Adding connectivity with some degree of intelligence to things of our daily use lead us to Internet of Things (IoT). Introduction of these connected things, inside our personal spaces is creating smart homes and the adoption is already exponential.

Smart home promises an automated living experiences with in built convenience and efficient style of living. As per IDC projections in 2015, there will be 50 billion connected things by 2020 with a market worth of 1.7 trillion USD. This massive projection is more than exciting but the biggest risk to such a huge adoption is security of the connected things.

The large-scale adoption of smart home means a large sized target for attackers to attack. This may result into a financial as well as physical loss instead of promised convenience and energy savings.

Security risks involved in connected things may erode the confidence and consequently the projected adoption of smart home products by the consumers.

IoT Vulnerabilities

The connected things creates a great volume of sensitive data, creating a greater risk of data and identity theft, device manipulation and server/network manipulation.

As per Open Web Application Security Project’s (OWASP), the IoT vulnerabilities include inherent insecurities in web interface, mobile interface, cloud interface, network services and firmware. The vulnerabilities also include insufficiencies in authentication/authorization and security configurability. The lack of transport encryption, privacy concerns and poor physical security also adds up to list of vulnerabilities.

Another challenge unique to IoT systems is limited memory and computational power of micro controllers which are essential to convert dumb appliances into intelligent connected things. Implementation of security at device level is a big problem for IoT solution providers keeping in view the balance to be maintained in security and marketability of the end product.

Strategy to Mitigate the IoT Vulnerabilities

The all-encompassing strategy to mitigate the vulnerabilities is to cover every aspect from design to final support provided to end customer. It involves incorporation of security at the design phase and implementation of on the go security updates once the devices are already in market. The strategy must include proven security practices, prioritization of security measures and transparency across the whole Eco-system.

Putting IoT Security Strategy Vehicle into Action

The IoT solution providers have to involve security issue at all stages of IoT cycle. Security begins at design stage with special focus on threat modeling, secure component selection, component adaptability to future security measures and finally the resilience testing. The FOTA functionality is a must for remote updates, failure patching and data protection in case of security breaches. The options of standalone operations in case of connectivity problems can also give a greater confidence to users. The manufacturer must also educate the users for setting stronger user preferences through user configurations.

The  users on their part can reduce the risk of security breaches by using strong passwords for device accounts and Wi-Fi networks, use of stronger encryption method when setting up Wi-Fi networks such as WPA2,disabling the remote access to IoT devices when not needed  and disabling of features that are not being used like location information

Privacy is an Essential Part of Security

Last but not the least is the privacy issues. The IoT has the potential to provide unprecedented amounts of personal information. Such information may land in the hands of information abusers. OEMs need to provide privacy policies on how they handle such data and should adopt best practices to avoid reputational damages and adherence to regulatory requirements.

Smart home involves the control and automation of lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and security, as well as home appliances such as washer/dryers, ovens or refrigerators/freezers. Modern systems generally consist of switches and sensors connected to a central hub from which the system is controlled with a user interface, often via the internet. In the domain of Smart Homes, Cielo is now considered one of the top most 100 influential brands according to the new article published by Onalytica.

It is a truth and universally acknowledged that the Internet of Things is going to revolutionize how we live, work and think. From the explosion of sensor data, to connected cars, to the smart homes and cities of the future, IoT is permeating its way into every facet of our lives. Some IoT influencers and social media experts also shared their views on smart home.

According to Evan Kirstel, Social Media Business Strategist (Advisor) at UCStrategies.com “While tech giants all want to sit at the center of the smart home, it’s unclear as to the route to success, especially the winning economic model. Some will just sell hardware while others will try to sell services, such as video/security, as well as devices, while providing managed services. The products that will sell into the smart home will be diverse, personal and internet connected. That should give plenty of companies a shot at winning in the home—but only if & when consumers decide to buy them en masse!”

 “We’ve seen pretty much any device you can think of can become “connected” in recent years (Belts? Forks?!), but it’s time to move to the next level of intelligence. Consumers want connected home devices that offer peace of mind and anticipate their needs: Think locks that text you when your kids get home from school, or a thermostat that turns itself down when you leave for work. Connected devices that are tapping into deep consumer needs by making good use of the data they’re collecting are going to be the winners in the field. In other words, thoughtful is the new smart.” Carley Knobloch, CEO & Founder of CarleyK.com    

Waseem Amer, CEO of Cielo Wigle “The decision of going for smart home technology is already paying dividends. The connectivity, security, scalability and business intelligence provided by Cielo Cloud and Cielo Smart Products are matchless. The world of smart appliances needs an ecosystem which is all-encompassing and able to lead from the front. Cielo Ecosystem provides it all and that is why it has become a number one choice for all smart products manufacturers, consumers and distributors.”

