability of your application.

Have a new project in mind? Schedule a call with our experts now!

The post Security and Privacy Issues with IoT Healthcare Devices appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
https://www.impactqa.com/blog/security-and-privacy-issues-with-iot-healthcare-devices/feed/ 0
IoT Technology: An Inevitable Aspect in Real Estate Management https://www.impactqa.com/blog/iot-technology-an-inevitable-aspect-in-real-estate-investment-management/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/iot-technology-an-inevitable-aspect-in-real-estate-investment-management/#respond Thu, 29 Jul 2021 10:44:23 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=20132 Though the term, Internet of Things (IoT) was coined over twenty years ago, its relevance […]

The post IoT Technology: An Inevitable Aspect in Real Estate Management appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
Though the term, Internet of Things (IoT) was coined over twenty years ago, its relevance in today’s market is more than ever. While consumer-oriented IoT devices have gained more popularity today, it’s the enterprise-level adoption of the technology that’s destined to have a bigger impact across industries. The Commercial Real Estate (CRE) industry is uniquely positioned to implement this technology with the use of efficient IoT enabled building management systems to enhance a building’s performance and ultimately deliver an enhanced building user experience. A recent smart city forecast by Mordor Intelligence states the smart cities market was valued at USD 739.78 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 2036.10 billion by 2026 and grow at a CAGR of 18.22% over the forecast period (2021 – 2026). The increase in the adoption of green technology will drive the market in the forecast period. It also mentions how leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) through the Internet of Things (IoT) will continue to unlock opportunities within cities, including autonomous vehicles, adaptive energy systems, and even smart healthcare.

Region-wise growth rate forecast of smart cities across the world for the year 2019-2024

Additionally, as per research by Gartner, smart commercial buildings will be the highest user of the Internet of Things (IoT) until 2017, after which smart homes will take the lead with just over 1 billion connected things in 2018. Other than allowing CRE to expose wide segments of the universal population to IoT technology, these advancements will provide property owners to have direct relationships with the users. This would lead to building relationships with customers as well as strengthening tenant engagement.

 

Suggested Read

All You Need to Know about the Internet of Things (IoT)

 

IoT At a Glance: Introduction

The popular IoT technology that we most often talk about involves a network of internet-connected devices, such as processors, sensors and communication hardware, that work in a collective environment to gather and transfer data with limited human intervention. Having said that, the primary backbone of any IoT based application is data. These devices collect data through embedded sensors via machine learning.
One of the major highlights of IoT is the seamless communication systems it offers between people, processes and things. It produces the necessary data and insights needed to visualise usage patterns and streamline work processes to get that necessary edge in the market.

 

IoT in Real Estate Industry

With technology overpowering almost every other sector of the current business scenario, the fundamental truth about commercial real estate is the location. Better the location, the higher the price. The latest IoT based Commercial Real Estate (CRE) applications come into the picture here. They help create value to the customer, differentiate from competitors and help find new sources of revenue along with simplifying the search for regular hygiene requirements like availability of nearby customers, employees, suppliers, etc.
Even though IoT has had a significant impact on the cost reduction strategies, their primary aim is to grow margins and enable advanced features such as dramatically more efficient infrastructure operations, enhanced tenant relationships and latest revenue generation opportunities all contributing towards smarter living spaces. Consider the popular smart thermostats that help adjust the temperature, humidity and light based on your preference and climatic conditions.

 

Why Real Estate?

To note, one of the major sources of successful IoT adoption in any system is the further development of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Development is the key. All major decisions that we take are based on the data that’s collected from interconnected devices synthesized into one system. That’s where AI comes in.

Utility And Energy Efficiency

The focus today has moved towards the adoption of technology that drives energy and utility efficiencies. Cost savings from energy-efficient practices can make a huge impact on net operating income (NOI). For example:

  • Considering climatic changes while incorporating advances in property systems
  • Fine charged in case of non-compliance to property owners

Property Management

One of the primary motivators to advanced property management practices has been the intrusion of COVID19. To elaborate, one of the basic applications of IoT in real estate is the development of smart homes and buildings. The use of Alexa or smart lock systems on your door or using applications like DARWIN by Delos that helps promote wellness in the home and mitigate the environmental factors that can impact health, happiness and wellbeing are all examples of technological advancements that streamlines the property management process.
With the coming in of COVID19, focus towards touchless solutions has increased. Areas like building entry points, door handles, stairs, doors and elevators are focus areas that contribute towards the transmission of the COVID virus. Touchless solutions are deployed in these areas to streamline operations that require integration through applications. Now, because these applications have high user dependencies, thorough quality assurance services are required to ensure the app is well integrated with smooth data transmission and coding.

