Machine Learning Approaches for Convergence of IoT and Blockchain. Группа авторов

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Figure 1.3 Illustration of IoT.

But firstly let us see how IoT works. Four basic contents for IoT are sensors, connectivity, data processing, and finally a user interface. The first key requirement for any device connected to IoT is to first be able to gather the information that it wants to process and communicate to other devices over the network. This is possible with the help of sensors, since they can detect an event or change in the environment of the device that they are attached to. The sensors may be in the form of cameras, microphones, motion sensors, accelerometers, temperature sensors, etc., allowing any device to know its surroundings without requiring any human interventions. The information or data through these sensors is continuously sent to a cloud or server that the device is connected to from where other devices which have access to that server may attain the information. The information from the cloud is utilized for performing certain tasks without the need of any human to machine or human to human interaction. This technology allows us to refer to devices as smart devices since they are capable to perform some activities on their own when required to do so. Let us consider a common example, smart watches have seen a surge in the number of people using it. These watches gather and present data such as, lets the user know about the number of steps that he took throughout the day, the distance covered, their pulse rate, their body temperatures, some also notify when they sense a surge in heart rate or suspect a medical condition, in case a call or text message notification is received. All this has been made possible with the use of sensors and the technology of IoT. Another example that we all have heard about is Amazon’s Alexa or Google home, these function on voice commands given by the user with the help of sensors that convert verbal instructions into commands understandable by the device’s software and then converts the device’s output into speech to be delivered back to the user, such appliance is also referred to as a chat bot. These may also be configured with smart lighting system or may regulate ac controls with the help of IoT [7]. One widely applicable benefit of IoT is prognostics and advanced system health management (PHM). Herein, we are able to keep a check on the reliability of a device; reliability implies how the asset would perform under the expected set of conditions. This is done by in situ sensing. In situ sensing implies accommodating sensors in various parts under the same environment as the particular area that this sensor is responsible for providing details about. Four dimensions of prognostics and systems health management are sensing, diagnosis, prognosis, and management. Sensors are embedded across different machine parts, and these sensors provide data regarding time-based degradation of the particular part and notify if any anomaly arises. Diagnosis implies extraction of complete fault related information from the signals received by the sensors and lets us know about the amount of damage and provides warning regarding need for replacement or repair in advance. Prognostics help us figure out the remaining life of the equipment and calculate when it would require replacement so that it can be done as per need and sudden disruption can be avoided. Finally, management implies deciding how to tackle the requirements of the machine and performing the procedures accordingly [8]. However, with the advancement and automation that is brought about by this technology, accompanying it are concerns regarding the security issues that may arise due to this technology. Threats such as unauthorized access, phishing, or hacking surround, since it is a digitally augmented space. It is essential to have solutions to such problems or else it would not be possible to benefit from this technology. One solution suggested to tackle this is to combine the technology of IoT with the support of blockchain technology. How we benefit from this will be seen in better detail in the following section.

1.5 Combining IoT and Blockchain

As we have already seen, IoT connects and facilitates communication for devices connected to each other via the internet and provides storage space over a cloud, thus enabling devices to establish communication between one another and interact to successfully perform certain tasks without the requirement of any human intervention. But we see the need to ensure that this transfer mechanism as well as storage of any shared signals or information should be made secure and attack proof. This is taken care of by incorporating blockchain along with IoT. The combination of both these technologies helps fulfil the necessary security mechanism requirement to IoT which it otherwise lacked. The information that is received by a cloud can be accommodated in a tamperproof and permanent storage in a blockchain thus ensuring that the functioning of the machines, task communication, and messages to each other cannot be manipulated and reach completion in their intended manner. With incrementing the safety standards that the technology offers we will be able to attract a larger chunk of users to adopt and utilize this, and explore more vivid application throughout various spheres. No matter how huge the advancements any technique offers, without it being secure and trustworthy it cannot be brought in usage as the customer world will not accept it and might lead to theft of information or any such crime. Let us now look into the enhancement that these have brought about through various spheres as mentioned in Figure 1.4.