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| Blockchain 101: How distributed trusted data can boost the IoT |
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| By Kevin Tofel |
Over the past year or two, we’ve talked about blockchain in combination with the Internet of Things numerous times. But to really understand how the blockchain can help improve device security and the IoT experience, you first have to understand what the blockchain is.
With that in mind, here’s a brief overview along with some examples, so you don’t get lost in all the buzzwords.
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| — Image courtesy of Apriorit |
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Blockchain 101
When most people hear the word “blockchain” these days, they typically associate it with cryptocurrency. Those are the digital coins or tokens you likely hear about on a near-daily basis, such as Bitcoin, Etherium, and yes, even Dogecoin.
In fact, those digital coins and tokens are simply applications that use blockchain for transaction history. When you buy, sell, or trade such digital currencies, a public record is added to a digital ledger that records the transaction.
And at its most basic level, that’s what a blockchain is, a database of stored information. But that database is different from most others because it’s completely distributed. There’s no central database server. Instead, the data is replicated across the internet as a peer-to-peer list, or chain, of transactional blocks.
Why does that distinction matter? Because with a centralized database, there’s a single source of records. Whereas with a blockchain, there are many sources of the same data records. Which means that the chain of transactions is verified by many sources and the data is immutable. You can’t go into the blockchain and reverse or change a transaction, for example. And as a result, there’s a much higher level of data integrity.
The integrity of device specifications, capabilities, and software
Knowing this, you can begin to see how blockchain applications can bring sorely needed benefits to the Internet of Things.
Indeed, back in April, Stacey offered an example of how the Matter protocol plans to use blockchain technology:
“[A]nyone can read a product ID and vendor ID on a device and check if it exists in what he called the CHIP Compliance Ledger. This means manufacturers can update metadata about the device, such as update a URL where the updates will be found, and more. This ledger will let anyone read it and figure out if the device is certified and has implemented necessary security updates.”
Instead of searching for IoT device software updates on the support pages of each of your devices, for example, in this scenario you could view all of the update information on a single page. You’d also know if a device that was made by some unknown brand was truly certified and designed to follow the required security protocols.
Seamless device updates from a trusted source
Now let’s take it a step further. While the above example will provide authentic security information about your IoT device hardware and software, it won't do any action on its own. That brings me to “smart contracts,” which are another implementation of the blockchain.
A smart contract is essentially an agreement between two entities, such as IoT devices, that takes place when certain pre-conditions are met.
Now, imagine if all of your IoT devices had smart contracts with the device makers so that when a certified available software update became available, a smart contract to update the device software was installed. Not only would you always have the latest firmware on your device installed as soon as it became available, you’d also know that the update was coming from a trusted source. This would be extremely valuable in the case of a security exploit that could be patched with a firmware update.
There would be no need to waste time notifying you to download the update and no action needed to get the update. Most importantly, you’d know that the update wasn’t from some random person posing as your device maker.
No more user access set-up with each new device
Finally, blockchain can help with user authentication in your smart home.
Presently, when setting up device access in the home, you typically have to invite family members to become users of each of them. This isn’t a one-time activity. With each new device in the home, you have to send the invites or add the person. And in the former case, if your invited family member has been hacked, a third party could get the invite and be the one that you’re actually providing access to.
Now consider the same situation using blockchain for authentication.
By creating immutable records of the people in your home, you’d have a single record to track authenticated users. And if all of your devices could use that blockchain, they would know who each of those authenticated users were. Which means there would be no need to manually provide access to each person every time you add a new device.
Of course, blockchain applications for the smart home aren’t there yet. Indeed, at this point we're only seeing the first blockchain implementations for the IoT, such as for chained ledgers of transactions that provide inventory locations in supply chains, for tracking sensor data in the Industrial IoT, and even for the verification of IoT network access points. But personally, I can't wait for when my home is integrated with blockchain applications.
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| Smart home devices to help prepare for climate change |
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by Stacey Higginbotham
This morning I awoke to pictures of flooding in the Northeast, tales from relatives about power outages in the South, and worries about wildfire smoke in my neck of the woods. It's clear that we can't stop climate change, and in all honesty, there's little individuals can do to protect themselves.
