Earlier this week I recorded an interview with IoT Central Contributor and leading IoT recruiter Bill McCabe. We talked about smart cities and I revealed something you probably didn't know about me. Have a listen.
bill mccabe (57)
Bill McCabe knows everyone. He has to. He’s a thought leader in IoT, with a particular focus on recruiting. He’s authored dozens of articles on all things IoT and recruitment, and has placed a number of IoT professionals at organizations big and small. We wanted to know in particular, for the IoT job seeker, what are the top 20 questions they should be prepared to answer in their interview. Below is what Bill shared.
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What changes in the IoT do you feel is the most groundbreaking?
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How would you assess a security concern in our software?
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What was the last training course you took?
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What is the most overlooked thing with the IoT during development and deployment ?
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How will you take our technology to the next level?
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What effect will the Internet of Things have on your daily life?
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Do you think IoT will be a job killer or a job creator?
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What concerns do you have about IoT and privacy and security ?
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What are the difference between the Industrial Internet of Things and the Internet of Things?
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What do you think will be the impact of IoT on Smart Cities?
We have 10 more important questions for you to consider in your IoT interview. To see the rest of the questions, become a member of IoT Central (it’s free!) and click here.
Did you get a great, interesting or hard IoT related question during your interview? If so, let us know and we’ll add it to this list. Leave your question in the comments section or email us.
With the revolution in IT regarding the connectivity and internet, a new concept of internet of things is being evolved. This is increasing the number of jobs in this sector for example; 3D printing has shown a growth of whooping 1800%. Some of the jobs that you can get if you have the right skillset are-
- Agriculture technologist-vehicle location, need of fertilizers, fuel in the vehicles and even check the moisture of the soil all are detected by using a network of sensors. Agricultural technologist can be very helpful to the farmers for maximizing their production.
- Grid modernization engineers- the electric grids that are being used are becoming outdated and the need for ‘smart’ grid has started to rise. These grids would make the power consumption more effective for which, they will be needed to monitor the power consumption of each house, street lamps and even the traffic signals. Imagine the communications that will take place between the sensors and for this the employer needs someone who is an expert in the field.
- Wearable techs- smart watches, smart t shirt all are perfect example of how this interconnectivity is increasing between the sensors of the same gadget. With smart watches you can take and make calls with your watch and the smart shirt records all your activity and stores it for further review. The market is growing and you can find out lots of jobs.
- Medical robot designer- with the advancement in medical science, the surgeries are now being done using robots that of course is more accurate. All the sensors, small gears and all the complex machinery are actually interconnected because of which it is showing such growth. In near future, it is being estimated by the experts that robots will replace the doctors in the surgery rooms which will help this sector grow and invite the deserving for a bright future.
- Data security expert-More and more the devices communicate with each other easier it gets for the hacker to get a loophole and create an information breach. Data security experts need to understand the breaches and are expected to keep the data secure from any hacking attack.
- Cloud computing expert-if the devices need to communicate; it needs to be a common place from where they retrieve data and send it. Any computer’s hard drive not being sufficient the information is now getting stored online often called on the cloud. Data is at the apex position of concern to companies this is needed to be done in a proper way for which an expert is required.
There are few leading companies which are looking for talent in this sector:
- IBM
- PTC – The Product Development Company
- Savi Group
- Intel
- Amazon
- Red Hat, IncCisco Systems, Inc
IOT is a newly introduced market in IT sector that is rapidly increasing. People who possess the right skillset might provide the job that will give them a bright future.
Automation has managed to create quite a buzz in the recent times by dramatically impacting almost every aspect of our lives. With robots replacing laborers in manufacturing vehicles or systems of artificial intelligence (AI) driving cars on our behalf, this extensive concept is concerning almost all the individuals because it is simply killing the job sectors.
Which Industries are Affected the most by Automation?
According to the latest report, automation has the potential to replace factory workers, miners, travel agents and bank tellers. The truck and taxi drivers must also start worrying because the automated technology threatened 2.2 to 3.1 million people all across the globe, who are involved in the transportation sector. Innovative software is developed having the capability of assessing substantial volumes of documents, thus, eliminating most of the professionals in IT. With the advancement of such software programs, individuals with other sorts of occupation such as accountants would also be replaced easily.
While we did understand that automation is depriving people of their jobs, there is another brighter side to the story. Individuals with tech skills are greatly in demand for without them an automation system cannot be installed or operated. However, they are hired in absolutely negligible numbers.
Is the World going to Suffer from Mass Employment?
Well, studies did manifest that automation would adversely impact the varied working sectors but the chances of mass employment are quite unlikely. Although it needs to be duly informed that people, who are technologically incompetent would surely stay behind. Thus, in order to reverse the detrimental effects of automation, it is necessary for the people to have at least some sort of knowledge in the tech field. Even medical personnel and lawyers need to learn the usage of contemporary tools so that they can stay abreast of all these ongoing changes.
Now that we know, which sectors are going to be affected and what are the ways by which we may use automation to our favors, it is time to talk about those professions that have simply no reasons to worry.
Which Industries are not to be Affected by Automation?