 

Suggested Read

Top 7 Security Measures for IoT Systems

 

Real Estate Investment Management and IoT

Let’s have a look at how IoT has been penetrating the real estate investment management industry.

1. Increased Acquisitions

Property renting and buying applications that help acquire properties are the target applications that require property management features. Devices are installed to transmit data directly from the internet. Information that includes data about the square footage rea, prices, 360-degree virtual tours, amenities, etc.

2. Financial Evaluations

Data integration, an essential feature of IoT here can help collect relevant information in terms of property costs based on their location, connectivity, ease of living, etc. This data aids decision making to your customers and in turn help avoid poor financial planning.

3. Trends and Predictive Analysis

With updated applications supported by ML, AI and enhanced predictive analysis, investment managers get assistance in better decision making. Management can access data that talks about the latest market trends and advancements.

4. Improved Development

IoT assists with the development phases of real estate investment management through updates on necessary repairs and maintenance requirements indicated by IoT enabled smart applications. IoT devices are used to transform properties into smart buildings that are much more valuable to the current property market.

 

To Conclude

Modern businesses today are highly motivated by IoT advancements and the possibility of reducing operational costs, improving revenue and increasing productivity. Businesses that utilise IoT can thrive in the coming future, as they achieve a significant edge over their competitors in the market.
IoT technology allows them to automate processes and decrease labour costs. As a result, IoT is one of the most essential technologies of the modern business world, and it will continue to gain popularity as more businesses recognize its potential to keep them competitive.
The integration of these technical devices is the key to a fully functional and efficient application. We at ImpactQA provide end to end functional and non-functional validation services for IoT implementations on multiple devices in a dynamic working environment. Our comprehensive software testing solutions ensure security and quality to stay connected, leveraging technology for advanced ways of living.

Hire our dedicated IoT testing services to overcome integration challenges related to your applications & products.

The post IoT Technology: An Inevitable Aspect in Real Estate Management appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
https://www.impactqa.com/blog/iot-technology-an-inevitable-aspect-in-real-estate-investment-management/feed/ 0
What is the Role of IoT & Machine Learning in Smart Cities? https://www.impactqa.com/blog/what-is-the-role-of-iot-machine-learning-in-smart-cities/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/what-is-the-role-of-iot-machine-learning-in-smart-cities/#comments Tue, 15 Dec 2020 08:35:04 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=16196 The global population has entered the peak phase of modernization, which involves easy access to […]

The post What is the Role of IoT & Machine Learning in Smart Cities? appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
The global population has entered the peak phase of modernization, which involves easy access to cutting edge technology. If you are living in an urban setup, you are already surrounded by an intelligent network of interconnected gadgets that are part of your daily routine. The idea of a ‘smart city’ can be defined as a sustainable framework that comprises information data and communication technologies to create & organize practices that smartly support urbanization.

What is essential for planning a smart city? The discussed framework comprises wireless technologies such as interconnected devices and the cloud, thereby acquiring a significant share. To endorse such a concept the likes of the Internet of things (IoT) & Machine learning (ML) are preferred without any doubt. These technologies are capable of absorbing the various demands of urbanization through the delivery of innovative and smarter options aimed towards comfortable living.

“Smart Cities are those who manage their resources efficiently. Traffic, public services and disaster response should be operated intelligently in order to minimize costs, reduce carbon emissions and increase performance” –

Eduadro Paes

 

IoT applications’ presence is to manage and examine real-time data that collaborates with machine learning and works to assist municipalities, citizens, and organizations in upgrading the quality of living. According to Statista, It is estimated that the global share of people residing in urban areas will rise to 70% by 2050, as compared to 56% in 2020.

 

Suggested Read

All You Need to Know about the Internet of Things (IoT)

IoT in Smart City

Transforming any city into a smart city requires the active deployment of IoT technologies. You can look around and pick up several practical examples across different industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation. The extensiveness of the internet across global regions is the core of IoT applications. Apart from the reduced cost of connection, the introduction of better gadgets with sophisticated sensors and Wi-Fi connectivity contributes to smarter involvement of the Internet of Things.

 

ImpactQA - Smart City Solutions
Smart City Model

AI/ML in Smart City

The availability of intelligent machines through Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML) has been crucial in escalating the concept of smart cities. You can now incorporate sharp computing programs merged with human intelligence to create a cyber-physical space that includes traffic sensors, video cameras, environment sensors, smart meters, etc. Data acquisition is carried out on a regular basis to frame actionable insights targeted towards intelligent city planning.

 

Suggested Read

How IoT and Machine Learning is Changing the World?

Combined Applications of IoT & ML in Smart Cities

Intelligent Parking Systems

Since we are already familiar with IoT’s role across vehicle tracking platforms, its merger with ML can be used to support smart parking systems. These systems aim to spot vacant locations for a vehicle to be parked, especially in public places.

