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The Internet of Things

Friday, November 20th, 2015

“The internet of things” — a rather unimaginative way to describe something vast. What did Kevin Ashton mean when he used the phrase for the first time in 1995?

What is it?

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to connected devices communicating with each another and using machine-to-machine (M2M) communication via virtual, mobile or instantaneous connections.

This network of physical objects is embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity, enabling the objects to collect and exchange data.

They can include any object fitted with the right technology and the ability to connect to the internet. For example, home appliances, most forms of transport, shops and machines used for manufacturing, farming, healthcare, etc. Existing M2M applications include smart metering, patient monitoring, CCTV surveillance, vehicle tracking, secure ATMs and digital signage.

What can it be used for?

The main advantages of The Internet of Things is increased productivity, efficiency and better organisation of tools, machines and people.

One area where IoT can be most beneficial, is healthcare. Diseases can be monitored and analysed to create new treatments and also prevented in the long run.

In farming, sensors are connected to crops and cattle to increase production and track herds.

In the home environment security systems and household appliances can be monitored and controlled. In future your fridge will be able to let you know when you are out of milk and possibly even order it online for you. You will be able to activate your coffee machine from your cell phone to have a cup of hot coffee waiting when you get home.

LG recently introduced LG Homechat which enables you to SMS any of your LG home appliances. And yes, they answer back. Unfortunately this functionality isn’t available in South Africa yet, but it’s out there and being used.

These are simple examples, but the possibilities are vast. For more ideas, have at this interactive web application.

Is it safe?

IoT has many advantages, but the biggest concern, especially in its early stages, is security and privacy. To function optimally these devices need your personal data and since everything will be connected, in the cloud or on companies’ databases, it will also be available for if proper security is not in place.

Healthcare is most at risk if data is tampered with or leaked. Deleting sensitive medical information, such blood group info, could have fatal repercussions. (More in the Guardian)

According to experts IoT is relatively safe, but there’s no guarantee.

More articles on the Internet of Things.

[SOURCES: http://whatis.techtarget.com; https://en.wikipedia.org; http://www.wired.com;
http://www.digitalistmag.com; http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com;
http://searchbusinessanalytics.techtarget.com; http://www.theguardian.com]

Tags: internet of things
Posted in General, Internet | Comments Off on The Internet of Things

Life in 3D

Friday, November 20th, 2015

“No, really?!” would be a valid first reaction to Google’s latest innovation. Made from cardboard, it looks a lot like the toys you played with in primary school.

Google Cardboard doesn’t bring anything revolutionary to the table. It’s a virtual reality headset which enables you to watch 3D images and videos with your smart phone.

What makes it different is its simplicity and accessibility.

The headset consists of corrugated cardboard, Velcro and a pair of cheap plastic lenses – the most essential part as they transform flat images on your phone into 3D ones.

Although Cardboard was developed by Google, there is no official manufacturer or vendor for the device. A list of the parts and instructions is available on the Google website. With a few basics you can assemble your own VR viewer. Add your cell phone, download the Google Cardboard app and you’re good to go 3D.

The app splits the smartphone image into two and applies “barrel distortion to each image to counter pincushion distortion from the lenses. The result is a stereoscopic (“3D”) image with a wide field of view.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Cardboard)

More info is available on https://developers.google.com/cardboard/

[SOURCES: http://www.wired.com; www.wikipedia.org]

Tags: 3D, Google, Google Cardboard, virtual reality
Posted in Apps, General | 2 Comments »

From tarred hemp and Indian rubber to optical fibre

Friday, November 20th, 2015

The internet began to emerge in the late 1980s and early 90s. However, the infrastructure supporting it has been around since 1839.

Today most of our Internet traffic is carried via submarine cable systems from Europe and the United States.

A submarine communications cable is a laid on the seabed between land-based stations to carry telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean. Before internet, however, submarine cables were used for other types of communications, for example telephones and telegraph.

After the introduction of the telegraph in 1839, establishing a submarine line across the Atlantic Ocean became the next challenge. Samuel Morse accepted this challenge and in 1842 he succeeded in sending a telegraph through a wire insulated with tarred hemp and Indian rubber, which was submerged in the water of New York Harbour.

Laying an undersea cable in Cape Town (Photo credit: Telkom)

The first submarine cable system in South Africa was launched in on 27 December 1879 and for the first time we were directly connected to Europe. This was done via Durban and Zanzibar to Aden with the East Coast cable of the South African Telegraph Company.

Today’s cables use optical fibre technology to carry digital data, which includes telephone, Internet and private data traffic.

“Modern cables are typically about 25 millimetres in diameter and weigh around 1.4 kilograms per metre for the deep-sea sections which comprise the majority of the run, although larger and heavier cables are used for shallow-water sections near shore.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_communications_cable)

Over the past 15 years four submarine cable systems have been installed in South Africa for telecommunication – SAT-3/WACS, Seacom, WACS, and EASSy.

