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How is IOT different from Embedded Systems?

Paul Saha

Jul 7, 2016
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I have heard that embedded system is the subset of IOT? But how? Is the embedded system integrated with Wifi module called IOT? Then why do we call IOT, we can call it automation instead!
 

hevans1944

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IoT, or Internet of Things, is a networking concept where two or more (often a LOT more) devices all communicate with each other. A WiFi module may or may not be included in the mix, depending on how those individual devices connect to the Internet. In any case, some sort of embedded system is required in each device to moderate, monitor, send and receive network communications traffic. So, yeah, an embedded system is used with each IoT device. And if the device uses a WiFi connection to the Internet, the embedded system controls that too, along with everything else the device does. You can call it automation if you want to, but IoT is sooo much more than just simple automation, which doesn't require ANY Internet connection to do its thing.

Making "smart" devices that you can communicate with from anywhere in the world is a global game changer. Hackers love this, infecting Internet-connected computers with malware to create bot-nets for all sorts of nefarious purposes. It's a growing business, designing IoT devices with secure interfaces to the Internet. Gotta stay at least two steps ahead of the hackers and be on the look-out for vulnerabilities in the hardware and the programs that drive it. Get very good at it (hacking or defending) and you can earn big bux.
 

Doug3004

Sep 5, 2014
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In my opinion, the concept of "Internet of things" implies that there is a remote service provided by the device that you specifically don't have to do yourself. Somebody else (some company) does it for you. And it costs you some money.

One easy example is the Amazon Dash buttons: when you press a dash button, it tells Amazon to send you another [product], for whatever product it is set for. You could make your own Dash-style button that would just send a text to your phone to remind you that you were out of that item, or that could update your online shopping list (if you had one online somewhere) but you'd still have to go and BUY the [whatever] yourself.

You can build remote-control devices and you can have a web interface on them but that is still a feature you only use on your own. The hype behind IOT stuff now is because companies are tying their services into these things, to do things for you (that they can charge you money for).
 

NorthGuy

Mar 24, 2016
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I think they try to charge money for things which used to be free.

Look at the clouds. 10 years ago you could buy a computer and software and use both at will. Now they try to move the software to clouds, so you can do the same (only with network overhead), but you must pay cloud fees and software rentals. Now software is a "service". To enforce the idea, the software is build in such a way that the hardware is now under control of the software provider rather than the owner. Google has more rights on the Android phone than the owner of the phone. Microsoft has more control over Windows 10 computer than the owner.

Similarly, they want to extend the control over physical things with IoT. Thus, providing a coffee maker shall become a service which you would have to pay for on a regular basis. You will not own things any more, but you will rent them.
 

(*steve*)

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For me, IOT simply means that the thing is a non-traditional device connected to the internet. "non-traditional" often means it's a microcontroller based thing rather than a general purpose computer (and I include phones in the general purpose computer category).
 

petercuenca

Jun 2, 2016
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Is the embedded system integrated with Wifi module called IOT?
without internet, its not.
Then why do we call IOT, we can call it automation instead!
an embedded system, even without WIFI, can still be called automation.


The internet of things (IoT) is the network of physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other items—embedded with electronics, software,sensors, actuators, and network connectivity (Internet Access) that enable these objects to collect and exchange data. -Wikipedia.

take away Network Connectivity (Internet Access), and you cant call it IoT anymore.
 

(*steve*)

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I would argue that network access is sufficient since the difference between that and internet access is simply a security issue. The device itself may not know or care.

What if the device has no internet access by itself, but communicates with something that does? Does it have to use IP, or could it use some other type of communication protocol?

To me, IOT is a bit fuzzy.
 

Doug3004

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... To me, IOT is a bit fuzzy.
What they originally said was that it would be devices that had their own (unique) IP address.... but a lot of what's coming out now doesn't really do that tho--the Amazon Dash buttons for example.

They are hard-coded to access a specific IP address online, but whatever address they do that from doesn't really matter. And as far as I've read of them, there is no real two-way communication that really happens (the Amazon server sending any info back to the button?)--tho I don't have any of the things myself.

Also we've already seen a few stories of the security issues involved. The one about Samsung smart TVs are the first story I saw, tho there may be others by now.
 

Paul Saha

Jul 7, 2016
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So what are the ways to compete with Hacking and making peoples life more easier?
 

(*steve*)

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How do you "compete with hacking?"

Does your usage of the word "with" most closely correspond to "using", "against", our something else?
 

BobK

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"Yes, exactly" is not an acceptable answer to a question giving you three options.

Bob
 
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cryptonian

Apr 20, 2023
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There are many embedded systems and IoT systems/devices are in use today. But many people doesn't know the major differences.
Embedded system is the study of how to configure a device that is either hardware or software or both that is embedded in a larger system, which is often a real-time system. An embedded system is typically composed of a microcontroller that has been configured to perform a certain task.

The Internet of Things refers to how various gadgets connect with one another, both directly and indirectly, to achieve a certain goal. When two or more devices communicate directly. And base your actions on what the other gadget says. When all of these devices are linked to a single node, the node receives and transmits signals to the devices, establishing intercommunication.


For example, a pacemaker is a low-power device that is implanted in the patient's heart to sense faulty cardiac signals and correct them by pulsing the necessary signals to the heart.

This is an embedded system.

Now, suppose we build a pacemaker that sends the signals it reads and the pulses it generates over the Internet to a server that logs all of this data and checks to see whether there is a continual abnormality. If there is, this server promptly notifies the relevant doctor's and the patient's family's mobile phones of the patient's location, condition, and other vital statistics. Thus called the Internet of Things.

It is very common to have misunderstanding. There are many ai services providers who are strong in IoT and embedded systems providing tailor maid solutions.
 

hevans1944

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@cryptonian: I liked your post #14, but this is a very old thread. If you want to discuss IoT and/or Embedded Systems, perhaps you should start a NEW thread. Or maybe a moderator could move your comment as the first post to a new thread and close this old thread.

Some of the initial responders to this thread might not even still be alive! That is one of the risks you take when you respond to a thread that is almost seven years old... the OP (Original Poster) started this thread on August 26, 2016 and my response today is Friday, April 28, 2023. So, not quite seven years later, you resurrect this thread. That's not uncommon for newbies to these forums. Some of us who have been here for awhile respond to old threads without noticing the threads have "died" because the dialog ended. The cure for this faux pas is to note the dates of a few of the last posts in the thread before posting anew.
 

bidrohini

Feb 1, 2023
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I have heard that embedded system is the subset of IOT? But how? Is the embedded system integrated with Wifi module called IOT? Then why do we call IOT, we can
In simple words, an embedded system may or may not be connected to the internet. An
IoT embedded system is the one which has internet connectivity.

For example, if a microcontroller blinks an Led, it's the simplest kind of embedded system.

But, if the microcontroller is connected to wifi, and you can switch on/off the LED from you smartphone, it will be an example of IoT project.
 
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