TOPIC ANALYSIS

According to Onalytica index, here is the list of topics that were spoken of the most in the context of smart home.

This pie chart indicates the whole scenario of smart home range.

MAPPING THE COMMUNITY

Onalytica showed interest in seeing which brand and individuals were leading the discussion around connected home. Then identified the top 100 most influential brands and individuals leading the discussion on Social media platforms.the index discovered a very engaged community, with much discussion between individuals and brands. Below you can see a network map of the online conversations of 100 most influential companies in Smart Home domain.

We all know that the market is huge and need of smart home products is already established in bits and pieces. Big and small players are contributing and innovative solutions are continuously being presented to the consumers. The smart home market need envisaged by Cielo is wholesome where complete home is covered, every connected thing is counted till the watt level, the analytics are always available to the users and all hardware is compliant to the energy regulations enforced by governments.

Cielo Smart Home products are embedded with artificial intelligence technology that gives comfort and convenience to the home owners. Cielo Smart home products can be more than useful. Consumers can reduce energy usage by 10-30% using schedules and temperature settings of smart controller for ACs and Heat Pumps.

Cielo is a multi-channeled Smart Home brand that prioritizes both ACs and Heat Pumps manufacturers and consumers. For manufacturers level Cielo made Breezi a retrofit version for ACs and Heat Pumps. Similarly, on a consumer level, Cielo sells Breez- Smart Controller for ACs & Heat pumps that can be mounted on wall or placed in the line of sight of AC or Heat pump.

The technological infrastructure of Smart Home along with rampant use of communication technology necessitates all-out effort to use the technology for better efficiency and a greener environment. Cielo’s smart energy solutions need massive appreciation and a large scale adoption so that we move forward towards a better, greener, smart and connected world.

Internet of things is gaining ground at an explosive pace. Homes and businesses are joining the bandwagon. Tech companies are bringing new products to add convenience, comfort and savings to your dumb appliances. More and more people are realizing the benefits of smart products and the customer excitement is already rocketed.
Today the customer has the luxury of controlling all the connected appliances from anywhere. In the IoT world, locks do not need keys, lights have become independent of installed switches, heating and cooling controls does not need your presence, home or business premises are always visible; no matter where you are. The remote scheduling and artificial intelligence is taking the usability of smart products to the next level. All this was possible through ever growing internet coverage, rampant use of smart phones, competitive pricing of smart products and ever increasing customer base who wants smartness in every appliance they deal with.
The established as well as new players are bringing novel products and solutions with every passing day. Customers are embracing these solutions and every day the connected things in your home and business are adding up and they are bringing more convenience and comfort in our daily life.
Connecting your appliances to internet and controlling them remotely is a great convenience but this ease of doing thing can become your enemy if the security aspect is ignored by the user.
The threats of security breach include but not limited to insecure devices, insecure mobile apps and WiFi network vulnerabilities. The smart home developer is always up and doing to secure their devices and apps through pre-engineered software and regular updates through FOTA, once the device has been sold and being used by the Consumers. So, as an end user, your primary concern is the network in which your device is connected. As a smart home user, you should take care of following aspects so that the device hacking becomes difficult if not impossible: –

1. Never use default factory set password for your network equipment and connected gadgets.
2. Manage passwords of your Wi-Fi network intelligently and always give them a vague name.
3. Always create a tight control towards guest access to your network.
4. Create two different Wi-Fi networks if you have a dual band router.
5. Firewall the network, either with a stand-alone appliance or software that ships with the router, to restrict incoming connections.
6. Use the WPA2 protocol instead of WEP protocol.

AT the device level, security can be ensured through taking a closer look at the device set permissions and making sure they’re air tight. Similarly, regular firmware updates are of the utmost importance, as they will keep your devices protected against potential vulnerabilities.

Take a breath. The smart home, you always wanted has become a reality. The science fiction scenes are in your grasp and you can control your home from anywhere around the globe. Next generation communication technology has enabled the technology companies to bring in novel solutions to the consumers.

The smart home is changing lifestyles and making life easy for its users. Now your air-conditioning is under your control, your lighting goes with your mood or your set preferences, your home appliances are in a true relationship of master-slave. This all is possible and that too from anywhere.

This all was possible through innovative thinking, in-depth planning, high tech development and strong sales channels. Initially no one believed in the actual existence of this market due to reliability, ease of use and privacy issue. Top notch security encryption, lightning fast communication and affordability of hardware has made possible a smart home which is in reach of everybody for maximum benefit.