The most recent addition was made in May 2012 with the West Africa Cable System (WACS). The 17 200 km fibre optic submarine cable starts at Yzerfontein on the west coast and ends in the United Kingdom. (More about the WACS launch)

[SOURCES: www.mybroadband.co.za & https://en.wikipedia.org]

Tags: internet, internet of things
Posted in Connectivity, General, Internet | Comments Off on From tarred hemp and Indian rubber to optical fibre

Meet the IT crowd: Benette Brink

Friday, November 6th, 2015

In February ITs manager of business analysis, Benette Brink, celebrated 25 years at Stellenbosch University and her dedication was rewarded with a long service award.

benette

This achievement was preceded by a stint at Tukkies where she started out as a computer operator and later a systems programmer. But initially Maties wasn’t part of her long-term career plan. After Tukkies, she became involved with the implementation of software configuration processes at the old Krygkor.

Eventually she ended up at SU’s Information Technology department – a department she would later run.

Over the past few years her focus has shifted to business analysis. Within the IT context it is Benette’s responsibility to promote the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to resolve the university’s business issues.

Together with her team of business analysts she translates the business needs for technologists, as well as technology for administrative, management and academic entities and also analyses processes in the development environment.

Being exposed to the different business aspects of the university, is what makes her work so stimulating. Where others shy away from change, change is her motivation and a changing environment marked by progress, is the one she feels at home in.

“My job isn’t set in stone and there’s always something new on the horizon”

But there’s more to life than work. In spite of a career mostly shaped and defined by technology, being close to nature still speaks to her upbringing on a farm. These roots show in small things like her love for orchids and the challenge to grow them.

When it comes to holidays or short breaks, she prefers somewhere quiet and close to nature. They seldom stay over at the same place and prefer exploring different towns and areas.

“Sometimes I have to escape to somewhere quiet to stay sane.”

When she can’t get away from the daily hustle and bustle, she escapes by studying property prices. Not for buying, but rather to keep up to date with current trends. To add some excitement she also escapes by reading – most recently the Hunger Games series – and watching movies: anything from art house movies like As it is in heaven to crazy action ones like Mad Max.

She admits being a home-bird. After 4:30 in the afternoon is her favourite time, at home, with her husband. And possibly a book … and a movie.

Posted in General, Our people | 2 Comments »

Facebook: the grass isn’t greener

Friday, November 6th, 2015

In the 80s, if you wanted to see your neighbours shiny new BMW, you had to pretend you were trimming the lavender hedge. Now evidence of his latest acquisition is for all to see on his Facebook wall.

You watched in envy as the youngest Petersen from across the road, carried beach umbrellas and beach bats to their car in preparation for their Natal South Coast holiday.

We still envy others. The scope is just considerable larger thanks to social media like Facebook. Sure, thirty years ago you knew what your neighbours were up to. But now you also know about your long lost cousin in Australia’s diving expedition on the Great Barrier Reef or your school friend’s apparently successful business – the same friend you haven’t seen in 20 years.

In 2013 Ethan Kross, a psychologist from the University of Michigan did research on a group of students and came to the conclusion that using Facebook made them alone and sad. Kross and his colleagues studied their subjects over two weeks and frequently asked them questions to establish their mental state. (Facebook use predicts declines in subjective well-being in young adults: Kross E, Verduyn P, Demiralp E, Park J, Lee DS, Lin N, et.al (2013))

Does this mean social media is inherently bad for us? Not entirely, but we need to be attentive as to how we use it and its effect on our lives.

As early as 1998 Robert Kraut, a researcher at Carnegie Mellon University found that subjects became progressively more depressed and isolated when they spent more time on the internet. The cause for our addiction to social media lies in our innate social make-up. We want to make connections with other people, but inevitably we also end up compare our lives to theirs.

Sharing information activates the part of our brain associated with reward processing. Sharing with others is a normal, acceptable, social action, passively being exposed to a large amount of information about those we are connected to on social media, and would normally not even be aware of, is not. What we don’t realise is that this information has been carefully selected and posted to present the best possible image. It’s not a realistic representation of someone’s life.

According to Mai-Ly Steers’ article “Seeing Everyone Else’s Highlight Reels: How Facebook Usage is Linked to Depressive Symptoms”, published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, social comparison is nothing new. Social media’s arrival just intensified the phenomenon.

“It doesn’t mean Facebook causes depression, but that depressed feelings and lots of time on Facebook and comparing oneself to others tend to go hand in hand”, says Steers.

[SOURCES: www.livescience.com; www.sciencedaily.com; www.newyorker.com; http://blogs.plogs.org]

Posted in General, Internet | Comments Off on Facebook: the grass isn’t greener

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The Internet of Things

Life in 3D

From tarred hemp and Indian rubber to optical fibre

Laying an undersea cable in Cape Town (Photo credit: Telkom)

Meet the IT crowd: Benette Brink

Facebook: the grass isn’t greener