Episode 1: How to build hardware that doesn’t suck

This week’s podcast starts out with a focus on Clear Ventures’ new, $180 million venture fund dedicated to Industry 4.0. We stay with enterprise and industrial IoT to discuss a new round of funding for security firm VDOO and VMware’s new version of the Pulse IoT Platform. After that, we move to the smart home with a scoop on Arlo’s new video doorbell, Wyze getting a Google Assistant integration, Wing’s teleoperated drones, and a wearable that doubles as an EpiPen. We then answer a listener request for a smart sensor that can measure temperature, motion, humidity and light. Our guest this week is Danny Huang, one of the co-creators of Princeton’s IoT Inspector program. Huang shares why they created the program that tracks what smart devices are on a network and what they talk to and explains how it works. Some of his findings, such as the lack of security and vendors who seem to be confused about how good their security is, are worrisome. He also discusses how Princeton is handling privacy and what the program will do to your network.  If you have a device that runs Mac OS, check IoT Inspector out. Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Danny Huang, post-doc fellow at Princeton Sponsors: Software AG and IoT World Why the IoT needs a new type of computer architecture How many IoT ecosystems do we need? Tele-operations is going to be a big deal Understanding the security categories in IoT Inspector In the IoT, you can’t opt-out of data sharing The post Episode 213: A deep dive into IoT Inspector appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

25 Huhti 201951min

This week’s show is all about visibility. Kevin and I get started discussing the new IoT Inspector program that tracks what devices are on your network and how they behave.  In other surveillance, we talk about how easy it is to identify total strangers using public cameras and public facial recognition programs, before discussing the destruction of a privacy law in Illinois. Intel’s decision to get out of the smartphone modem business gets a mention, as does Apple’s LIDAR investments and a new app from Waymo. In news bits, we talk about Schlage locks working with Ring, a new Alexa Skill certification, a new sport, Norsk Hydro’s ransomware, and how to run open source smart home software in the cloud instead of a Pi. We also answer a question about connected double-cylinder locks. AI created a game called Speedgate. This image is taken from a video of people playing it. This week’s guest is Nadir Izrael, the CTO of security firm Armis. He discusses how security challenges have changed in the era of connected devices and the business pressures behind some connected devices getting onto the network even when IT wants to say no. He also shares some horror stories associated with insecure connected devices, such as a hospital infusion pump infected with malware that was connected to a patient. Izrael says the hospital had to get a nurse to watch the patient all night to make sure the infusion pump didn’t misbehave. Weak security can cost lives, not just spam all your friends. Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Nadir Izrael, CTO at Armis Sponsors: Software AG and IoT World Here’s where you can download IoT Inspector for Mac OS Will you be playing Speedgate, a new, AI-developed sport? What can we learn from Norsk Hydro’s ransomware attack? Connected treadmills might be your enterprise’s weak link How a hospital guards against malware-infected infusion pumps The post Episode 212: How to find connected devices in your home or enterprise appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

18 Huhti 201958min

This week Kevin and I spend a chunk of the podcast discussing the end of Stringify and the other options available to users. We also talk about the need for an easy way to transfer automations from one system to another. After that, we tackle Google’s Anthos cloud platform and what it means for the IoT and edge before veering back to consumer news with IKEA’s partnership with Sonos.  Then we cover the plethora of smart cameras at the ISC trade show, more details about Google’s mysterious Mistral board, a new HomeKit device from Eve, and JD Powers getting into the IoT. We close by answering a question about stopping your friends from telling your Google Home what to do. The Sonos and IKEA collaboration produced this speaker/lamp combo. Our guest this week is Andy Coravos who is the CEO of Elektra Labs, a startup that is trying to create scientifically accurate benchmarks for medical devices. The early audience is pharma companies who want to remotely monitor participants in clinical trials and need to know if the step counter on the Apple Watch or the heart rate monitor on the Fitbit is accurate. Coravos was also a former EIR at the Food and Drug Administration, and she talks about the steps the agency is taking to regulate digital health products without standing in the way of innovation and security. It’s a great conversation. Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Andy Coravos, CEO of Elektra Labs Sponsors: SoftwareAG and IoTWorld Throwing in the towel on Wink and the tinkerer’s smart home Google performed some sweet jujitsu with Anthos Smart cameras are boosting demand for AI at the edge How to eliminate the threat of digital snake oil in connected health What other agencies can learn about regulating the IoT from the FDA The post Episode 211: Google’s Anthos and the death of Stringify appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

