Smart Object Architecture & Design
Describe the four key components of a smart object and their roles.
Sensor (data collection), processor (decision-making), actuator (actions), and communication interface (data exchange).
Why are protocols like CoAP or MQTT preferred over HTTP in IoT environments?
They are lightweight, designed for low-power devices, and work well over lossy networks.
What are key security vulnerabilities in smart objects?
Insecure firmware, weak authentication, data leakage, and lack of encryption.
How do smart objects support predictive maintenance in industrial IoT?
By sensing early failure signs (vibration, temperature) and alerting systems for preventive actions.
How does energy efficiency affect smart object design in constrained environments?
Designers must optimize sleep cycles, use energy-harvesting methods, and reduce transmission frequency to conserve battery.
Compare and contrast star and mesh topologies for smart object networks.
Star is simple but has a single point of failure; mesh offers redundancy but is complex and power-hungry.
Why is firmware-over-the-air (FOTA) updating both beneficial and risky?
Enables remote updates but can be exploited if unsecured, leading to compromised devices.
Explain how smart agriculture benefits from object-to-cloud architecture.
Sensor data (soil, moisture) is sent to the cloud for AI-driven irrigation control and weather correlation.
How does onboard processing enhance smart object autonomy?
Local processing reduces reliance on cloud, enables real-time decisions, and lowers communication load.
What are some challenges of integrating smart objects with IP-based networks?
IP addressing, security, bandwidth, and protocol translation are significant hurdles.
How does physical tampering affect smart object reliability and trust?
Tampering can alter behaviour, compromise data integrity, and cause system failures.
What role do smart objects play in smart cities?
Enable traffic control, lighting automation, waste monitoring, and environmental sensing.
Explain how microcontroller selection impacts smart object performance.
It influences power consumption, processing capability, memory, and compatibility with peripherals.
Discuss the role of gateways in smart object communication.
Gateways bridge local networks to the internet, handle protocol translation, and manage data aggregation.
What are methods to protect data transmitted by smart objects?
Use of TLS, data encryption, secure boot, and authentication protocols.
Predict how smart objects may evolve with edge AI capabilities.
They’ll become more autonomous, context-aware, and capable of real-time decision-making without cloud reliance.