Automation would not be able to kill the jobs that require interpersonal skills and empathy. Now can you imagine programmed robots to be psychiatrists helping you to deal with life’s complex issues? Quite hard isn’t it? Well, that is because it is not possible. Consultants communicate and extend affection for treating and curing people. Same goes for teachers imparting knowledge. Well, of course, technological education managed to gain recognition and students are using modern-day gadgets for studying but all of these cannot really be compared to the experience of an educator, whose love nurtures the pupils, making them ready for the outer world. Other examples are the jobs of nurses, personal trainers, makeup artists, hairdressers, etc., which cannot really be affected by automation.
For quite some time, the term “machine learning” and “deep learning” seeped its way to the business language, especially when it is related to Artificial Intelligence (AI), analytics and Big Data. Frankly, the approach directed to AI which provides a great promise with regard to creating self-teaching and autonomous systems that can revolutionize various industries.
What is Machine Learning (ML)?
One of the subfield of AL is machine learning. Here the basic principle is that machine, collect data and they learn it for themselves. No doubt, this is the most awesome tool of the business’s Artificial Intelligence kit. One of the interesting advantages of the ML is that you can easily apply the training and knowledge received from analyzing huge data set to perform various functions and excelling at them like speech recognition, facial recognition, translation, object recognition, and various other tasks.
Compared to the hand-coding a given software tool filled with specific instructions which can be used for completing the task, the ML provides a suitable system to understand the pattern by itself and make the required predictions.
What is Deep Learning?
Frankly, a subset of the ML is called as deep learning. Here one utilizes ML techniques for solving various real-life issues, and this is possible by accessing the neural networks which easily help in stimulating the decision-making of human beings. In addition, deep learning is kind of expensive and one will need extensive data sets to train. This is because there are various number of parameters that one might need to have an understanding, possible by learning about the algorithm. Thus, this can be present at the initial stages and create various kinds of false-positives.
To have a fair understanding, let’s check how deep learning algorithm can be used for understanding how a cat looks. So, a huge amount of data set of pictures is used for underlying the basic details which separates the cat from other like panther, cheetah, fox etc.
How Machine Learning And Deep Learning Affects Job
There is a kind of hysteria of doom-and gloom surrounding the machine learning AI. The majority of it is all about how people will be out of work, as there are quite successful stories where machines were able to carry out specific job-related works and bought about extensive results in it.
Indeed it has become a huge paranoia, but it turns out that machine learning only performs tasks, and not the job. Of course, many tasks constitute a job but ML programs are not much flexible.
However, it doesn’t mean that both machine learning and deep learning will not affect your job, as they have already done and will simply continue to do so. Most importantly, whether it will be a benefit or threat will depend on how you are going to react when you identify it.
No doubt, there are quite a lot of reasons on how white-collar jobs can be a great invitation for deep learning and other related technologies. There are various experts who feel that the professional impact which AI and deep learning along with other automated technologies can drastically affect the work force count.
Conclusion
In short, there have been certain reactions or changes with regard to how machine learning and deep learning brings. It has drastically reduced the role of various professionals who are considered as knowledge gatekeepers. Plus, there has been a positive trend towards proactive and reactive services.
IOT is a system of interrelated ‘things’ that are connected over a network and can send and receive data over it. A ‘thing’ in IOT can be thought of any man made or natural thing that can be assigned an IP address, for example, a man have a heart monitor implant or a car having sensors to alert the driver of any abnormal condition.
What do I need to have?
According to a survey, as of now we just have 300,000 IOT experts, but we might need as much as 4.5 million IT people having IOT expertise in future. IOT in a midst of explosion, but the problem is the lack of talent regarding this field. If you will have the following skill sets of IOT will surely benefit you in future.
- Machine Learning- expertise in this field will take you a long way. Machine learning algorithms make the machines smarter by giving them the ability to predict by recognizing the data patterns. According to an IT expert this skill is 220% more in demand in the market because employers want to harvest the large amount of information using the machines and their sensors.
- AutoCAD- this is software that enables you to engineer appliances and have a very strong growth as the complexity of the machinery related to IOT goes on increasing. Smart and connected things often require a whole new set of thinking principles and hence there can be a change in the design at the very last moment. AutoCAD helps in making any change even at the last moment quite efficiently and expertise in this field is said to have a weightage of 108% when compared to other skills.
- Security infrastructure- with the presence of such sensitive information over a network the apex concern of any employer has to be its security. Due to the complexity of the IOT devices the endpoint security gives a lot of attention. Everything that is available on a network is prone to theft and a risk of information leak, hence having a skill around security comes as a critical factor for your success in it.
- Data management (Big Data) - IOT has an enormous amount of data revolving and every day there is an addition to it. Companies need to collect all the data and also filter the repetitive one. The data needs to be so managed that it gives an accurate estimation of the business so that ways to growth can be taken out of that. Using artificial intelligence along with big data can help the companies get the results faster and more efficiently.
- Electrical engineering- the future needs an apt team up of software engineers and electrical engineers. Electrical engineers are needed to help with embedded device development for mobile applications and for radio frequency in order to get a smooth and effective mode of communication.
- Circuit design- connected devices are forcing the companies to adjust and adapt chip design to meet their requirements. For example- systems that require power for a longer span of time are required to have a chip that takes care of their power consumption and keep it optimized.
