What is the “segment” of the Internet of Things and what business should not forget when studying and mastering it.

Modern technologies make it possible to combine objects that are diverse in essence, meaning and existence in the framework of information interaction. As a result of such interaction, functioning systems with a certain degree of efficiency are focused on a set of strategic goals and operational tasks of market entities. The development of electronic devices (both actively supplying and consuming information) and the Internet (as information interaction infrastructures) presents new interesting, effective and feasible prospects for highly adaptive, learning, growing systems of human interaction with physical things and logical objects.


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The Internet of Things is an important informational and economic direction for the development of targeted network interaction technologies for solving a wide range of tasks in various industries and for various markets.



IoT technologies allow business to focus on an obvious opportunity, using certain methods and tools, at a truly new information and technical level , to implement their own missions (strategies) , offering consumers (market) cost-effective, convenient, personalized ways to meet their needs .



For the Internet of Things, as a global technological and economic trend, three-part development is typical:
- the base (platform) is general information, technical, economic, managerial and other technologies important for any subject area implemented in the framework of the Internet of Things;
- Subjects (segments) are technologies characteristic of a specific, targeted, specific, subject area, implemented in the framework of the Internet of Things;
- environment (infrastructure) - these are technologies that are not directly related to the Internet of things, but allow to actively use it as a whole or across segments, interfacing with other information, economic, humanitarian or technical systems.

IoT segment

The IoT segment is a thematically significant part of the Internet of Things, which is targeted and related to a given subject area. For the IoT segment, not only the basic IoT technologies are important, but also additional technologies (methods and tools) that best implement the chosen subject.
The concept of IoT-segment becomes important for a particular business, which implements its strategy and is focused on a specific market segment. It is the adaptation to the target needs of customers and ways to meet such needs that form the features, capabilities and limitations for the substantive implementation of business models in the framework of IoT technologies.

Along with fairly broadly accepted IoT segments, every business has the right to identify and designate for itself narrower target segments. However, he must analyze trends and technologies of related, related or dependent subject areas of the Internet of Things, which are supported and developed by market leaders, industry business communities, private and public funds and regulators. The development of the base and spectrum of the Internet of Things segments is not a field for an individual game, but an information-economic space, within which each of the market players occupies and implements a favorable position based on active competitive advantages, and not through passive monopolization of data, technologies, and resources etc.

Personal and public

The network nature of the Internet of Things implies the dual orientation of its technologies:
- for solving personal tasks , when implemented IoT technologies connect things and objects based on the private needs of an individual, offering a high-quality solution to his personal goals;
- for solving group tasks , when implemented IoT technologies connect things and objects focusing on the business or social needs of a group of individuals, offering a quality solution to common and / or compatible goals.

If in the first case an individual client benefits from IoT, in the second case - a group of clients, business, community, industry as a whole. Partly based on this, a number of experts directly divide the Internet of things into “consumer” and “industrial”, denoting two independent directions. However, the choice between IoT for personal consumption and for business (social) use seems artificial and unfairly limits its holistic understanding and development. Such a division, most likely, makes it possible to eliminate certain contradictions of specific companies in an attempt to offer their own current products to the developing special IoT market that are not sufficiently adapted to it.

To be fair, the complete solution (project) for IoT lies in the consumer and industrial field at the same time. Moreover, a key feature of the Internet of Things is the “blurring of boundaries” between personal and public, between consumer and industrial. When IoT technology provides a personal solution, it can undoubtedly with no less success be used to solve business, economic, social problems of importance to a group, one way or another connected, persons. Confirmation of this thesis is observed in the detailed study of each of the global or specialized IoT segments.

Therefore, evaluating the features of a particular segment of the Internet of Things and the position of a business in relation to it, it is always reasonable to research, develop and form competitive advantages both in terms of consumer (client) capabilities and in terms of public (industrial, industry) solutions.