However, with some forethought and spare cash, there are devices that might make your life in these apocalyptic times a little more bearable. Let's talk about some of them. |
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| — Kevin's EcoFlow River battery comes with its own app so you can control it remotely. Image courtesy of Kevin C. Tofel. |
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Air purifiers and air quality sensors: Ideally, you will have both air purifiers and air quality sensors so you know when your purifier needs to run and when it needs to work harder. On the sensor side, I've used the Purple outdoor air quality monitor (which is also part of a network that helps populate data for other apps, so I am helping the community), the Awair Glow, and the Airthings Wave. For purifiers, I've been using two different Coway devices (one of which is plugged into the Awair Glow so it turns on when the Glow detects a problem), and the Filtrete Smart air purifiers that have both a sensor and the purifier in one device. Expect to pay about $100 to $200 for the individual sensing devices and between $100 and $600 for the air purifiers, depending on how much air they move and how smart they are.
Smart sump pumps: If you have a basement you are probably familiar with a sump pump. But as my colleague Kevin will attest, they can fail, and they can do so at the worst possible time. That's why he and I thought a smart sump pump would be nice to have in case of extreme flooding because you'll feel more confident that it will work and can monitor it remotely as needed. Expect to pay about $450 for this option that can tell you before it fails. For optimum peace of mind you'll want to pair it with the next item on the list.
Smarter batteries: One constant of wilder weather is power outages. Plus, during wildfire season some utilities are shutting off power to prevent stray sparks. This is where a rechargeable battery can come in handy. Having a "smart battery" that can communicate how much electricity is left, what's charging, and how fast it's recharging can come in especially handy. Some even let you prioritize how much energy you can use for certain outlets. Kevin recently purchased a $300 EcoFlow River battery that he can use to charge his devices or to brew a cup of coffee in the morning. For more money (a lot more) EcoFlow makes the Delta Pro, which can power your AC, or sump pump for a few hours if needed. It can also power your fridge for about a week.
Water monitoring systems and shutoff valves: There are several types of devices that can monitor your home for leaks, either with dedicated sensors placed on pipes or on the floor, or by using algorithms to measure how water flows through your pipes. These can come in handy in freezing weather, especially if it's a sudden freeze in a place that doesn't typically freeze, like Texas had happen earlier this year. People don't wrap their pipes in Texas because freezes aren't a threat, so when it did happen peoples' pipes burst. The monitoring systems, especially the sensors that wrap around pipes and can track temperatures, such as this one from Resideo/Honeywell, can help. But ideally you'll have a device that can shut off the water automatically when leaks happen. Phyn and Moen (Flo) make such devices. You'll need a plumber to install them and they cost about $600-$800. You could also buy a standalone water valve controller for $150 to $250, but you'll need to turn it off remotely whenever you think there's a risk.
Low-cost drone: After crazy weather has moved through, whether it's a hurricane, tornado, or even just random golf ball-sized hail, your roof may be in a shambles. This is where a low-cost drone can come in handy. You can fly one over your home to check out the roof and to look for any additional damage that might be worth noting. We'd recommend one of these options suggested by Wirecutter. Since Wirecutter plans to charge people soon, I'll just tell you that as of November 2020 the site recommends the DJI Tello for $100 or the Snaptain S53 for about $65.
It's also a good idea to have rechargeable lights and flashlights around the house as well as a water filter and a camp stove, but those don't need to be smart. And if you want to help reduce your environmental impact, I recommend LED lights and smart thermostats, which can help reduce the overall energy usage in your home. But really, at an individual level, there's not a lot you can do, so your best bet is to prepare for things to fail and hope you have devices that will help you see things through. |
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| Episode 336: Australia's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad surveillance law |
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| We start this week’s show with a look at a new surveillance law passed in Australia that seemingly obliterates a lot of protections about how law enforcement officials can access data and what they can do with it. We also talk about a survey conducted in the U.S. that shows how willing many Americans are to share their data in exchange for cheaper insurance. From there we cover new fundings for Brilliant, Wirepas, and Carbon Robotics. For those eager for an update on Helium’s 5G plans, the Freedom Fi hotspots will hit the market on Sept. 28. We also have updates on new products and features from the maker of Philips Hue devices, Spotify, Google, and Amazon Alexa. |
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| — Brilliant, the maker of smart home light switches, has raised $40 million. Image courtesy of Brilliant. |
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| Our guest this week is Charles Young, the EVP and COO of Invitation Homes, a company that leases single-family homes. He’s on the show to discuss how Invitation Homes plans to add smart devices to its portfolio of 80,000 homes and to talk about the challenges of managing that many devices. We discuss the future of predictive maintenance across the portfolio, the savings the company has already achieved, and plans for new features such as video doorbells. We also talk about the perceived longevity for different device types in the smart home. And of course, we talk about how the company handles privacy. It’s a fun interview. |
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This week on the IoT Podcast Hotline, we answer a question from David about how to avoid the problems associated with adding new devices or hubs to his smart home network.