Conclusion
IOT is a revolution in IT that will certainly increase the number of jobs that are available in this sector. Moving with time and learning new things is the only way to proceed and become succeed.
Blockchain is a form of technology that had over $1 billion invested in it in 2016 alone. While this technology is far from new, it is one that grew in popularity thanks to Bitcoin. With it, a digital ledger is created that allows online records to record transactions, and ensure that all information is verified by another source to confirm accuracy. The network created by blockchain scans a number of computers within the same network. With each transaction, the size of the database grows and the number of users that access and manage the transactions increases.
Unique software is required for a blockchain to be run. When it is created, it is near instantaneous, and that means there isn’t the ability to alter transactions before they become recorded. This cuts down on the risk of fraud in most sectors which makes it appealing. It is also encoded and hashed in batches, so that the blocks of several bits of data create a chain. This allows for validation to occur at the same time, and protects the security of the system running it. Each time a transaction takes place, a unique transaction number is encrypted that show everything that took place in the transaction. Since several computers make up the different portions of the blockchain, it is nearly impossible for fraudulent activity to occur.
While Bitcoin and virtual currency is still where the bulk of blockchain is used, many companies are searching for ways to add it to their own applications beyond currency. This would help to reduce conflicts that are the results of disputes and even things like land rights, or legal items could be verified and the accuracy and lack of fraud would ensure that sensitive items such as these would constantly have more authenticity and reduce many legal woes.
However, not everyone is on board yet. Some companies are still concerned that since this technology is still in a relatively infancy, there is a need for proven transparency and someone to remain accountable for the data that is obtained. Since the process is also labor intensive, there would need to be dedicated users who solely work on the blockchain that is being handled. This would need to be people who have a basic understanding of IT and the way that it would be used for blockchains.
Another concern is the amount of resources it would take. There would need to be high end machines that handled the resource intensive nature of the software. Additionally, companies would need frequent access online to continue update and building the information. With more countries blacking out sections of the internet, this could prove to be a problem.
Blockchains are destined to become a more significant part of our industry. It is important that the technology is continued to be advanced, so more companies have a chance to benefit from it. After all, it is the technology that will help to boost security and ensure that there is something in place we can depend on. With Bitcoin showing it is already possible to succeed with this technology, there is little doubt that success will be had.
About Bill McCabe/ Internet of Things Recruiting - Executive Search/ Retained Search for the Internet of Things/ Machine 2 Machine/ Big Data Markets
IBM IOT Futurist - see you at #IBMInterconnect - March 19-23 Las Vegas
Top 50 IOT Authority on Twitter - per IoT Central
Need Help finding your next Big Data or IOT Employee or If you require the top 5% of IOT talent let’s talk. Drop me a line or use this link to schedule an IOT Search Assessment Call Click Here to Schedule
OR Contact me at 303-337-7871
Welcome to the future, available now courtesy of Industry 4.0. Dreams not so long ago, today’s realities are an amazing presentation of devices, humans, sensors, and machines working together to achieve what once seemed impossible. Small wonder the result is branded as a “smart factory.”
Who would have guessed that the Industrial Revolution would evolve in such a remarkable fashion? Stage 1.0 introduced the labor-saving method of newly-developed machinery powered by steam. Inventors thought of other ways to improve productivity and introduced 2.0 with electricity, mass production and the assembly line. Stage 3.0 took longer to arrive with computers and the assembly line presence of machines and robots working alongside or replacing humans.
Each stage inspired human imagination about Industry 4.0 and the endless possibilities that exist. The Internet of Things, or IoT, includes cyber- physical systems capable of making decentralized decisions. Videos of driverless cars are featured on Facebook posts. Robots operate commercial floor cleaners and delicate surgical instruments. Sensors warn robots to move out of the way of approaching objects!
What exactly is Industry 4.0? It’s a system or factory that possesses four essential features.
Decentralized decision-making: Cyber-physical systems are as independent as possible and make uncomplicated decisions on their own.
Information transparency: Sensor data lets systems build a virtual copy of the physical world in which it exists based on the concepts that affect activities and awareness.
Technical assistance: Systems aid humans in problem-solving and decision-making as well as assist them with unsafe or dangerous tasks.
Interoperability: Devices, sensors, machines and people connect and communicate with one another.
Questions arise about what it means and how it affects everyday activities. The public is active in learning Industry 4.0 participation, although not everyone is aware of it. Proficiency in using computer programs, tablets, and smartphones prepare people of all ages for this technological change to HMI (human machine interface) devices.
The term “big data” describes the huge amount of information collected from network devices. Industry 4.0 enabled equipment sorts and analyzes data by prescribed search criteria for various users. Information reflects items like production methods and a product’s reaction to certain situations. The system’s ability to present it in different ways makes it useful to separate departments, researchers, and end-users.
Sharing data anywhere at any time requires trust and cooperation up and down the supply chain. Identified concerns can be addressed quickly using the four essential features of Industry 4.0.