The advent of smart home technology has brought some exceptionally good smart products which not only give us control and convenience but also save us significant amount of energy. According to Coldwell banker and CNET “the devices save them an average of 30 minutes a day and more than $1,000 per year”.

Cielo, a smart home company offers state of the art smart home products including air-conditioning controls, lighting controls and home appliances control through a single mobile application. Cielo claims a saving of upto 25% on electricity bills through use of its product. Apart from savings, the Cielo products are meant to enhance the lifestyle where comfort, convenience and home décor is given a serious preference.

The smart products from Cielo and other leading smart home companies enables a lifestyle where the dumb appliances become active as per the consumers’ needs and demands.

The numbers of smart home products are expected to grow as technology gets better and cheaper and interest of home owners increasing. All the recent surveys and market indicators are positive. A recent survey by Business Insider “By 2020, more than 24 billion internet-connected devices will be installed globally — that’s more than 4 devices for every human on earth”.

Rapid advances in technology and the increasingly interconnected nature of today’s digital-first world, however, have been changing this perception by making home automation solutions a tangible reality for consumers across the globe.

A smart home incorporates advanced automation systems to provide the inhabitants with sophisticated information and control over connected appliances from anywhere. Today the smart Home is a “Reality”. The growth of smart home industry is really High – as high as 20%. “Almost All” types of Home appliances are getting Connected, being driven by data and are trying to behave smart. The changes in the smart home industry are fast and today we are witnessing speedy conversion from simple connectivity to smartness & to energy Efficiency.

Already the market is huge with numbers of shipped connected devices reaching to billions by 2020.The prospective customers are technologically equipped to get benefit from the boom of smart home industry. The notable players are establishing themselves with new entrants coming in throngs. Already the companies like NEST, Ecobee, Ninja Blocks, Cielo,Control4, Smart Things, Wemo, Belkin are Making it happen. Partnerships are made. The Google NEST story is told and heard by everybody.

We are heading into a new era, where the users of the Internet will be counted in billions and where humans may become the minority as generators and receivers of traffic. As per a UN report the changes brought about by the Internet will be dwarfed by those prompted by the networking of everyday objects.

The number of everyday objects or things connected to the internet will exceed PCs and smart phone as per the research by MIT technology review. Our World will be a dynamically interconnected World.

Every industry has its focal point or points. Energy efficiency, home comfort and security will be the key area of smart home focus as per ABB Goldman Sachs global investment research.

The enabler of this smart home industry boom are cheap sensors, cheap bandwidth, fast processing, rampant use of smartphone, huge wireless Coverage across the globe, the advent of big Data and huge IP connectivity.

The energy saving capability of smart home is destined to be its most powerful aspect. Smart grids are a reality now and already the savings are great and the forecasts are very promising. Vodafone research report says “Deployment of Smart Grids in US alone is estimated to save between US$50B to US$100B over the next 20 years”.

The power matrix consists of generation, transmission, distribution, consumption and billing. The smart matrix comprises of smart grid, smart meters and smart homes. These all are interconnected yet separated. There is a need to bridge the distance.

New initiatives like green button are trying to bridge the gap. The energy usage patterns are important.

As per enegrystar.gov…”The Green Button Initiative is an industry-led effort that responds to a White House call-to-action to provide electricity customers with easy access to their energy usage data in a consumer-friendly and computer-friendly format”. Already more than 50 Utility companies are on board. The data of over 60M consumers is linked. Similarly energy Efficiency Programs, Virtual Energy Audits and Fact based conclusions are becoming norm.

The Power Saving Potential of a home is huge. Smart home can be more than useful. 37% of end use electricity in the US is consumed in residences – US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Consumers can reduce energy usage by 10-30% using schedules and temperature settings of smart thermostats – US Environmental Protection Agency. Growth in web-based cloud computing applications will enable low-cost home energy data storage, data display, and data analysis for automated home energy management trend analysis

The smart home opportunities are mouthwatering. The dramatic value rise of improved return on investment from smart grid technology, regulatory or policy support, availability of mature technology solutions, increased consumer adaptability, improved network reliability, higher demand to result in greater adoption of automation systems are proving instrumental for the futuristic smart home.

Beyond-the-meter solutions focused on energy efficiency and demand response.

The challenges of smart home are privacy & security, protocol standardization, interoperability, change resistance, advocacy of users and trained HR.

We all know that the market is huge and need of smart home products is already established in bits and pieces. Big and small players are contributing and innovative solutions are continuously being presented to the consumers. The smart home market need envisaged by Cielo is wholesome where complete home is covered, every connected thing is counted till the watt level, the analytics are always available to the users and all hardware is compliant to the energy regulations enforced by governments.