How does this technology function? An In-Ground vehicle detection sensor’s presence makes it possible as they are implanted within the pavement of various parking spaces. They are responsible for collecting data comprising time and duration for which space has been occupied by vehicles. Later, the data is transferred to the cloud to be processed and sent to the drivers searching for empty parking spaces.

Machine learning algorithms are also put in place to highlight peak hours that are possible with the comprehensive analysis of past trends and real-time data. The availability of an intelligent parking system is beneficial in reducing pointless congestion and fuel costs for people.

Public Safety

To uplift public safety within an urban city, you can actively use IoT technologies that are focused on providing real-time information via CCTV cameras and sensing tools. The comprehensive data collected using these systems help forecast potential criminal activities and implement safety measures.

For instance, the most striking arrangement of safety management is the deployment of the gunshot detection system. It involves connected microphones that are set up in different parts of the city. They collect sound patterns on a regular basis that is later passed onto the cloud platforms for processing. Machine learning is then introduced to filter out the sound of a gunshot. Interestingly, vital factors such as the gun’s location can also be estimated by calculating the sound’s speed reaching the sensor.  

Smart Traffic Administration

Transportation is one prime aspect that can achieve a smoother arrangement with the inclusion of smart traffic solutions. The aim is to achieve avoid vehicle coagulation and help citizens save time and fuel. This can be achieved by deploying various sensors that can record speed, location, and other important information related to your vehicle.  

 Some of the useful systems included in smart traffic management are:

  • CCTV cameras
  • Road-surface sensors
  • Traffic management platform

ImpactQA - Smart Traffic ManagementAll these systems together help collect real-time data, which is then analyzed using machine learning. Hence, the user is served with updates related to traffic congestion, road divergence, and other related info. Furthermore, historical data can also be examined with the help of machine learning to highlight peak rush hours beforehand.

Water Management Plan

Water supply and conservation are part of sustainable living for urban cities. The act of setting up a water management system that includes devices such as smart meters is proving helpful to track down water consumption. Furthermore, average consumption for each household, enterprise, or industry can be evaluated using ML technology. Future consumption stats can also be assessed with machine learning algorithms applied to past data.

A smart water management system is efficient in improving water distribution across a city without compromising water pressure and quality. At present, several cities across the globe have started the use of these smart meters to avert potential leaks across underground water pipelines.

Smart Street Lamps

The operation of street lamps can be conveniently managed with IoT devices playing their part. Smart cities are now getting decorated with sensor-fitted street lamps that are linked to cloud platforms. These sensors are responsible for collecting information related to

The sensors help gather relevant data on radiance, schedule of public transport, operational timing, etc. Real-time data availability is useful to analyze various scenarios when merged with historical data and machine learning. Hence, smart lighting solutions help control the brightness and power on/off for streetlights based on traffic volume, timings, and environmental conditions.

Conclusion

The world is heading towards a supremely computerized environment well channelized by modern age technologies such as IoT, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. As mentioned above, we have discussed the application and usage of these technologies for planning a smart city that offers relaxed and comfortable living. For the perfect implementation of new technologies and IoT devices, collaboration with digital transformation experts and software testing providers is a must. It is expected that in the near future the knowledge of such professionals will be applied to remodel multiple cities around the globe.

 

The post What is the Role of IoT & Machine Learning in Smart Cities? appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
https://www.impactqa.com/blog/what-is-the-role-of-iot-machine-learning-in-smart-cities/feed/ 1
IoT Testing Tools and Testing Approach https://www.impactqa.com/blog/iot-testing-tools-and-testing-approach/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/iot-testing-tools-and-testing-approach/#respond Mon, 06 Jul 2020 08:23:44 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=15013 Internet of Things or IoT did emerge as a futuristic technology that gave industry leaders […]

The post IoT Testing Tools and Testing Approach appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
Internet of Things or IoT did emerge as a futuristic technology that gave industry leaders a prospective viewpoint. At present, you can easily spot the dominance of IoT and its devices ranging from software, computerized machines, actuators, and a lot more. The role of the internet is imperative for operating these devices since it enables data transfer automatically without any human interference.

In simplistic terms, an IoT device is capable of developing a smooth communication with other devices to accommodate greater convenience. According to Gartner, more than 6.4 billion IoT devices were active in 2016; the count is expected to cross 20 billion by 2026-end. Hence, the importance of IoT testing involving devices has enhanced to ensure system performance and security.

These days, popular technology companies along with other effective business moguls have understood the usefulness of IoT testing. To execute this practice, you need to focus on the best IoT testing tools as well as the testing approaches put in place.