About Bill McCabe/ Internet of Things Recruiting - Executive Search/ Retained Search for the Internet of Things/ Machine 2 Machine/ Big Data Markets
IBM IOT Futurist - see you at #IBMInterconnect - March 19-23 Las Vegas
Top 50 IOT Authority on Twitter - per IoT Central
Need Help finding your next Big Data or IOT Employee or If you require the top 5% of IOT talent let’s talk. Drop me a line or use this link to schedule an IOT Search Assessment Call Click Here to Schedule
OR Contact me at 303-337-7871
Wearable devices have become hugely popular in recent years, to the point where it’s no longer novel to see people wearing smartwatches and fitness trackers out in public, or even in the workplace. As much as these devices have allowed for new experiences and added convenience in business and professional settings, they also come with a certain level of risk.
In business cases, a number of companies are now considering wearables as devices to use in their health and wellbeing strategies, or even for staff tracking and other operational functions. Is this a good thing for the employment relationship, and should employees have concerns regarding their privacy and the use of mandated wearable technology?
Full Disclosure Will Be Key to the Acceptance of Workplace Wearables
In an age when the majority of electronic devices are becoming increasingly connected, it is reasonable that the average person should have some concerns regarding their privacy. In personal life, a user can take their own steps to protect their personal data; so what happens when it’s an employer that controls the collection, storage, and use of personal data?
For any organization to be able to make use of wearables for any kind of employee tracking or data collection, it is important that full disclosure is made. Employees need to know what data will be collected, how they are expected to provide it (through wearables or other biometric devices), and how that data will be used. Employers have an obligation to provide all of this information upfront, and an element of transparency will help to facilitate the acceptance of any new workplace policies regarding mandatory wearable devices.
Data Protection is a Non-Negotiable Obligation
Being transparent is the first step, but it’s not enough on its own. Employers need to have an appropriate security solution that will prevent data loss, unauthorized access, or even data theft by third parties. The intent to protect data should be outlined in contractual employment agreements, and should comply with any local or federal laws regarding information collection and storage. While organizations do have some rights to collect data with employee agreement, they should also be aware that employees have the right to decline participation in any new wearable device data initiatives, which could lead employment disputes and loss of valuable staff.
With such a fine balance between making use of new technology and data, privacy, and the employment relationship, organizations will need to be careful when developing strategies regarding wearable devices. It needs to be clear how such devices and data collection will benefit an organization, and appropriate messaging should be in place to achieve employee buy-in for any new initiative.
With the right approach, wearables could allow companies to better track staff attendance, manage workplace incidents, and even ensure the health and wellbeing of employees. However, without the right management, the push for wearables could easily damage the relationship between employees and employers, making strategic planning and communication an essential aspect of implementing any new technology in the workplace.
About Bill McCabe/ Internet of Things Recruiting - Executive Search/ Retained Search for the Internet of Things/ Machine 2 Machine/ Big Data Markets
IBM IOT Futurist - see you at #IBMInterconnect - March 19-23 Las Vegas
Top 50 IOT Authority on Twitter - per IoT Central
Need Help finding your next Big Data or IOT Employee or If you require the top 5% of IOT talent let’s talk. Drop me a line or use this link to schedule an IOT Search Assessment Call Click Here to Schedule
By 2021, it is estimated that big data could reach $66.8 billion in net worth. But as the volumes of data that becomes accessible increases, so do concerns with privacy as the data out there might not be exactly what people want to have released.
In fact, more customers have become vocal about their concerns with the data that is being collected by them. With potential security challenges and high profile breaches taking place all the time, people are demanding better protection. With data breaches giving sensitive personal information to thieves that results in millions of people becoming victims to cybercrimes, it’s getting tougher for people to trust the online businesses they are working with.
Perhaps this is why more people are demanding more action being done. With the monetization of big data, there becomes valuable databases that are targeted for attack. Many of which use a single level of protection now to protect the data they contain. This is why automated data transfers with beefed up security might be a better result. This will require new data to be validated, to reduce the risk of anything that isn’t trustworthy or accurate creating problems. Since the data would be monitored and tracked on a regular basis, the likelihood of a breach decreases. After all, the more data contained in a single resource, the more that can be obtained by cyber criminals, and thus there becomes more mistrust with the public, as they see new concerns being brought out against them.
Companies must now accept greater responsibility for the personal information they maintain. While risk can vary, companies must accept that their responsibility is there. If a breach does happen, the public is more likely to be unforgiving, especially if there isn’t transparency with what happened and how the company will ensure that this never happens again. This includes those who attempt to pass the blame by using third party providers to help them store their data in clouds and other areas. As the responsibility for the data isn’t moved when you move the information, despite some misconceptions out there.
Customers are also increasing in curiosity with how their data is being used. When you monetize big data, you are also releasing information to companies that some may be concerned as private. Fortunately, the government is actively reviewing this information and ensuring that better privacy focused measures are taken, so that companies can still benefit from the monetization of big data, without there being as much risk to the individuals that they are collecting the data on.
While unauthorized use and service failures can still occur with the big data, it does seem like more companies are committed to protecting the data that they are handling. This means that even when monetization expands, customers will be provided with their privacy rights through digital databases, while having new avenues of encrypted protection released so there is never any concern with their information getting in the wrong hands.