The IoT Podcast Hotline is brought to you by Very. Very is a fully distributed IoT engineering firm that partners with clients to build systems for smart manufacturing, smart energy and utilities, consumer electronics, and connected wellness. Discover what our multidisciplinary teams can do at https://www.verypossible.com/services. |
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| News of the Week |
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Samsara has confidentially filed for an IPO: This is big news for those of us who have been in the industry for a while. Samsara launched in 2015 as a connected sensor platform with an excellent pedigree. Its founders co-founded enterprise Wi-Fi company Meraki, and it has about 20,000 customers. Samsara's history is a microcosm of the history of enterprise IoT. It launched with big plans to create a horizontal platform that would make it easier for customers to manage and deploy sensor networks. But it quickly realized that industries needed more specialized products. So it shifted, specifically to focus on cold-chain management and then asset tracking. I personally believe the underlying vision for building out a broad platform still exists, but reality required Samsara to layer more services and dedicated products on top. My hope is that eventually we can break down the vertical focus and pull in data across industries, but we're not there yet. I'm keeping an eye on Samsara to see when that might change. (Reuters)
SimpliSafe releases an outdoor camera: Hot on the heels of Google's Nest releasing a battery-powered indoor/outdoor camera and a camera plus light, SimpliSafe has added its own outdoor camera to its home security lineup. The SimpliSafe camera is rechargeable, which means homeowners don't have to mess with wires, and it's IP65-compliant, so it's weatherproof. The camera will cost $169.99, which is less than the planned Nest outdoor camera with integrated lights, and there are a range of accessories on offer including a mount, a cable, and a solar panel. (The Verge)
Consent is going to continue to be an issue for smart homes: I feel like a lot of people don't think about the discomfort others might have when their partner or a neighbor brings home a smart device. Not everyone wants to be photographed or have data shared about their lives when at home. This is why I am a big fan of telling people who live with you what a device can do and who sees the information or data it generates. You should also ask them if they are down with a camera or an oven that takes picture of everything you put inside it and sends it to an app. These issues are made even more complicated in shared buildings. So I was fascinated by the question posed in this article about a neighbor's video doorbell that faces a condo owner's front door, and wonder how many similar issues arise each day in condos or duplexes across the land. (NYT)
Another security flaw in the smart home: A flaw in an API and insecure radio links apparently make it possible for an attacker to remotely turn off a connected alarm system, according to research published this week. The two vulnerabilities affect the Fortress S03 WiFi Home Security System, and the flaws remain unpatched as of Tuesday. While exploiting either of these flaws is unlikely for a run-of-the-mill hacker, a stalker or dedicated attacker could use them to break into a home with this security system. I get that no system is ever secure, especially against a dedicated hacker, but it's a bit disconcerting, especially since hackers for hire are a real thing now. (ThreatPost)
China's new laws help citizens opt out of algorithmic manipulation: This is such an interesting story because of the contradiction between China's dystopian use of algorithmic and computer surveillance and how it's setting rules to protect citizens from algorithmic manipulation by companies. China is drafting new laws that prevent companies from using personalized data to offer ads, manipulate pricing, and even schedule employees or take advantage of gig workers. These are positive things! However, it also seems that while private companies can't go too far in screwing over citizens, China's policies will ensure that the government can do whatever it wants with data. (Protocol)
More research like this, please: Swiss researchers have created a type of wooden flooring that can generate enough electricity to power a lightbulb or other small devices when a person walks across it. This is obviously not commercial-ready, yet I'm excited by the possibility of electricity-generating flooring that might power in-wall or in-building sensors. This means we could put sensors in hard-to-reach places without worrying about battery changes and could place more of them in different areas. People who like to pace instead of sit at their desk could become the unsung heroes of the office. (The Guardian)
This looks like an interesting project: This article introduces us to TinyGo, a version of Go recompiled for resource-constrained devices such as Arduinos, ESP32s, and other microcontrollers. So if you're familiar with Go and want to experiment with IoT projects, check this out. (Auth0)
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