11 Huhti 20191h

This week’s show focuses on the tremendous amount of industrial IoT news coming out of the Hannover Messe event held in Germany. We cover Microsoft and BMW’s Open Manufacturing Platform and the similarly named Open Industry 4.0 Alliance as well as the prevalence of 5G news at the show. After explaining what is going on in the industrial world, Kevin and I discuss a patent for silencing drones from Amazon, news on Google’s shopping partnership extension with Wal-Mart, and a new Google Hub. Kevin also shares his scoop on Google’s new Mistral board. We then discuss surveillance in smart cities before revisiting our answer from last week’s voicemail to add more ways to connect your smart blinds to Alexa. A figure from Amazon’s hot air balloon patent issued this week. This week our guest is Keith Kirkland, CEO of Wearworks, which makes a product called the Wayband. The Wayband uses haptic feedback to guide visually-impaired people using haptic feedback. Kirkland explains what his team learned about building a product, the opportunities offered by haptic feedback and how other designers should think about adding haptic feedback to their devices. And all of this started because he just wanted to build a connected suit that would help him learn Kung Fu. It’s a fun interview! Host: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Keith Kirkland, CEO of Wearworks Sponsors: Software AG and IoT World The IT industry digs into industrial IoT at Hannover Messe Why wireless matters for industrial IoT Kevin’s got a scoop on a possible Google device Waterproofing is somewhat important Touch isn’t the same everywhere on the body The post Episode 210: Hannover Messe and haptic IoT appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

4 Huhti 201953min

This week I’m in Helsinki learning a lot about Finnish IoT. I’ll write about it more in the newsletter, but in the meantime, Kevin and I discussed where Siri and HomeKit fit in with Apple’s services strategy, new funding for CyberX and several reasons that industrial IoT security is becoming such a critical issue. Plume launched a new security service for the smart home, and I’m still not sure I need these services. Plus, low-power chips from Atmosic, UPS is testing drones for medical payloads, Google’s testing robots, and the NYPD is testing crime pattern recognition.  After all of that, we answer a question about linking smart blinds with Alexa. UPS is testing drones for medical deliveries. Image courtesy of UPS. Our guest this week is Eve Maler, VP of innovation and emerging technology at ForgeRock. She is returning to the show to discuss how to handle the exploding number of passwords and to explain how new FIDO standards will help on the browser side. She also offers a bit of hope for the device side in the long and medium term. Come for the tips and stay for the deep dive into identity and authentication. Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Eve Maler, VP of innovation and emerging technology at ForgeRock Sponsors: Afero and IoT World Where is Siri in the new Apple? Why hacking industrial systems is so fruitful Airborne kidneys and more Your password nightmare is almost over … on browsers Why graph databases matter for IoT identity The post Episode 209: The industrial IoT is under attack appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

28 Maalis 201954min

Kevin was out of town this week, so I co-hosted the podcast with my former colleague Chris Albrecht, who is managing editor at the Spoon, a foodtech site and the head of the Articulate conference all about kitchen robots.  We start the show with news about Vivint adding cars to its smart home product and Alexa getting contextual data from Echo devices. Then we discuss two pieces of federal legislation. The first covers IoT security and the second prevents companies from grabbing facial recognition data without permission. From there we talk about robot dogs, Nvidia’s new ML dongle that will be great for industrial IoT, Fibaro’s link up with SmartThings and  Qualcomm’s new chips for smart speakers. We close by answering a question on the Stich smart home hub from Monoprice. Fibaro gear now works with SmartThings without you downloading a custom device handler. Our guest this week is Bjorn Block, the head of development at IKEA Home Smart. Block returned to the show to give us the details on the new IKEA Fyrtur roller shades and some hints about its collaboration with Sonos for new smart speakers. We also talk about how IKEA plans to support smart home products at retail. It will unveil a new smart home section of the store in August along with the blinds and Sonos speakers.  In the wake of most big retailers shutting down their smart home efforts, I am eager to see how IKEA plans to plow ahead. Enjoy the show. Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Chris Albrecht, managing editor of The Spoon Guest: Bjorn Block, IKEA Home Smart Sponsors: Afero and Western Digital Alexa gets context clues in cars The feds tack security and privacy legislation Would you buy a $500 robot dog? All the deets on IKEA’s smart blinds August is a big month for IKEA’s smart home plans The post Episode 208: IKEA’s smart home arrives in August appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