About Bill McCabe/ Internet of Things Recruiting - Executive Search/ Retained Search for the Internet of Things/ Machine 2 Machine/ Big Data Markets
IBM IOT Futurist - see you at #IBMInterconnect - March 19-23 Las Vegas
Top 50 IOT Authority on Twitter - per IoT Central
Need Help finding your next Big Data or IOT Employee or If you require the top 5% of IOT talent let’s talk. Drop me a line or use this link to schedule an IOT Search Assessment Call Click Here to Schedule
OR Contact me at 303-337-7871
The capital city of Ohio has proven to be a true innovator among U.S. Smart Cities, and has even been awarded the winner of the Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge. Columbus was chosen thanks to the city being a leader in innovative ideas that will transform the city to become greener, more efficient, and easier to live in. This is the first Smart City award in history, and it comes with some significant benefits for Columbus and its residents.
The most important, is a massive $40 million grant from the Department of Transportation. This will be supplemented by up to $10 million from Vulcan Inc., Paul G. Allen’s project and investment company. This $50 million will go towards a number of city initiatives, and is in addition to around $90 million that the city has already raised from private investors and partner companies.
Plans for the Future
The plans that secured Columbus the win are both ambitious, and holistically minded. Rather than just tackling one or a few different areas of the city for modernization, Columbus plans to invest in a number of different areas to benefit private residents, while supporting important sectors of the economy and attracting new investment.
A new rapid transit system will connect consumers to the main retail district of the city, and self-driving electric shuttles will be a major aspect of this system. This will not only provide easy access for consumers, but it will connect residents to jobs in the central districts of Columbus.
Healthcare is another major focus for smart innovations, and the new rapid transit systems will provide residents with easier access to facilities.
In addition to the rapid transit system, Columbus will implement new RFID technologies that will help to streamline toll payments, monitor traffic flow, and plan for future expansion and improvements based on road usage patterns.
A Worthy Winner of this Unprecedented Award
Columbus is the perfect city to be made the inaugural winner of the Smart City Challenge. Their innovations will help boost the economy and improve quality of life in one of America’s largest business and educational centers.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
For more info visit our website at IOT Recruiting
You might have probably heard about the artificial intelligence being developed by some big researchers around the world. The current period of era is also about creating technology that not only process faster, but also works efficiently just like the human brain.
The innovation in such technologies has given rise to cognitive computing, which nothing but another miracle innovative development by a human brain to let the machine learn just like human being. Recently, IBM with its new cognitive system called as IBM Watson have entered into the segment of artificial learning to make system that is capable of learning and understanding knowledge to interact with human in a more natural way.
The cognitive computing is a self-learning technology platform that uses data mining and pattern recognition to simulate itself in a way that human brain works. The system is intended to solve some complex affairs involving big data with the power of natural learning and language processing mechanism. Cognitive computing has been claimed to be a future of artificial intelligence which has numerous application in robotics and VR.
The initiative of IBM to expand the cognitive computing adoption has been followed by IBM collaboration with SoftBank in which both the organization is trying to bring the IBM Watson in Japan. The collaboration is intended to let the Watson learn how to communicate in Japanese, and to exploit its capabilities.
The system will be in the hand of some developers and technology enthusiastic working on AI to create new services and apps in Japan which will be powered by the Watson. Japan is the one of largest country in terms of technology that is going to give a head start in the expansion of adoption of cognitive computing system around the world.
On the basis of IBM study, the cognitive computing system is going to shape the future in three following ways:
Engagement
Working with cognitive computing system will open the space of expert assistance that is not possible when human works alone. The capability of system to have a vast and deep insight will play an important role in consuming wide range of structured as well as unstructured data and knowledge. The recent announcement of USAA regarding usage of IBM Watson as an engagement advisor to military has confirmed that these systems are capable of shaping the future of humans.
Decision
Cognitive computing system works purely on evidence by processing new data and information and analysing the outcome of the action. It is going to help humans in taking better decisions using the recommendation provided by the system. The thought process of this system is backed by the quantitative confidence score that will generate the result based on the merit after evaluation of several options.
Discovery
There are several unlocked data and information which may not be discovered by human ever in the future. The adoption of cognitive system will help in discovering new research in various fields like cancer research to the life better for humans. Human researcher’s brain takes decades to formulate one single research, but the cognitive computing system can process the same data with much faster speed and deep insight of the topic.
Cognitive computing system is an amazing opportunity in transforming several industries. It’s just a matter of time and everything around us will be machine based.
The idea of a blockchain, or distributed database as it is technically known, has only come about in recent years. While originally developed to facilitate the bitcoin cryptocurrency, the technology is now seeing interest from organizations in traditional lines of business.
Blockchains can provide a number of advantages, including being secure by design and highly resistant to the modification of the data that they contain. Records, or blocks, can be identified and verified with a high level of integrity, and this is one of the biggest reasons why this approach to recording information is garnering interest from financial institutions, organizations that handle large transaction records, and even the medical industry where accurate and verifiable records are critical.
With so many advantages to using blockchain, it’s surprising that only a handful of high profile companies have moved towards this type of database… or is it?
When you take a look at some of the downsides of the technology, it becomes easier to understand why some of the largest accounting and financial firms are still in the early stages of their feasibility studies. Let’s take a look at what these pitfalls are, and how much impact they could have on the future growth of blockchain utilization.
Blockchain is Environmentally Flawed
The biggest ‘sell’ for blockchain is that when implemented correctly, it can potentially eliminate the possibility of any type of fraud within a closed database. However, to achieve such integrity, blockchain (by design) uses an almost unfathomable amount of computing resources and energy.
