IOTA Primer - Entangling the Internet of Things - Part 2
Updates and Developments
IOTA is not only the first to go on the far side of the blockchain technology. It is not only the first one to provide a solution to scalability issues and get zero fees but also the very first blockchain technology to gear quantum security and centered on IoT's lightweight requirements. Transparency Compendium
IOTA is now running on curl which is a world's first trinary hash function designed specifically for IoT.
Never before has the economy of the IOT been done before. It is a behemoth task.
IOTA has smaller storage requirements because any device on the IoT cannot possibly become a NODE. That is overkill. Imagine a simple refrigerator becoming a masternode.... crazy!
The IOTA protocol which is the core itself is designed to be simple and lightweight. Its function is to allow trust free and zero fees transactional settlements and tamper proof transmission of data.
Modular and Standalone components
◘ Identity of Things
In order for IoT to securely mature into its full potential we have to fundamentally change how we think about machines/devices. Rather than perceiving them as lifeless amalgams of metal and plastic with a specific purpose, we need to shift toward considering each device as its own identity with different attributes.
For instance a sensor should not only have its unique identifier, but also accompanying it attributes such as: who manufactured it, when it was deployed, what is the expected life time cycle, who owns it now, what kind of sensor data is it gathering and at what granularity, does it sell the data and if so for how much? This is imperative for an efficient way to index and enable the Machine Economy and Industry 4.0 predictive maintenance. IDoT equally plays a vital role in securing the connected world. When each device has its own ID one can also establish reputation systems that are vital for anomaly and intrusion detection. By observing whether a device is acting in accordance with its ID or not, the latter which can be indicative of malware being spread, the neighbouring devices can quarantine it.
◘ Permanodes
Since IOTA uses “snapshotting” to keep the size of the Tangle ledger database small, which is a prerequisite for IoT. This is all that is necessary for the vast majority of settlement and data integrity use cases. However, there are certain applications where the full raw data of the ledger has to be kept and be accessible permanently, for instance a transparent audit will require such an ability. This is the role of ‘Permanodes’. A Permanode stores the entire Tangle history and data in it permanently and securely. Through checkpointing in snapshots we make it possible to completely remove the trust requirements.
The bottom line is there will still be masternodes - called permanodes. If this does not exist, the network will have no backbone. Like a building without foundation and rebars, there will be cracks and crumbles, infinite loops and blank spaces.
◘ Masked Authenticated Messaging (MAM)
One of the most anticipated, and probably one of the most unique, modules for IOTA is Masked Authenticated Messaging. MAM makes it possible for sensors and other devices to encrypt entire data streams and securely anchor those into the IOTA Tangle in a quantum proof fashion. Only authorized parties will be able to read and reconstruct the entire data stream. In essence it works a lot like a radio where only those with the right frequency can listen in, in MAM only those with the right channel IDs get access to the data. You can expect many more announcements about MAM, as well as its applicability to industries such as Supply Chain, Banking and Industry 4.0.
Stage: Beta Testing
A concrete example of this is for manufacturers to be able to communicate to the device backend for automatic updates of their software. This can also be applied to AI on ads generation, promotions, etc. But each user should always have a way to control the ads and other features so as it will not be a bother to their daily activities.
This tech is advancing, slowly but surely. The recent snapshot procedure requiring updating of seeds was a bit unnerving but this can be expected from software that is basically still in beta phase. Good times ahead.
Definitely! There is a great future ahead with IOTA.