Big Data and the Internet of Things (IoT)

Introduction

The term “big data” refers to an ocean of data that is large in size and volume but
exponentially growing with time. Big data is characterized by its behemoth size and complexity
with no traditional data analytical or management tools capable of processing or storing it
efficiently. Social media is an excellent example of big data (Solanki, Diaz, & Davim, 2021). It
is estimated that social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, among others)
generate more than 500 terabytes of new data daily. This data is principally produced in terms of
inserting comments, message exchanges, video and photo uploads, and many other
functionalities. Big data is defined by not just its large “volume” but also by the velocity or speed
it is generated, its variety, and veracity. One of the recent technological concepts that have been
inextricably linked to “big data” use is the Internet of Things (IoT). This paper explores the
concept of IoT, how it uses big data, and the four “Vs” (volume, veracity, velocity, and variety)
of big data in connection to IoT.

How the Internet of Things Uses Big Data

The word “IoT” or Internet of Things” generally refers to a network of interlinked digital
and mechanical machines, computing devices, animals, objects, or people that are given a unique
identifier (UID) and possess the aptitude to share information or data through a network without
the need for human-to-computer or human-to-human interaction (Solanki, Diaz, & Davim,
2021). In simple terms, IoT is a network of interlinked objects on the internet that can gather and
exchange information or data in real-time via embedded sensors. A “thing” in IoT can refer to a
farm animal embedded with a biochip transporter, a person carrying a heart monitor implant, a
car with an inbuilt sensor to signal the driver whenever tires get flat, or any other device with an

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assigned IP (Internet Protocol) address capable of sharing or transferring data across a network.
Organizations, homes, and multiple other industries are increasingly leveraging IoT connectivity
to operate more effectively, smartly, and efficiently, better understand consumers, provide more
advanced customer service, increase the business’ value, and improve decision-making.
Admittedly, the Internet of Things is one of the few technologies extensively leveraging
big data to connect different things over a network. The two technologies are independent by
inseparable. The Internet of Things is a web or ecosystem comprising an assortment of web-
enabled innovative items or devices that use embedded sensors, processors, and communication
hardware to gather, send, and process the data they collect from their environments. Over time,
this data collected by IoT devices and stored in repositories or databases becomes large enough
(big data) to require sophisticated systems and tools to process and interpret. This is where “big
data” technologies come in: storing and analyzing the data collected by IoT devices. The IoT
devices usually share the big IoT data collected by linking to edge devices, such as an IoT
gateway. The data is analyzed locally or sent to the cloud for analysis. Occasionally, these IoT
devices talk to other related instruments and act on “big data” stored in cloud repositories or
databases (Solanki, Diaz, & Davim, 2021).
Therefore, the connection between IoT and big data stems from the fact that IoT
primarily gathers data from physical devices and objects through sensors. In contrast, big data
allows for more efficient and faster storage and processing of this large pool of data. Since most
of the data collected or shared by IoT devices is unstructured, big data for the IoT technology
often needs lightning-speed analytical tools and software to interpret the unstructured data more
rapidly and make faster decisions.

The “Vs” of Big Data in Connection to the Internet of Things

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Big data’s four major “Vs” (volume, velocity, variety, and veracity) are unquestionably
integral to IoT technology. “Volume” refers to big data’s relatively extensive or gigantic nature.
IoT-enabled devices usually collect vast amounts of data daily, and IoT devices are estimated to
gather roughly 79.4 zettabytes of data daily by 2025 (Pelaez, 2021). Velocity or speed is the
lightening-speed with which big data is produced and processed. Since IoT technologies generate
vast amounts or volumes of data daily, having complex and the right and up-to-date data analysis
and processing tools and software is crucial for companies to benefit from the data collected
meaningfully. A few years ago, the world lacked the appropriate tools to process big data quickly
and efficiently to generate meaningful use.
The considerable volume and high speed of big data are interrelated to the “variety of
forms” of data, including data generated by IoT devices. Today, each sector produces an
expansive pool and a large data assortment. For example, the various IoT devices in the
healthcare sector (ingestible sensors, collected inhalers, robotic surgery sensors, smart contact
lenses, Parkinson’s disease monitoring sensors, mood-aware IoT devices, hand hygiene sensors,
heart-rate monitoring sensors, glucose monitoring devices, and remote patient monitoring
algorithms) can generate a broad range of clinical data that can improve patient assessment and
decision-making (Pankajavalli & Karthick, 2019). Finally, data “veracity” refers to the
truthfulness or accuracy of a dataset. Since IoT devices generate billions of unstructured, semi-
structured, and structured data/information daily, accurately processing and organizing it can
result in meaningful use. However, verifying their sources for the data to be trustworthy and
influence decision-making is necessary.

Conclusion

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Based on this discussion, it is clear that big data and IoT are independent but inextricably
interlinked concepts. IoT primarily gathers data from physical devices and objects through
sensors, while big data allows for more efficient and faster storage and processing of this large
data pool. Also, the four big data “Vs” (volume, velocity, variety, and veracity) are vital to IoT
technology.

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References

Pankajavalli, P. B., & Karthick, G. S. (2019). Incorporating the internet of things in healthcare
applications and wearable technology. IGI Global.
Pelaez, A. (2021, Dec 30). Here’s how IoT data collection works [complete guide]. Ubidots.
https://ubidots.com/blog/iot-data-collection/
Solanki, V, K., Diaz, V. G., & Davim, J. P. (2021). Handbook of lot and big data. Taylor &
Francis Group.