On extremely large cryptocurrency blockchains, a single transaction uses the equivalent energy that 1.5 average households do in a single day. If blockchains were the defacto form of database for the majority of businesses, you could safely assume that the world’s available energy and computing resources wouldn’t be able to keep up. Of course, blockchains aren’t supposed to take over every kind of conceivable database, but it’s still interesting to note that superior fraud protection comes with the caveat of huge energy demands.
Larger Blockchains Mean Longer Verification Times
In 2016, it took an average of 43 minutes to verify a single bitcoin transaction record. By comparison, standard ATM transactions are processed almost instantaneously on archaic network connections, and will reflect immediately on a financial ledger. Even interbank money transfers can be completed in seconds.
As a blockchain grows, verification times become longer, and as mentioned, that means that more computing resources are required to process even the smallest transaction. Younger networks or inherently small blockchains wouldn’t suffer the same problems, but there’s no denying that this is a significant limitation of the technology.
With these two points, it becomes evident what the pitfall of blockchain is.
By design, the technology is made to deter fraud by making it economically and sometimes practically unviable. There’s no denying that as a chain grows, fraud becomes virtually impossible. Unfortunately, this also means that the entire chain becomes computationally intensive and inherently slow to verify records; which is one of the biggest limitations preventing blockchain from being widely implemented today. Banks and other large institutions would also need to develop their own implementation of the technology to suit their needs, and as yet, no major player has made a significant investment.
Blockchain may well play a significant role in the future of banking, finance, and other forms of critical record keeping, however, the risk and pitfalls appear too great for the technology to impact the mainstream at this time.
About Bill McCabe/ Internet of Things Recruiting - Executive Search/ Retained Search for the Internet of Things/ Machine 2 Machine/ Big Data Markets
IBM IOT Futurist - see you at #IBMInterconnect - March 19-23 Las Vegas
Top 50 IOT Authority on Twitter - per IoT Central
Need Help finding your next Big Data or IOT Employee or If you require the top 5% of IOT talent let’s talk. Drop me a line or use this link to schedule an IOT Search Assessment Call Click Here to Schedule
OR Contact me at 303-337-7871
LinkedIn currently lists over 4000 jobs related to the Internet of Things. The Internet of Things is built on many of the technologies that professionals are already familiar with including Internet Protocol (IP) experts, hardware engineers, and even GUI designers. This is an opportunity for many professionals to transition to new roles and projects directly related to IoT.
Here are eight articles from long-time IoT Central contributor Bill McCabe that will help you find, recruit and advance your organization and careers in IoT.
How to Nail your Internet of Things Interview
5 questions You Should Ask Your IOT Candidates Before Hiring Them
IOT Job Market/ Who is getting hired and Why?
The CIOTO is Your Next Must-Hire Role
The 5 Point Plan for IOT Recruitment
The Great IOT Recruiting Rush
Top Three Skills for Data Security Pros
Internet of Things: Job Killer or Job Creator?
Photo credit: Synapse Wireless
Big data is the collection of data that is part of our daily lives. It is the hundreds of million e-mails, likes on Facebook, and tweets we post online. It is the hundreds of thousands of photographs that go live on the internet each day. The industry itself is one that is growing at a breakneck pace. In 2013 big data accounted for a $10.2 billion industry, but is estimated to reach an astonishing $54.3 million this year.
Big data does not necessarily focus on the amount of data that is used though. On the contrary, it can refer to what organizations do with this data. It is the analysis of this data, processing information to make more informed decisions, and reviewing trends to make better execute strategic business moves.
The concept behind big data isn’t a new one either. While you’ve likely just started to hear the term, the process of gathering information and storing it has been around for decades. It wasn’t until Doug Laney who is a renowned industry analyst touched on the volume of data, the velocity of data, and the variety of data that we had a vision closer to our modern trend. Expanding on his statement, we also note that there are other essential factors like complexity of data and variability that are a critical part of the analytical process.
In our modern world, the data that is around is always growing. There is currently no end in sight to where this big data will go and we will continue to discover and create new ways to store and analyze the data that is there. Perhaps most surprising is that despite the sheer amount of data that is out there, only a small percentage of it is regularly analyzed. That means that there is still a world of information out there that can be processed and the statistics from it can be used to further propel the understanding of data that is there.
What is important to note is that big data isn’t about the vast amount of data is there. It’s true the numbers are staggering, but there is much more to this. But when someone talks about big data, the focus is on what they can take and pull from the information. It is the analysis of the different aspects of it. This information will allow businesses to determine how information can be better processed so they can reduce their standard operating costs, reduce processing time, and discover new ways to optimize the data that they are collecting. Over a period of time, this will also allow individuals to make better decisions and to avoid failures and other problematic concerns that may be faced along the way.
Big data will remain a pivotal part of the future. It impacts the buying habits of our customers, determining the risk doing business with individuals and companies out there, and avoiding fraud before it happens. All while reviewing data that potentially helps us to further expand our reach and success for years to come.
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The internet of things is the future of technology. If you plan on getting a position that relies heavily on it, there are a few simple things you can do to ensure success.