 

Suggested Read

All You Need to Know about the Internet of Things (IoT)

 

 

Top IoT Testing Tools

While making a selection for the perfect IoT testing tool, it is essential to stress on certain vital parameters. These parameters are company-specific and do vary for small-, medium- and large-sized enterprises. Here are the top five testing tool options for skillfully integrating workflow for your IoT products.

 

Blazemeter

This is a well-liked API testing platform created over an open-source JMeter. The popularity of Blazemeter has been long-lived. It makes use of a personalized language to write tests that can later be transformed into JMeter format. The benefit of Blazemeter for conducting IoT testing is managed with the help of the MQTT JMeter plugin.

 

Gatling

Gatling is marked as a load testing tool for applications and websites. Interestingly, this IoT testing tool offers an enterprise version termed as Gatling Frontline. It is known to support continuous test process management along with advanced dashboards to carry out analytics and reporting. For carrying out IoT testing, Gatling makes use of an MQTT extension.

 

LoadRunner

It is the oldest and most famous testing tool that is admired within the DevOps communities. LoadRunner is known to support some of the most comprehensive sets of protocols to test all kinds of software applications. This testing tool actively supports both CoAP and MQTT, making it a more resourceful instrument for IoT devices.   

 

IoTIFY

IoTIFY is a unique testing tool that focuses on IoT simulation together with load testing. Therefore, IoTIFY conveniently offers numerous features including battery modeling, GPS coordinates in real-time, and device-to-device interaction. Interestingly, with IoTIFY the overall test setup is effectively run on the cloud.

 

Locust

This python-based tool is ranked higher among IoT testing tools open source. The primary purpose of Locust is to offer scalability through high-end load testing distributed over diverse machines. Furthermore, the benefit of writing personally scripted protocol plugin with Locust allows efficient IoT testing.

 

Suggested Read

Top 5 IoT Testing Challenges for Testing Experts

 

Test Approach for IoT Testing

Below mentioned are the prime IoT testing approaches you can follow to ensure the supreme functioning of various IoT devices.

 

Connectivity

Connectivity does play a vital role while ensuring IoT testing for the involved devices. Under this, the concerned system needs to be available at all times and should possess flawless connectivity by the collaborators.

To be precise, it is essential to ensure that the transfer of data, as well as task update from the devices, is seamless whenever the connection is active and running.

 

ImpactQA-Iot-testing-approach

 

Security

It should be remembered that IoT is purely data-centric since all the connected devices operate on the available data. Hence, there are possibilities that data can be read or retrieved at the time of transfer.

As a result, it is important to check whether or not the data is protected whenever it is transferred between different devices. Security is one of the crucial IoT testing approaches that are abided by most organizations in today’s time.

 

Performance

While discussing the performance-based approach for IoT testing, you need to confirm if the system is flexible enough for the whole company. Performance testing check is mainly carried out by simulating devices from diverse locations. Moreover, different network technologies are also incorporated for receiving better results.

The extensiveness of the Internet of Things (IoT) has assisted the birth of several life-changing technological models. The role of IoT testing is basically to ensure the quality and working strength of IoT devices that are part of well-organized systems. To learn better about IoT testing operations, you can talk to knowledgeable professionals at ImpactQA. For each of your queries, these experts will serve you with precise answers and solutions.

The post IoT Testing Tools and Testing Approach appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
https://www.impactqa.com/blog/iot-testing-tools-and-testing-approach/feed/ 0
Top 7 Security Measures for IoT Systems https://www.impactqa.com/blog/top-7-security-measures-for-iot-systems/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/top-7-security-measures-for-iot-systems/#respond Mon, 01 Jun 2020 09:45:20 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=14483 It is important to understand that the Internet of Things (IoT) is based on the […]

The post Top 7 Security Measures for IoT Systems appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
It is important to understand that the Internet of Things (IoT) is based on the concept of providing remote user access anywhere around the world to acquire data, operate computers, and other devices. The widespread IoT network includes computing devices along with unrelated machines that are solely responsible to transfer data excluding human-to-computer or human-to-human involvement.

The outbreak of technology and vitality smart devices in diverse sectors such as energy, finance, government, etc, makes it imperative to focus on their security standards. As per security firm, Kaspersky, close to one-third (28%) of companies managing IoT systems were threatened with attacks impacting their internet-connected devices during the year 2019. Furthermore, almost 61% of organizations are actively making use of IoT platforms; thereby, enhancing the overall scope for IoT security in the coming years.

 

Suggested Read

What is the Role of IoT & Machine Learning in Smart Cities?

 

Below mentioned are seven crucial steps for a business to uplift IoT security for preventing a data breach.