Security and Risk Protection

The problem of the security of the Internet of Things is one of the first places and causes well-founded concerns. The influence of network technologies, especially those that invade personal and public space, on which the life and health of people depend, must be not only passively safe, but also protectively protective. It is impossible to allow the proliferation of technologies capable of causing significant negative or even catastrophic effects on consumer or industrial systems if they are not adequately insured against risks, unless all measures are taken to monitor their safe operation and ways to minimize and eliminate the consequences of adverse events are not provided.

In technically complex systems, especially those that involve a multitude of individual devices, algorithms and information, to exclude the occurrence of risky situations was not and will not be possible. The notorious "human factor" is also not excluded and very likely. It requires the creation of a system of protection against a wide range of risks: technical, methodical, informational, opportunistic, event, resource, and many others.

On the other hand, only specialized, professional, developing methodically and instrumentally, independent (sustainable) business can provide comprehensive qualitative protection against adverse events, as well as their liquidation and compensation for their consequences. Legally, it may be an independent person or a dedicated unit (unit) of a large business. In the latter case, it is important to ensure its stability and sustainability during the period of the adverse event, since it does not bear the full burden of responsibility for maintaining the business in critical situations.
Thus, for the active and safe development of the Internet of Things, it will be necessary to create special highly skilled risk management centers that can:
- analyze and predict risks;
- to warn risk events;
- manage the course of risk events;
- eliminate the consequences of adverse events;
- restore the normal state after risk events.

In systems implemented on the basis of IoT technologies, it is not enough just to develop “ magic ” protocols and algorithms for compliance and security control. Full intensive work is needed to monitor events in the Internet of Things segments and to manage risks, both in terms of their technical sustainability and in terms of information and economic independence and viability.

The Internet of things involves in the interaction not only mobile and stationary devices, not only physical things and algorithms, but also ordinary people, social groups, manufacturing, businesses. A failure in the chain of transactions at any stage and in any subject can lead to unexpected consequences. Therefore, a special type and information level of risk management is required.

Data Volumes and Analyzers

Coincidence or pattern, but “big data” technologies in their evolution are associated with the Internet of things technology. If today the interconnection of big data and IoT so far only acquires a conceptual form and technological content, then in two or three years the Internet of things will simply not be conceived without cloud technologies for storing large amounts of information, without intensive analysis of big data, without a wide digital stream of recorded facts and events. and states.

Things and logical objects involved in IoT, users and systems, technologies and regulators inevitably leave behind a bright trace of data structures of diverse format and content, which in a chronological order build up the digital dynamic description of IoT transactions. And since you cannot do without big data, you will have to master them actively within the framework of basic technologies.
Big data analysis is transformed from a set of problem-oriented research into the essential, essential control and analytical key functionality of any business, business community, or industry. As part of “big analytics,” analyzers require a wide range of actions and functions, due to the growing flow of information quantitatively and qualitatively. Obviously, special objectives and tasks require: (a) operational analyzers (processing current data in transactions), (b) data analyzer robots in repositories, (c) specialized research analyzers, (d) subject-oriented analyzers, and t .P.

The Internet of Things is a great supplier of digital content for big data systems, but big data is the most important information foundation of the Internet of Things, which should provide high quality interaction of physical things, logical objects, people and systems based on effective and efficient solutions.

Real and virtual devices

The growth in the quantity and quality of mobile (wearable) devices has greatly increased the interest in their independent and controlled communication, thus having managed to focus attention, resources and goals around the technologies of the Internet of Things. However, now, in order to increase the efficiency of IoT, it is necessary to think not only about the physical things that are actively connecting to the network, but also about special “virtual” components. Such components are essentially programs (algorithms) and represent a holistic functional-interface unit — these are the logical objects of the Internet of Things.

Real “physical” computing devices (mobile and stationary) in an obvious way provide the connection of the real world with the information network, involving in specified cases a person or a community. The share of logical objects accounts for a convenient and rational presentation of the structure of goals and functions of transactional interaction.

