1. Enormous Scale:

The number of devices that need to be managed and that communicate with each other will be much larger than the devices connected to the current Internet. The management of data generated from these devices and their interpretation for application purposes becomes more critical.

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2. Connectivity:

The heart and soul of IoT is its connectivity. Connectivity means the establishment of a connection between different devices (or nodes) so that they can communicate on their own. In IoT, various devices, sensors, computers, and data busses need to interact and communicate with each other. A fast, safe, and secure connection is a must for IoT to be of any business use.  IoT also connects devices with cross-domain technology like cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology. We can connect them over radio waves, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or wires. 

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3. Intelligence:

IoT becomes a lot more useful when combined with artificial intelligence. For instance, if you are out of groceries, your smart refrigerator can notify you to bring some on your way back home. Things like these have been made possible by the application of artificial intelligence. IoT devices collect raw data from their surroundings and convert them into something useful and insightful. The IoT devices and systems are also trained with various machine learning models so that they can better understand the changes in their surroundings and perform better.

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4. Dynamic Nature:

IoT systems should be dynamic in to change according to the changes in their environment to be of any business use. Let us understand this with an example. A smart air conditioner should be able to set the temperature of the room according to the prevalent weather conditions using the data gathered by the temperature sensor. It must also be able to set the perfect humidity level inside the room according to the changes in the humidity level of the surroundings. 

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5. Security:

Security is one of the major concerns among the users of IoT. IoT systems carry and store a lot of sensitive information, so the security of the devices and the data flowing between them should be given foremost priority. Proper security and safety measures are implemented while designing an IoT system to prevent a possible breach of security. Resources and investment required to ensure a safe and conductive IoT system are huge, but its safety and security must be ensured. Failing to do so can lead to mistrust among its users and businesses and can reduce its demand.

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6. Sensing:

IoT devices gather information about their surroundings (such as temperature, light, sound, acceleration, pressure) and then, after analyzing the data, take a decision. Thus, sensors help in automation by gathering information and taking actions that would otherwise, be done by humans. The raw data gathered, and the analyzed data, serve as the basis of the functioning of IoT. For example, in an automatic door, sensors would collect data through sensors such as radar sensors and optical sensors. If it detects a person coming, it will open the door automatically. Some sensors used in IoT are- Humidity sensor, temperature sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Motion sensor, image sensor, level sensor, and Proximity sensor.

 

7. Heterogeneity:

IoT devices are limited in terms of communication capabilities, processing power, and energy consumption due to their low cost. That is why these constrained devices are very heterogeneous in terms of their essential communication protocols, device data formats, and technologies.