21 Maalis 201955min

This week’s show features a lot of little news bits starting with a discussion about Charter testing a new smart home device management platform and another chat about facial recognition. We then return to the lessons that Boeing’s 737 MAX saga have to teach the IoT industry before diving into Google news starting with continued conversations for Google Smart Displays, the new local transcription service and what it means for the smart home, and a cool service for the visually impaired. The Amazon purchase of Eero is now closed and an appliance maker added an easier way to connect its products to Wi-Fi, so keep an eye on that. We close by answering a question about an appropriate outdoor plug for a Wyze camera. A huge thanks to Yonomi for hosting the event. People from left Stacey Higginbotham, Devren Hobbs, Jim Hunter, Hanns Anders, Dan Davis, and Mark Reimer. Image courtesy of Andrew Allemann. Our guest this week is actually five guests who joined me for a smart home panel in Austin during South by Southwest. The panel was hosted by Yonomi and sponsored by Resideo, Schlage, and Gentex. Thank you to Yonomi, which also provided the recording. The panel covered who gets your data, why people are willing to accept microphones in their homes and what businesses get out of connected products. Our guests are Jim Hunter, CTO, Delos; Hanns Anders, investment director, iRobot; Devren Hobbs, director of product, Tendril; Dan Davis, director, IoT and Emerging Markets, LexisNexis Risk Solutions; and Mark Reimer, sr. director connected home and home security products, Charter Communications. You’ll feel like you’re at SXSW ready to catch some live music and a free beer. Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guests: Jim Hunter, Delos; Hanns Anders, iRobot; Devren Hobbs, Tendril; Dan Davis, LexisNexis Risk Solutions; and Mark Reimer, Charter Communications Sponsors: Afero and Western Digital Facial recognition follies are all the rage this week Will your future dishwasher phone home without your knowledge? Why do manufacturers want to connect their devices? The connected world should stop hiding behind terms and conditions If your house can predict an illness who will it tell? The post Episode 207: The smart home at SXSW appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

14 Maalis 20191h 12min

This week Kevin and I start off the show with a discussion about Google’s new Coral board that provides machine learning at the edge. We then jump to sensor company Centralite’s bankruptcy filing in Alabama. We also discuss the death of Jibo and how the end of Lighthouse meant new patents for Apple. After covering all of that sad news we jump to new Alexa skills, why I want an Alexa Auto, and a new video doorbell from August Home. From there Kevin and I spend the rest of the show discussing the challenges associated with smart home hubs, the best home hubs and why you should delete your devices from your home hubs. We end by answering a listener question about connected car devices for teens. The Centralite family of products. Our guest this week is Chrissy Meyer, a partner at Root Ventures and a former product manager at companies that include Square and Apple. She shares her experiences building connected devices, where companies tend to go wrong and what to look for in a manufacturing partner. She also explains why a device that costs $100 to make might end up costing $300 on the shelves at Best Buy. It’s a good conversation for anyone building or buying connected devices. Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel Guest: Chrissy Meyer, a partner at Root Ventures Sponsors: Afero and Western Digital Why we need machine learning at the edge Could the next Homepod have video? Hubs are complicated even for experts How to give your favorite device startups an extra chance to succeed What to look for in your manufacturing partner The post Episode 206: Why your smart devices cost so much appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things.

7 Maalis 201953min