Based on this, when researching specific IoT segments, as well as when modeling a business focused on such segments, one should not get involved in “mobile” things. In order not to lose the effectiveness of the Internet of Things technology, it is worth paying attention to logical network objects that implement complex complex functionality and provide the necessary level of structuring of interaction processes between devices and people.

Standards and Regulators

The variety of objects and information necessitates the development of common principles for building a global network of interaction within the framework of the Internet of Things. With such a variety can not do without certain regulators.
The problem of standardization is really important for IoT, and not only in terms of fixing the format and method of exchanging data packets between things. The key is the regulation of the interface, functional and target communication of any things and objects. Many conditions, obligations, rights, opportunities, restrictions that must be implemented within the framework of the Internet of things technology, are waiting for their turn to be clearly formalized in a convenient form and in reasonable content. Often, many of the requirements that are imposed on the participants of IoT communication are not entirely technical or information-based, but really important for the stability of the transaction system, its predictability and integrity. Strict regulations, clear standards, generally accepted schemes (chains), acceptable policies, safe forms constitute the system of standardization of the technology of the Internet of things.

The development of standardization documents is a fairly crucial step, which will ensure, to varying degrees, the success of IoT in the short term, and it will probably allow you to avoid a number of difficult mistakes, especially related to the mutual understanding of the subjects of the IoT market. However, responsible and objective regulators should monitor the implementation of standards. They can have a significant impact on reducing the likelihood of adverse events.

Fixing certain conditional agreements in the form of documents of the standardization of the Internet of Things is an iterative process of forming a knowledge base and standards of IoT technologies, which means it also requires special attention of the business community that is actively working or intends to enter the field of the Internet of things.

Business segment and business segment

In relation to the development of the Internet of Things projects, the company must choose one of the primary strategies. IoT is the most powerful technologies that form not only the network of interaction of things, but also an active information and economic infrastructure. Within the framework of a distributed model of users, physical things and logical objects, united by network transactions, both “internal concentrated” and “external innovative” design strategies are possible.

Business in the IoT segment is a strategy for the formation and development of the company's project portfolio, which are basically aimed at achieving the goals (tasks, work) using the technical, technological and managerial capabilities of the selected (targeted) Internet of Things segment. This strategy is characterized by concentrating the attention of business on the existing technical solutions, technological and managerial methods and tools existing in the target IoT segment. In fact, this means following the leaders, associated with a smaller number and quality of risks. The built and functioning segment of the Internet of Things allows you to confidently plan and implement projects, including offering some new items (mainly of an evolutionary nature).

Business for the IoT segment is a strategy for the formation and development of a company's project portfolio, which are basically aimed at realizing the goals (tasks, activities) of creating and expanding the technical, technological and managerial capabilities of the selected (targeted) Internet of Things segment. This strategy is characterized by high innovation (and sometimes revolutionism) of projects and quite serious risks. Only a sustainable business with a convincing overall strategy and weighty projects can afford to develop fundamentally the entire IoT segments or their individual components. Moreover, taking into account the specifics of the IoT market, a company claiming leadership should be supported by some professional or consumer community.

In general, if you understand the very essence of the business projects of the Internet of Things, it is difficult to talk about some exclusive role of one or two leaders, even in the large IoT segment. The global information network practically does not tolerate a bright and long persistent manifestation of monopolism. If around the growing IoT segment, its leaders fail to form some kind of proactive business environment expanding its marketing and technical presence involving new customers, the performance will be low. For companies implementing the “business for IoT segment” strategy, it is important that related and related projects of the “business in IoT segment” type appear in the same target segment. Because of this, special conditions for the controlled free distribution of intellectual property are becoming increasingly important. Indeed, a substantial closure by a large business of a targeted IoT segment with patent (identical) restrictions, by introducing restrictive economic barriers (by reducing the influx of new professionals and consumers into such a segment), can not only slow down, but also discredit and such a leader. Although it is worth noting that for the broad global segments of the Internet of things, attempts to somehow take technical, technological or managerial components under the “personal” control will not give a tangible effect, but will require significant resources. Opportunities for innovation and information exchange are so wide that monopolization at the level of a competitive business and network environment in the medium and long term is impossible.

