Internet-connected technologies that gather, integrate, and analyze data about people's behavior in an area are referred to as IoB.
Is the Internet of Behaviour Getting Better Everywhere?
In the aftermath of the pandemic, how individuals interact with personal space has become incredibly important. When a lethal illness may spread with minimal touch, it's critical to keep public health under control and preserve social distance measures.
That's where the Internet of Things (IoT) comes in. Environment IoB technologies are now installed in many workplaces welcoming staff back for the first time in over a year.
RFID tags tracking hand-washing or sensors detecting mask-wearing, for example, might be combined with automated alarms if someone isn't following standards. These are a few of the more prevalent IoB applications right now, although they're far from the only ones.
Data from many technologies (cameras, scanners, sensors) and multiple sources (private sector, public sector, social media) is combined to assist in the analysis of crowded locations.
Understanding how and why people use spaces may help them become safer, cleaner, more convenient, and appealing – in other words, better in every sense.
We can now know what we couldn't before thanks to the Internet of Things, which means we can improve and develop environments in ways that were before inconceivable.
Our Way of Life
There are many reasons to be excited about the Internet of Things — and to be concerned about a society that monitors our every move.
However, both sides of the coin must be debated because IoB technologies appear to be on their way to being ubiquitous. Given how many diverse things IoB can perform, rapid growth appears to be a foregone conclusion.
Consider the fact that there are already billions of connected devices collecting granular data on where people go and what they do. These gadgets can be found in offices, stores, and restaurants, as well as in our automobiles, phones, and wearable devices, all of which capture vast amounts of data on modern life.
By 2025, there will be over 42 billion connected devices in operation, creating over 1 billion GB of data per day. Previously, we primarily used this data for certain objectives, such as tracking our health, and we made only a rudimentary effort to connect disparate data sources. At its foundation, the Internet of Things is about utilizing more of this data to gain a better understanding of how we live.
Using IoB to Solve Complicated Issues
The ramifications are enormous, but the applications are extremely narrow. For example, a business could utilize IoB to track when people join and leave Zoom meetings over time and use that information to create a more efficient schedule.
Another application would be to use facial recognition technology during a meeting to watch attendees' facial cues and identify staff who may be overworked or under-engaged, allowing for early intervention rather than burnout.
IoB Applications Aren't Just for the Office Anymore
Data from traffic could be utilized to prevent traffic jams and accidents, as well as to plan future highways for maximum safety and efficiency.
Crowd data might be used to prevent riots from erupting at protests or major celebrations, as well as to enable more people to pass through airport security in less time. Schools might potentially use data from the Internet of Things to assist, prevent, or stop school shootings and brawls.
IoB might be used in any situation where people interact to discover and reduce pain points for everyone involved.
Where Could IoB go Wrong?
It is not an exaggeration to suggest that the Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to solve some of humanity's most pressing, significant, and difficult issues. Unfortunately, none of these results are guaranteed.
IoB is intriguing, but it's also troublesome for a variety of reasons. Because there are currently few regulations governing internet-connected gadgets, it is frequently up to whoever collects data to decide how to utilize it.
To fully benefit from the Internet of Things, data must be shared early, regularly, and completely. However, sharing it will necessitate a deep commitment to ethics as well as a thorough awareness of how things can go wrong.
The Battle Between Good and Evil
Consider the following scenario, which demonstrates the delicate balance that IoB must strike:
Suppose a monitoring firm has data detailing where someone travelled in the last month. The corporation may agree to share that information with a partner if the person's name is hidden, or it may agree to hand it over to a judge who issues a warrant.
They could, however, elect to sell such information to the highest bidder or hand it over to government agents who will exploit it to suppress opposition. There are ethical and exploitative methods to use each piece of IoB data. Another disadvantage is that people's movements aren't always reliable indicators of their true motivations.
For example, if a fitness tracker shows that someone goes to bed at 3 a.m. every night, are they staying up so late because they work late, party hard, or suffer from insomnia? That question can usually be answered with enough IoB data. When it can't, though, firms are left with a lot of data but few useful insights.
How do we make the Internet of Things Work?
Companies interested in the Internet of Things, whether designing or adopting the technology, must take legal and ethical considerations carefully.
The question remains as to whether or not businesses will act ethically. Then there's the matter of the costs. Who pays for the upkeep of the internet's security? You? What about the government? What about the business?
They must be open and honest about the data they acquire and why they collect it.
More significantly, organizations and individuals must use IoB as a force for good, improving people's experiences rather than punishing, rejecting, or stalking them.
In a nightclub, for example, IoB may be used to monitor audience sentiment and then modify the environment by playing various music. With this information, the nightclub may decide to admit more or fewer patrons, change drink specials, or change the lighting.
This information could assist a club owner to fine-tune a room such that everyone feels like a VIP the moment they walk in. But, perhaps more importantly, the club owner will grow his business by catering to the specific requirements and desires of his clientele.
IoB Possibilities are Endless
Inside the house, where individuals have control over what technology observes and tracks, IoB might have huge implications without generating ethical concerns.
When someone is running late for work, for example, the correct combination of technologies can detect this and immediately turn up the bedroom lights, start the coffee maker, and get the automobile warmed up.
There's not much IoB can't change for the better if we get creative and stay mindful.