 

  • Swapping Default Passwords

The foremost step to enhance IoT security is through a sensible approach. It is recommended for businesses to enforce procedures that permit the changing of default passwords. This action should be implemented for each of their IoT devices present on the network. In addition, the updated passwords need to be changed on a timely basis. For added safety, the passwords can be simply stored in a password vault. This step can prevent unauthorized users from gaining access to valuable information.

 

  • Detach Corporate Network

 Count it as an essential step to split the corporate network from unmanaged IoT devices. This can include security cameras, HVAC systems, temperature control devices, smart televisions, electronic signage, security NVRs and DVRs, media centres, network-connected lighting and network-connected clocks. The businesses can make use of VLANs to separate and further track various IoT devices active on the network. This also allows analyzing important functions like facility operations, medical equipment, and security operations.

 

Suggested Read

How IoT and Machine Learning is Changing the World?

 

  • Limit Unnecessary Internet Admittance to IoT Devices

Many devices run on outdated operating systems. This can become a threat since any such embedded operating system can be purposely reached out to command and direct locations. In the past, there have been incidents when such systems have been compromised before they got transported from other nations. To completely wash out an IoT security threat is not possible but IoT devices can be prevented from communicating outside the organization. Such a preventive measure outstandingly reduces the dangers of a potential IoT security breach.

Impact QA - IoT Security Measures

 

  • Control Vendor Access to IoT Devices

 In order to improve IoT security, several businesses have limited the count of vendors gaining access to different IoT devices. As a smart move, you can limit access to those individuals already functioning under the careful supervision of skilled employees. In case remote access is highly necessary, keep a check that vendors make use of the same solutions similar to in-house personnel. This can include access via a corporate VPN solution. Moreover, enterprises should assign a staff member to supervise remote access solutions on a regularly. This individual should be well versed with certain aspects of software testing to manage the task with proficiency.

 

  • Incorporate Vulnerability Scanner

The use of vulnerability scanners is an effective method in detecting the different types of devices linked to a network. This can be viewed as a useful IoT testing tool for businesses to improve their IoT security. Vulnerability scanner in collaboration with a regular scanning schedule is capable of spotting known vulnerabilities related to connected devices. You can easily access several affordable choices of vulnerability scanners available in the market. If not a vulnerability scanner, try accessing free scanning options such as NMAP.

 

Suggested Read

Top 5 IoT Testing Challenges for Testing Experts

 

  • Utilize Network Access Control (NAC)

An organization can successfully improve IoT security by implementing a NAC solution consisting of a proper switch and wireless assimilations. This setup can help detect most devices and recognize problematic connections within the network. A NAC solution, for example, ForeScout, Aruba ClearPass, or CISCO ISE, are efficient tools to secure your business network. If in case a NAC solution doesn’t fall within the budget, you can make use of a vulnerability scanner for fulfilling the purpose.

 

  • Manage Updated Software

Having obsolete software can directly influence IoT security for your organization. Try to manage your IoT devices by keeping them up-to-date and replacing the hardware to ensure smooth operations. Delaying the update can prove a crucial factor to safeguard data and invite serious cybersecurity breaches.

Security arrangements with IoT devices are helpful for businesses to minimize operational costs, enhance productivity, and deliver better customer experience. The above pointers can be understood and applied to sharpen IoT security directed at escalating your business’s reach. To learn more about safeguarding IoT devices, you can simply connect with professional experts at ImpactQA.

The post Top 7 Security Measures for IoT Systems appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
https://www.impactqa.com/blog/top-7-security-measures-for-iot-systems/feed/ 0
Top 5 IoT Testing Challenges for Testing Experts https://www.impactqa.com/blog/top-5-iot-testing-challenges-for-testing-experts/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/top-5-iot-testing-challenges-for-testing-experts/#respond Tue, 07 Apr 2020 16:32:32 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=13467 The Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as a dominant segment to empower technology at […]

The post Top 5 IoT Testing Challenges for Testing Experts appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>

The Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as a dominant segment to empower technology at the global level. Over the years, IoT has successfully captured both virtual and digital platforms. You will be surprised to know that close to 6.4 billion devices were linked to the Internet of Things (IoT) in 2016; the count is expected to surpass 20 billion by 2026!

Globally, inventors and innovators are determined towards the creation of smart gadgets for improving the lives of humans. But it is the testing professionals who are responsible for keeping a check on the safe functionality of different smart tools. For ensuring you do not face any performance, functionality or security issues in IoT devices, the testing experts need to act is a smart and tactical manner.

It might sound cliché that testing all things listed under IoT is essential, but even then there are several organizations that ignore and sideline the imperativeness of this act. Similar to this problem, there are several other challenges to IoT testing that need to be highlighted.

Let us try to focus on the top five challenges to IoT testing that should be addressed and resolved by testing professionals.

 

Suggested Read

How IoT and Machine Learning is Changing the World?

