Dr. Mazlan Abbas
CEO, REDtone IOT

Title: Internet of Things and Big Data – The Perfect Marriage

Abstract:

If you have somehow missed the hype, the Internet of Things (IoT) is a fast-growing constellation of internet-connected sensors attached to a wide variety of 'things'. Sensors can take a multitude of possible measurements, Internet connections can be wired or wireless, while 'things' can literally be any object to which you can attach or embed a sensor. If you carry a smartphone, for example, you become a multi-sensor IoT 'thing', and many of your day-to-day activities can be tracked, analysed and acted upon.

Many of the conversations taking place around the IoT are incomplete without a mention of big data. Big data is characterised by “4 V’s”: volume, variety, velocity and veracity. That is, big data comes in large amounts (volume), is a mixture of structured and unstructured information (variety), arrives at (often real-time) speed (velocity) and can be different levels of uncertainty (veracity).

As organizations step into IoT, they must understand the symbiotic relationship between IoT and big data. Just like with any big-data play, merely collecting the data isn't enough. The data must be processed and analyzed to derive meaningful insights, and those insights must drive actionable steps that can improve the business.

What that means is that, without Big Data, the IoT can offer an enterprise little more than noise. But wait…! On the other hand, without IoT, the Big Data is little more than any other software lying idle. Actually you need two to Tango. That’s when you get the perfect marriage!