The miniaturization of electronics along with the Internet is paving the way for a “network of things”. Future networks will consist of tiny wireless microelectromechanical sensors (MEMS) capable of sensing and transmitting data from anywhere to anywhere.
These sensors, called “smart dust” or “data motes” contain computing circuits, cameras, a self-contained power supply and wireless communications technology. Each data mote is capable of gathering data, running computations and communicating information to other motes up to a 1,000 feet away. With continued breakthroughs in chip fabrication, motes could eventually become small electronic sensors the size of a grain of sand.
The embedded video below provides an overview behind the concept of “Smart Dust”.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Businesses and individuals already collect a massive amount data but only about 35% of the information collected is used. Smart Dust will enable businesses and individuals to collect a great deal more.
How will companies/individuals need to adapt in order to make sense of volumes of new information Smart Dust will allow them to collect?
There are few policies in place regarding data collection and usage. Businesses and individuals are largely expected to “self-govern” their collection/use of data.
Many are concerned about privacy issues as well as the ethical use of data. Is the potential for learning and understanding more about business and/or society worth the concerns regarding privacy?
One major city is using data motes to track and study homelessness. A NFL team is considering using data motes to track the movement of fans throughout the stadium on game days to better understand/plan changes to building resources including bathroom facilities, concession stands, entrances/exits, etc.
There are endless potential societal, scientific, medical and business applications for “smart dust”. What useful implementation of smart dust can you imagine?
Create a response to the following people if you agree or disagree or what similarities you find:
Raynold Safo(Smart data)
Raynold Safo posted Jun 6, 2024 5:55 PM
1.Companies and individuals will need to adapt by implementing efficient data management systems, such as data analytics tools and machine learning algorithms, to process and analyze the large volumes of information collected through Smart Dust. They may also need to invest in skilled data scientists and IT infrastructure to effectively utilize the increased data for decision-making and problem-solving.
2.The potential for learning and understanding more about business and society through increased data collection is valuable, but it must be balanced with privacy concerns and ethical considerations. Implementing robust privacy policies, ensuring data anonymity, and obtaining informed consent can help mitigate these concerns and preserve the benefits of data-driven insights.
3.One useful implementation of smart dust could be in the field of environmental monitoring. By deploying smart dust sensors in various locations, it could enable real-time tracking and analysis of air quality, temperature, humidity, and other environmental factors. This data could help in identifying pollution sources, managing climate change impacts, and improving public health.
Create a response to the following people if you agree or disagree or what similarities you find:
Hadja Fofana posted Jun 10, 2024 9:13 PM
Being that Smart Dust is essentially an invisible network that intercommunicates information that is being processed, companies/individuals need to adapt to make sense of the new information by creating a larger, more sophisticated system that will gather all sorts of information based on demographic, geography. For it to work, the system will have to be able to personalize/narrow information based on the person, or company it’s processing.
Yes, there is potential for more learning and understanding about business/and or society regarding privacy because at the end of the video, it was stated it can really help the infrastructure/development of cities, from potholes, collapsing bridges, to flow of traffic. But, once it processes your face in public, does it share your information with other people or institutions, will it ask the individual whether they want their face scanned? There’s a lot of ways the system can cross the boundaries of personal privacy.
A useful implantation I can think of for Smart Dust, is being able to scan a person’s medical history, the medication they’ve on in the past, allergens, and disease or condition that may be not physically seen, that way when patients walk into the hospitals it will be less of a wait time for both parties. I would also being able to differentiate between twins, triplets, or quadruplets especially when they’re identical, it wouldn’t be good for the system to mistake one person’s face over another.