 

1. Diversification of IoT Devices and Platforms

 

The presence of different variations of hardware and software concerned with IoT devices makes it slightly difficult to streamline the testing process. This can be described with the inclusion of diverse versions of firmware and operating systems, which makes it unreasonable to test every possible hardware and software combination.

 As a possible solution, you can accumulate data from the client source to acquire the list of devices and software versions they use. Once you are aware of their device preference as well as the operating systems to test, make the most of this information for testing certain basic combinations guided in the correct direction.

 

 

2. Investigating Various Protocols of IoT Communications

Presently, IoT devices are known to implement a diverse set of protocols associated with communications. For instance, protocols like Extensible Messaging, Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT), Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) and Presence Protocol (XMPP) are considered common, and each of them has their advantages and disadvantages. 

An API is usually layered over transport protocol to make it less difficult for developers when it comes to forming a connection using the device. At the time of test automation, the testing professional can make use of the APIs and protocols along with the test plan. However, the IoT testing tool needs to hold the capability to assist these protocols and APIs without any significant inconvenience.

 

3. Modern Security Risks with IoT Devices

As per bizarre statistical data, more than 70% of IoT devices are at risk against problems associated with security. It is the task assigned to the testers who must ensure better guidelines for a gadget’s password policy, together with the authorization aspect also given careful consideration.

 

4. Overloading Network Channels & Quick Data Concerns

It is crucial to remember that associated IoT gadgets heavily rely on quick communication. Hence, the network status is bound to impact the performance of a chosen IoT device. It is the task of experts to ensure certain pointers related to IoT testing of gadgets, which include:

  • Exceptional devices do face issues as a result of network infrastructure; for example, unstable network hardware, congested WiFi channels, and inconsistent web connections. Therefore, the IoT devices and applications should be tested keeping in mind these peculiar conditions.
  • Creating a network using the greater part of the varied conditions can be considered reasonable for once. As per observations, developers and testers frequently indulge in network virtualization to systematically replicate distinctive network settings. Investigation of CPU and memory simultaneously with IoT testing should be involved during the analysis of device system metrics.

 

Suggested Read

All You Need to Know about the Internet of Things (IoT)

 

5. Vast Presence of IoT Applications to Pose Major Challenge

One of the serious IoT testing challenges is linked to the presence of greater IoT devices and applications. With a purpose to authorize their performance and functionalities, there is a need to talk about well-structured test capabilities.

  • It all comes down to the testers, who should possess an effective test strategy and ensure that the gadgets together with the software are constantly approved with the correct version.
  • Furthermore, if the framework is dependent on the services laid down by the intermediary, there are chances that the tests might fall short as the intermediary service revamp. With the implementation of automated IoT testing, any shortcomings can be rapidly highlighted.

The correct and safe operation of any IoT device or gadget does require such IoT testing challenges to be resolved at the earliest. The above-mentioned issues with IoT testing can be suitably understood through testing experts at ImpactQA. You can connect with them to gather information related to all sorts of  IoT testing services.

The post Top 5 IoT Testing Challenges for Testing Experts appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
https://www.impactqa.com/blog/top-5-iot-testing-challenges-for-testing-experts/feed/ 0
How IoT and Machine Learning is Changing the World? https://www.impactqa.com/blog/how-iot-and-machine-learning-is-changing-the-world/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/how-iot-and-machine-learning-is-changing-the-world/#respond Thu, 24 Oct 2019 07:21:33 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=11453 What is Machine Learning? What is the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)? How IoT (Internet […]

The post How IoT and Machine Learning is Changing the World? appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>

  • What is Machine Learning?
  • What is the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)?
  • How IoT (Internet of Things) and Machine Learning affect our life?
  • Challenges- IoT and Machine Learning
  • Solution

IoT and Machine Learning are getting smarter. Companies are incorporating artificial intelligence (AI)—in specific, machine learning—into their IoT apps. From smart thermostats to wireless sensors, IoT devices are gradually but positively garnering mainstream adoption. Virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Cortana are only making this technology easy to adopt.

The core purpose behind advancement in the IoT space is to help information move smoothly and seamlessly. For as much as we condemn technology, we can all recall a moment when the right message has appeared at the right time, with perfect user experience.

The truth of IoT and Artificial Intelligence – specifically machine learning – is far less sinister. It is shaping the way we live, travel, work, and communicate. In fact, it is shaping our lives smartly and the decisions we make.

 

Suggested Read

All You Need to Know about the Internet of Things (IoT)

 

The proliferation of smart IoT devices is shaping the future and gives instant access to the information world.