Global and specialized IoT segments

It is conditionally possible to define two types of IoT-segments, and in the short-term period.

The global segment of the Internet of things is actively developing in the current short-term IoT segment with broad goals (tasks) using rich functionality and a range of things involving the mass consumer, formed by several large players, a number of medium and small business projects, offering users a variety of innovations and technology.

The specialized segment of the Internet of things is a moderately developing IoT segment in the current short-term period with clearly defined thematic objectives (tasks) using special functionality and specialized things involving specific groups of consumers, formed by a limited number of large or medium and small players, offering users a solution to certain tasks due to a known set of technologies.

The global IoT segment is characterized by intense competition and great economic opportunities for business. In contrast, a specialized IoT segment allows you to focus on specific consumer preferences. It is not excluded that the global segment in development may generate several specialized ones, due to the concentration of efforts of individual market players and clearer marketing positioning.

Examples of the global segments of the Internet of Things are: smart home, health care, industrial internet of things. The specialized IoT segments include: “private collection management”, “home chef”, “personal sports trainer”, “smart quality system”, “personalized shopping”.

Schematic diagram

Each segment of the Internet of Things, regardless of whether it is global or specialized, requires a structured study for full effective work. Any business project deployed and implemented in the target IoT segment requires an understanding of the essence of the latter, its key parameters, features, preferential economic models, user preferences, routing, innovation processes, etc. The need for constant and objective research on the part of individual companies or professional communities in this area is obvious.

For a start, you can offer a kind of universal conceptual scheme, which, as a first approximation, characterize the subject (subject area) of the Internet of things segment, distinguishing it from others. At the same time, it is necessary to understand that for a specific project it will be extremely useful to have a detailed view of the target IoT segment within the framework of the extended characterizing structure. To some extent, it is the formation of an expanded fundamental understanding of the essence and model of the targeted IoT segment, developed by some initiative community, allows to increase the specified promising technological direction of IoT development.

Schematic diagram of the description of the Internet of things segment

1. The theme of the segment and its mission (main goal) - defines the subject area (scope, area of ​​responsibility) and the basic task of the IoT segment, which are directly related to relevant consumer expectations, technical and technological capabilities, information and economic potential.
2. Strategic goals (objectives) of the segment - detail the themes and the main goal (mission) of the IoT segment forming promising, relevant and practically important business areas for its immediate development.
3. User profile - characterizes a potential single or group consumer of the results of the operation of a specific IoT segment.
4. Functional model - forms an understanding of basic and special processes (transactions) that are implemented within the IoT segment.
5. The concept of physical things is a description of the main functions and interface elements that are characteristic of things (devices) involved in the operation of the IoT segment. The description may be accompanied by examples of projected or created physical devices connected to the global network.
6. The concept of logical objects - a description of the basic functions, algorithms and interface elements that are characteristic of software objects involved in the work of the IoT segment. The description may be illustrated by examples of designed or created software components embedded in the global network.
7. Business (economic) potential - a forecast for the development of the marketing, economic and management components of the IoT segment. For any segment, it is important to understand from where and what resources it will use, how it will be managed, what financial flows will be formed, how much and at what points investments are advisable and what will be the performance in the short-term and long-term period. Detailing in terms of describing the business potential of the IoT segment is important for a particular project, but the market for IoT projects in general must understand the features of each of the segments, especially global ones.
8. Additional characteristics allow you to evaluate the IoT segment from different points of view and growth prospects, without losing key points. For example, for individual IoT segments, a preliminary forecast for their technological and informational expansion is useful; for others, the features of monetization of products (services) of the segment are important.

According to the above concept of describing the segments of the Internet of Things, the most promising and attractive ones can be characterized.