By Josh Garbutt
15 September 2022 | Edison Search
I joined Edison Search 6 months ago after previously working for a recruitment business focussing on the recruitment of IT, Cloud, Network, and Application Support Engineers across the UK.
The roles I recruited for were quite general. So once I made the decision to move to Edison Search, I knew I had a lot to learn about all things IoT!
If you’re still trying to understand what IoT is all about, here’s my insight from what I have learned so far.
So… what is IoT?
IoT stands for Internet of Things. Simply put, think of objects with sensors, processing ability, software, and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet or other communications networks. For example your Amazon Alexa at home is classed as an IoT device.
The 4 pillars of the IoT ecosystem:
- Connectivity
- Smart Security
- Edge Computing
- Data Automation
What is Connectivity?
IoT devices rely on networks to communicate with gateways, applications, servers, routers, and other IoT devices. This communication—transmitting and receiving data—enables IoT devices to perform the functions they were designed for. This is mostly prominent in Telecommunication companies.
What is Smart Security?
IoT security refers to the methods of protection used to secure internet-connected or network-based devices. The term IoT is incredibly broad, and with the technology continuing to evolve, the term has only become broader. From watches to thermostats to video game consoles; nearly every technological device has the ability to interact with the internet, or other devices, in some capacity. This is going to cause huge problems with hackers..! Imagine having to have the same Security protocols for a hoover, CCTV system and the computers at the same work place!
What is Edge Computing?
Edge computing is a distributed computing paradigm that brings computation and data storage closer to the sources of data. This is expected to improve response times and save bandwidth. It is an architecture rather than a specific technology. It is a topology- and location-sensitive form of distributed computing. In simple terms, it’s a chip that reads the data being transported from devices and then sends them to the correct correspondence to then check, regulate or better that device.
What is Data Automation?
Data automation is the process of updating data on your open data portal programmatically, rather than manually. Think of a thermostat in your home connected to the internet which connects to your phone and you can check up on it real time.
What is it that I specialise in?
I specialise in the recruitment of IoT Embedded Software/Firmware Engineers and RFIC/ASIC/IC Design Engineers for Semiconductor companies that handle WIFI, BLE, RF, and Radar.
Think of a Firmware Engineer that will help put together the chip in the IoT Device, the Software Engineer that handles the coding for the device that tests it, and the RFIC that actually designs the Incorporated Circuit boards where it all gets placed and sent out to then be attached to Connectivity Devices.
What makes IoT so exciting?
It’s exciting because of how much this opens up the world and possibilities for the future. Think, in time, it will be possible to check for a health diagnosis on someone in real-time. Think of how easy it will be to have your prescriptions delivered to your door with self-driving cars (which is what’s happening in California!). Think of how everything’s going to be connected no matter where you are, smart cities putting Wi-Fi devices in street lights so cars can track everything real-time especially with 6G around the corner.
We are living in an ‘Age of Convenience’ with technology that is bettering our lives more and more every day.