Let’s have a glance at these burning IoT statistics:

  • There are about 17 billion inter-connected devices in the globe as of 2018. With more than 7 Billion of these IoT (internet of things) devices. (Source- IoT Analytics)
  • According to McKinsey Global Institute, each second, 127 new IoT devices connect to the net.
  • The global IoT market is expected to be worth $1.7T in 2019. (Source: CBI Insights)
Worldwide  Iot Active Connection Graph Worldwide IoT Active Connection Graph

 

What is Machine Learning?

ML is one of the critical components of AI, where a computer is programmed with the ability to improve its performance. In short, Machine Learning is all about analyzing big data – the automatic extraction of information & using it to make predictions.

Netflix, Amazon, Google, and other E-Commerce platforms use it to bring semantic outcome. It is based on algorithms that analyze the user’s purchasing history to predict their preference. Machine learning is gradually integrating into all verticals, through automation of physical labor, we are improving the connectivity and shaping the future of AI and the IoT.

 

What is the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)?

The Industrial IoT or Industry 4.0 or the 4th industrial revolution are the terms generally used for IoT technology in a business setting. The concept is similar to the consumer IoT; to use wireless networks, a mix of sensors, big data and analytics to optimize industrial processes.

IoT devices provide information and analytics to connect the world of hardware devices and high-speed internet.

 

Suggested Read

What is the Role of IoT & Machine Learning in Smart Cities?

 

We can separate the Industrial IoT into two main categories:

  • Industrial IoT- The Industrial IoT, connects devices and machines in sectors like healthcare, transportation, power generation, etc.
  • Commercial IoT- Commercial IoT sits between industrial IoT and consumer and shares aspects of both.

 

How IoT (Internet of Things) and Machine Learning affect our life?

IoT and ML are improving the way we live and communicate in our lives. For instance, the AlterEgo headset easily responds to our brainwaves to control appliances and on the other hand, Alexa and Amazon’s Echo enables the voice-activated control of your high-tech smart-house.

This amalgamation of IoT and Machine Learning is changing various industries and the relationships that companies have with their clients. Businesses can easily gather and transform data into valuable information with IoT.

IoT is also transforming business models by helping companies to move from concentrating on products & services to companies that give the best outcomes. By impacting organizations’ business models, the blend of IoT-enabled devices & sensors with ML creates a collaborative world that aligns itself around results & innovation.

 

Challenges- IoT and Machine Learning

These days’ enterprises are flooded with data that comes from IoT devices and is seeking AI to help manage the devices. It is tough to manage and extract crucial information from these systems than we might expect.

There are aspects to IoT like data storage, connectivity, security, app development, system integration, and even processes that are changing in this space. Another layer of complexity with the Internet of Things has to do with functionality level.

Critical challenges that companies face with IoT and ML are with the application, ease of access, and analysis of IoT data. If you have a set of data from varied sources, you can run some statistical analysis with that data. However, if you want to be proactive to predict events to take future actions, a business needs to learn how to use these technologies.

Many firms are turning to the main cloud platform providers — for instance, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Alibaba Cloud, or IBM. These companies offer a range of services to store IoT data and prepare it for data analytics, plus to train and run machine-learning models. They also assist in creating graphs, dashboards, and other simple-to-grasp layouts to visualize the information these models generate. Overall, IoT and Machine Learning are combined to provide high visibility and control of the wide range of devices connected to the Internet.

 

Suggested Read

Top 5 IoT Testing Challenges for Testing Experts

 

Solutions-How can we help you?

Futurists say ML (Machine Learning) and the Internet of Things (IoT) will transform business profoundly than the digital and industrial revolutions combined.

Are there some kinds of risks? Yes, as with any new technology, we have to accept both the profit and risks that come with mainstream adoption. We can do this with the confidence only when these technologies are tested against several odds.

One of the innovative solutions for seamless operation flow is IoT testing. There will be several other types of testing which require to be considered to cover the comprehensive functionality of IoT devices.

As part of ImpactQA’s Advisory Services, we also provide an implementation plan to help our clients improve time-to-market while keeping their business goals in mind. We use our assessment frameworks (like Chatbot testing framework, RPA Testing framework, etc.), based on industry best standards, focusing on processes, tools, and infrastructure.

Collaborate with our specialists to improve all QA areas – people, processes, tools, and infrastructure across the delivery life-cycle.

The post How IoT and Machine Learning is Changing the World? appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
https://www.impactqa.com/blog/how-iot-and-machine-learning-is-changing-the-world/feed/ 0
All You Need to Know about the Internet of Things (IoT) https://www.impactqa.com/blog/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-internet-of-things-iot/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-internet-of-things-iot/#respond Tue, 28 May 2019 11:38:39 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=6399 The era of modern technology began in 1973 with Motorola’s invention of mobile phones. Then […]

The post All You Need to Know about the Internet of Things (IoT) appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
The era of modern technology began in 1973 with Motorola’s invention of mobile phones. Then the idea of ‘ network of networks ‘ came in 1983, and in 1990 it took a more recognizable form. Smart phones took the world to a whole new level somewhere in the early twenty-first century. Every day, the world’s constant increase in technical intensity is becoming smarter, after the smart mobile phones, we’ve made everything around us shrewd. With the Internet of Things, the latest developments in the technical era make things easy to access.