First, understand what the company does and their approach to the IoT. If the company makes connected thermostats, you’ll want to ensure you have some knowledge about that area of expertise. If they manage a series of connected devices on a production line, you need working knowledge of how to interact and program those elements. Not every device is the same, so make sure you understand what knowledge is required for the position you are interested in. After all, simply operating these devices is vastly different from programming them.
Next, remember that the tiny details matter. Have you had experience with a particular system or code? Make sure you mention it. While your resume is a good outline for who you are, your knowledge and level of comfort with the topic during your interview will actually have more of an impact.
This means also taking the time to understand the company. Do your research and find out what projects they are working on. If their focus is on new avenues of technology you can briefly talk about it. When you don’t show any genuine interest in the company or knowledge, you put yourself in a position where the interviewer doesn’t take you as seriously.
Your first impression is also key. While it is important to know your stuff, also prove you have the desire to be there. Make sure you show up no more than 5 minutes early to your interview. Make sure you are cordial to all staff, including the receptionist. Many companies watch how potential employees interact with what are deemed “lower” importance employees. If you are rude, condescending, or cold they will find out and it could cost you a job. Ultimately, all employees in a company have a valuable purpose and no one position can do their job without the others ensuring the office functions.
Finally, make sure you read up on the latest internet of technology news pieces that come out. Did a major company announce a new revolutionary advancement? Then you’ll want to mention it. This shows you stay current and if you discover something that manager doesn’t know, they might see you as an invaluable expert in the industry. That could help you to nail that interview and go on to make waves in the industry.
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Think you found the perfect candidate for your internet of things position? Even if their resume is incredible and they aced the initial interview, there are five questions you want to ask them. These questions will give you a better understanding of the candidate.
What Recent Changes in the IoT Do You Feel Is the Most Groundbreaking?
You want to know what their knowledge is specifically. This not only weeds out those who are great with buzzwords and no real knowledge, but also allows you to see who is keeping up with trends. In this position, you want the best, smartest, and fastest individual possible. The only way to get that is to find someone who is keeping up with trends.
How Would You Assess a Security Concern in Our Software?
You don’t want someone who will tell you that they doubt that there is a problem. You want to view the problem solving abilities of a person, in case something happens. This goes beyond just skimming the top. Make sure you press for details. You need to know how this person thinks and what makes them the best.
What Was the Last Training Course You Took?
How current are their skills? If someone hasn’t been to training of any kind in a few years, their knowledge might not be up to par. Yes, you can always send a top tier candidate to training, but you should know what they can do already.
What is the Most Overlooked Thing with the IoT during Development and Deployment?
We can all improve. Sometimes fresh eyes understand things that we all overlook. These questions will give you some insight into the critical thinking and analytical skills of someone. You may find that they are spot on or even have some insight that can help you to do more in your company.
How Will You Take Our Technology to the Next Level?
What you don’t want are simple explanations like making you the best. This is detailed information on what they can do for you. You want specifics and you may even ask them to demonstrate some of the elements that they are offering you.
It shouldn’t be too hard to find the perfect candidate when you keep all of this in mind. Just make sure that you take the time to get a true feeling for your candidates before you pull the hiring trigger.
About Bill McCabe/ Internet of Things Recruiting @IoTRecruiting
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Who are Some of the Most Powerful IoT Companies Going into 2017?
IoT is no small thing any longer. With smart phones, smart tablets, smart refrigerators, smart buildings and smart cities, it’s a given that there is a lot of money to be made in the IoT industry. With IoT growing by leaps and bounds and predictions being that it will grow to a trillion and a half dollars by 2020, everyone wants a piece of that pie.
The IoT companies that have the most to offer and are taking away most of the consumers at this point in time—the heavy hitters in IoT are the companies that should all be watching. The question is—who are they?
The top IoT movers and shakers for 2017 –based on those who did the most with IoT in 2016 appear to be these: ( listed in alphabetical order, not necessarily by order of importance)
Amazon. With tools like Echo and Amazon AWS and Kinesis, Amazon scores big on the IoT scene by offering increasingly powerful services and tools for users.
AT&T with their broadband network is slated to be a key enabler of the IoT forces. The M2X will also play an important role in that along with Data Flow, the development portal for IoT.
Bosch—the German wizards of home appliances also make enterprise software. They say that their range of appliances and products will now be connected to IoT to make monitoring and maintenance easier. This will make them one of the key companies in IoT.
Cisco, which company terms the IoT the Internet of Everything is slated to be one of the main companies that will be enablers of Iot in every form. Cisco is creating a whole new niche for themselves by their provision of switching, routing, wireless access points and network hardware for connecting and communicating with IoT devices.
Google—Always in the lead in nearly anything they undertake, Google has made it a point to take hold of the IoT reins and put themselves at least in the top ten companies by the purchase of smart thermostat maker NEST, that could expand to bring in all manner of smart home systems.
IBM—The Watson smart products will be what lands IBM as a mover and shaker in the IOT space if they have anything to say about it. A combination of cloud development and production arenas for apps, IBM has a little of everything to offer the cloud development community.
Joined by Hitachi, Huawei, Intel, Oracle and yes, even Microsoft, these are the companies to watch—and to beat if you’re looking at it as a competition. The question is not whether they will give us great products and services—we already know the answer to that one. The bigger question is, with the race to market we’ve been seeing from a lot of these companies, in their haste, can we depend on them to secure the IoT space as well?
