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It's Time to Connect with Connectivity at IoT Evolution Expo 2020

By Ken Briodagh

IoT Evolution Expo 2020 is coming up fast, and we interviewed several of our speakers to get a bit of a preview of what to expect from their sessions.

Here, we spoke to one of our featured panelists, Tom Snyder, Executive Director of RIoT, appearing in the Expo hall in booth #1115. Tom will be making his first panel appearance on Wednesday Feb 12 in the IoToolBox: Building Blocks of IoT track: “How to Connect with Connectivity.”

At IoT Evolution Expo 2020, which is taking place February 11 to 14 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Snyder will look at how the IoT industry is defining and leveraging the Intelligent Edge, and how Smart Cities will use the Edge to create real results.

To attend this session, click here to register.

Here is a little preview of his thoughts:

IoT Evolution: What are some key ideas you plan to cover in this session?

Tom Snyder: Connectivity technology selection boils down to first principles of physics (trade-offs between range, battery life, bandwidth). Deep understanding of your application leads to the right technology selection and gives confidence to then negotiate the right cost.

IoTE: What insights do you hope attendees will take home?

TS: Connectivity is the core of any IoT solution. Data comes from the edge and intelligence from the cloud. Without robust connectivity, the solution stack fails.

IoTE: Can you identify a few important trends influencing your sector of the IoT which will shape the path of the industry?

TS: Many IoT applications can be powerful with relatively light, structured data. Cellular networks are overkill for this and trends in LPWAN and even in distributed networks are emerging and growing. Applications are driving the industry and technology is applied to applications. Old business models are losing relevance as quickly as old technologies.

IoTE: What are the biggest challenges facing the IoT right now? What are some strategies you recommend to overcome those challenges?

TS: Security/Privacy are paramount. While often lumped together, these are not the same thing, nor are they solved the same way. Privacy and Security not features, but hygiene requirements. Most companies are still failing on both fronts. To solve them, privacy must be seen as a business function. Security is technical.

IoTE: Which vertical markets have the most to gain from IoT implementation?

TS: IoT is the new electricity, or the new Internet. Industrial revolutions impact all industries, not just selected segments. The data economy has a head start in industrial and manufacturing applications (who have been doing IoT since before it was a coined term). Ultimately, expect healthcare, agriculture, transportation and government to highly benefit.

IoTE: What are you most looking forward to attending at the Expo?

TS: This event is a great one to meet new collaborators and add energy to existing relationships.

Register now for the IoT Evolution Expo and Get 20% off your full conference with code IoTTime and be there for all the information you need to drive your IoT strategy in 2020.


Ken Briodagh is a storyteller, writer and editor with about two decades of experience under his belt. He is in love with technology and if he had his druthers would beta test everything from shoe phones to flying cars.

Edited by Ken Briodagh
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