 

What is the Internet of Things?

Simply put, this is basically the concept of connecting any device to the Internet (or/and to each other) with an on & off switch. This includes everything from headphones, mobile phones, washing machines, coffee makers, lamps, wearable devices, and just about anything else you might think of. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the inter-networking of physical devices and network connectivity that allows these objects to collect and exchange information.

IoT evolved from the convergence of wireless technologies, micro-electromechanical (MEMS) systems, micro-services, and the Internet. The connection helped to tear down the silo walls between Information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) making it possible to analyze unstructured machine-generated data for insights that drive improvements.

This all depends on your industry: in terms of IoT, manufacturing is perhaps the farthest forward, as it is useful to organize tools, machines, and people, and track where they are. Farmers also turned to connected sensors to monitor crops as well as cattle, hoping to boost their herds ‘ production, efficiency, and health.

The examples are endless, and all we can predict is that connected devices are likely to penetrate most businesses, just like computers and the web. When the efficiencies are with tools or plants, it’s easy to appreciate the potential benefit, but when it’s office workers who are being squeezed for more productivity, it might take a bit of a dystopian shade: imagine your security access card is used to track where you’re in the building, so your boss can totally spend how much time in the kitchen making tea.

 

Suggested Read

IoT Testing Tools and Testing Approach

 

How big is IoT?

HP conducted a small survey estimating the rise of connected devices over the years and surprising results. Are we moving towards a world that is fully automated?

These devices will bridge the gap between the physical & digital world to get a better life, society, and industries ‘ quality and productivity. Smart homes are the most awaited feature with IoT catching up, with brands already competing with smart appliances. Wearables are one more feature trending second on the internet. With the launch of Apple Watch and more devices to flow in, these connected devices are going to keep us hooked with the inter-connected world.

An Explosion of Connected Possibility
An Explosion of Connected Possibility

 

Industrial Internet of Things

The Industrial Internet of Things originally described the IoT (Internet of Things) as it is used in a number of industries, such as manufacturing, logistics, oil and gas, transportation, energy/ services, mining and metals, aviation, and other industries, and in use cases typical of these industries.

Industrial IoT in the above sense was mainly used to distinguish between use cases, actual use and specific technologies as leveraged primarily for manufacturing and, later, other industries on the one hand and IoT enterprise applications and consumer IoT applications on the other.

 

IOT and its Impact on Testing

So what impact on software testing will the Internet of Things have? What’s going to change? Just as introducing smartphones and mobile apps brought new concerns to testing (including touchscreen gestures, location awareness, and orientation concerns), testing smart devices on the Internet of Things will also require some recalibration. While tests running against computer software involve keyboard and mouse input, smart device testing must take into account the data received from the sensors of the device as well as user input by tapping and typing. It will be necessary to test “in the wild” will be required.

IOT Testing Types

The Internet of Things could restructure the development of software across the board and release it into an intuitive operation in depth. The incredible growth in IoT customer demand is amazing software companies, with many predicting that the Internet of Things will permeate the industry by 2020. While companies were the largest initial IoT consumers, public enthusiasm for mobile computing devices has recently outstripped corporate interest. Consequently, the present challenge is to increase the scope of IoT testing.

Automated testing is essential for IoT testing to be designed, planned and implemented. IoT is set to be a reminder of when mobile phones and tablets started off in the early 2000s with a whole new set of development and testing requirements. IoT brings new software deployment development and testing requirements.

Looking at the innovative onslaught of the Internet of Things one sees mobility and diversity advancing technology. With test integration and automation, QA teams are well-set to design testing procedures to ensure further IoT technology expansion.

 

Suggested Read

Top 7 Security Measures for IoT Systems

 

But, Is It Safe to Get Things Connected?

The facts say that many development teams for IoT applications do not follow industry best practices to design safe and secure embedded systems, putting all mobile applications and the entire IoT infrastructure at risk. As technology becomes more intertwined with the physical world, the effects of failures in security are escalating. Like a chess game – where simple rules can lead to nearly limitless possibilities – the complexity of IoT interconnections exceeds our ability to unravel them quickly.

 

The post All You Need to Know about the Internet of Things (IoT) appeared first on ImpactQA.

]]>
https://www.impactqa.com/blog/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-internet-of-things-iot/feed/ 0