Strategic research challenges in the Internet of Things

The number of endpoints in the Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to be more than 50 billion by 2020 (feeding a market of nearly $11 billion). The sheer complexity of scale will have an effect not only within well-established areas like security and reliability, but also in the interaction between those areas. Humans in the loop will bring in elements of physiology and psychology, introducing safety relevant considerations within a context of uncertainty and unpredictability, and creating certification nightmares. Best practices for IoT development are still emerging, and suitable test and validation environments are in their infancy. Heterogeneity will be the norm rather than the exception. New connections and capabilities will challenge current laws and definitions of privacy. New configurations will challenge current industry structures and alter the competitive landscape. We will need to address the many research challenges of the Internet of Things in order to exploit the information that will be all around us.