Can the Internet of Things be Regulated?

By Natalie Sheerer, Marketing Communications Specialist

By 2020 the Internet of Things (IoT) will be worth approximately $7 trillion with billions of connected gadgets, devices, and appliances. With such a vast number of devices an increased need for interoperability and standardization of both security and authentication has developed. The Open Interconnected Consortium is a recently founded group made up of Amtel, Broadcom, Dell, Intel, and Samsung, that will attempt to fill this massive void. According to the Consortium, they are focused on “… the goal of defining the connectivity requirements and ensuring interoperability of the billions of devices that will make up the emerging internet of things (IoT).”

Another consortium, the AllSeen Alliance, which was announced in December, will work towards the same goals. The AllSeen Alliance is made up of 51 different members including Haier, LG Electronics, Microsoft, Panasonic, Qualcomm, Sharp, Silicon Image, Technicolor, and TP-LINK. The Alliance goal is to “enable interoperability across multiple devices, systems and services and support broadest cross-industry effort to accelerate Internet of Everything.” It is working on an open source project, AllJoyn, to help facilitate the interoperability of devices across different brands, applications, markets, and industries. The AllSeen Alliance is part of the Linux Foundation Collaborative Projects. According to the Linux Foundation, “By spreading the collaborative DNA of the largest collaborative software development project in history, The Linux Foundation provides the essential collaborative and organizational framework so project hosts can focus on innovation and results.” For more information about Linux Collaborative Projects, click here.

Given the vast numbers of IoT devices that will be coming to market in the next few years, regulation and standardization is essential. Standardizing billions of connected devices will be no easy task and will require collaboration from device manufacturers, wireless module manufacturers, infrastructure providers, and IT personnel. This ecosystem of organizations and decision makers can lead the industry in generating guidelines and interoperability standards for the Internet of Things and will make the path to regulating the IoT much simpler.

Visit the Embedded Wireless Solutions webpage to find out if Laird’s Wi-Fi or Bluetooth product offerings are the right fit for your IoT implementation.