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Ten Great DIY/IoT Concepts That Are Here Now
The meaning behind the letters in DIY are readily understood by people. IoT does not immediately spark recognition...yet. IoT stands for "Internet of Things" and refers to the amazing connection between various devices as well as connecting things via the internet. Since the world is becoming rapidly more technologically reliant, it makes sense designers would develop new ways to connect various technologies together.
Can DIY and IoT be fused together? Absolutely! Here are ten truly awesome DIY IoT projects:
Build a Robot
Who wouldn't want their own robot? Okay, but how do you build one? No one needs to dream of classic science-fiction works such as I Robot anymore to figure out the answer. Windows IoT allows for easily building a mini-robot - a start.
Drone via Voice
The uses for Amazon's Echo technology is far more diverse than people realize. The technology can be integrated into drone's allowing for the voice command of the flying device. Just don't go hoarse trying to use it.
Maintain a Weather Station
Data about the weather comes from all sorts of different sources. Combining all those sources into one central data hub makes it easier to get weather stats without fishing all over the internet.
Keeping Tabs on a Car
It would be tough to steal a car if the engine was remotely shut off. A new smartphone app can control the engine ignition, air conditioner, and, in time, more. Real-time tracking of where the car is could aid in tracking the vehicle down if someone absconds with it.
Auto-Tinting for Windows
Sensors built into the windows control the tinting of the windows when a bit too much hit warms up the surface. Once the tint darkens, heat is kept out and comfort is boosted.
Facial Recognition Door Locks
Remember the talking door knocker from The Wizard of Oz? A modern high-tech version has emerged. By utilizing advanced facial recognition software produced by Microsoft, a door's lock can open for those it recognizing. No more stumbling for keys after this system is set up.
Animal Attack Wi-Fi
This is an intriguing concept, but one people might not want to try for themselves. Adding a device capable of hacking Wi-Fi to a dog or cat's collar is innovative, but doing so may get you in trouble.
The Magic Mirror
A fairy tale can come true in the form of a talking mirror. Building up a smart mirror allow it to display more than a reflection. The mirror can present all manner of different data including weather, news feeds, and more.
Helping Animal Life in Rivers and Streams
Microsoft Azure can track the temperatures of creeks, streams, and more allowing the system to aid in reintroducing Salmon to the waters and maintaining a proper ecosystem.
Automatic Car Wreck Response
Wow - this one could literally be a lifesaver. A communications system is hooked up to a car and, when an accident occurs, first responders are notified immediately. Such a system could help in a multitude of different serious scenarios.
These 10 are only the beginning of what is sure to be an extremely long list. A lot of DIY IoT greatness is sure to emerge in time.
Happy Holidays to you and your family.
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Police are Seeking Amazon Echo Data for Use in Murder Trial
Amazon Echo and other virtual devices are now part of the legal landscape. As of last week, police are seeking access to Amazon Echo information to see if the Amazon data has something that will help them with a murder case.
According to The Information the police and the attorneys involved in the case from Bentonville Arkansas have issued a warrant to Amazon asking them to hiand over any and all audio or records from Echo that belong to James Andrew Bates. Bates will go to trial for the murder of Victor Collins in 2017.
While Amazon has declined to give any of the recorded information from the Echo that it has on its servers, the company did give the account details and the account purchases from the account to the police. The police state that they could pull some data from the speaker but what they could get was unclear.
The Echo device is always on and can be awoken so police want information that may be stored on the device of an audio nature. According to Gabe Guttierez the police want to see what the device recordings may tell them. “We know Amazon has a copy because consumers can actually listen to all their Alexa requests and they can delete them, so that's an option that's available in a lot of these technologies--something that's good for consumers to know," stated privacy expert Bob Sullivan.
According to WHO TV the prosecutors say 32-year-old James Bates murdered his co-worker Victor Collins, who was found strangled in Bates' hot tub.”
Bates, who called 9-1-1 when he found Collins, has pleaded not guilty to the crime and of course isn’t thrilled with the Amazon data being called into play. He had multiple other smart devices attached to his home at the time, including a water meter. The water meter showed that more than 140 gallons of water were used between 1 and 3 am when Collins was murdered.
Investigators state that he used that water to clean up a crime scene. The Echo and other devices like it are supposed to find answers for you by listening to what you tell it to do, but the police in Bentonville believe that it can help with the case by telling them what it heard.
"Did anybody think when this was being created that information you gave to Alexis or you gave to the amazon echo would be used outside your home, and then be used to have you arrested for a crime you didn't commit?" asked Bates' defense attorney Kim Weber.
Amazon told WHO TV.com -- NBC News that it "will not release customer information without a valid and binding legal demand properly served on us. Amazon objects to overbroad or otherwise inappropriate demands as a matter of course."
"When we give companies data, the big problem is not only how will it be used today, but how could it be combined with other data in the future and then used against us," remarked privacy expert Sullivan.
How it all plays out remains to be seen but based on the Echo and the hot water meter, it appears that your smart devices may be the best witnesses against you.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all and here is looking forward to a prosperous 2017 - From all of us at IOT Recruiting
IOT, Internet of Things, Home Automation, Amazon Echo
