The Internet of Things (IoT) is a cloud-centric concept, but sometimes you need a little good ol’ book learning to get you on track. This selection of books covers a variety of topics within IoT. Topics include: capitalizing on the growing technology, learning generally about the subject, and understanding the effects IoT is having on our world and what it bodes for the ever-connected future.
It is a wonderful niche to anticipate, learn, and get ready for because it is the future. Whether it is securing such interconnection, learning about embedded systems, networking, systems engineering, electronics engineering, design, programming, manufacturing of such devices, or installation of them, there is a huge playing field for every kind of professional to play and enjoy and the game fully. Let us go to the books that will open our eyes more and give us a better view of what we should expect and what we can do to be part of this marvel of a world.
1. Exploring Raspberry Pi
Author Dr. Derek Molloy is a Professor in the School of Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Computing, Dublin City University, Ireland. He lectures at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in object-oriented programming with embedded systems, digital and analog electronics, and Connected Embedded Systems. His research contributions are largely in the fields of computer and machine vision, 3D graphics and visualization, IoT, and e-Learning.
Exploring Raspberry Pi first covers the basics of the hardware platform, recommended accessories, software, embedded Linux systems, and Linux programming techniques. Then it takes you deeper into interfacing, controlling, and communicating, with detailed information about Raspberry Pi GPIOs, buses, UART devices, and USB peripherals. You will learn to configure a cross-compilation environment in order to build large-scale software applications, as well as how to combine hardware and software to enable Raspberry Pi to interact effectively with its physical environment. Finally, you’ll discover how to use the Raspberry Pi for advanced interfacing and interactive applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT); wireless communication and control; rich user interfaces; images, video, and audio; and Linux kernel programming.
Instead of recipes for a few specific projects, Exploring Raspberry Pi arms you with the skills needed to build the projects that exist in your imagination.
- Develop essential Linux and programming skills
- Build Internet of Things (IoT) applications
- Master interfacing, controlling, and communication
- Design applications that interact with the physical environment
- Utilize the Arduino platform as a service processor
- Build wireless communication applications
- Write and install a custom Linux loadable kernel module
- Apply the Raspberry Pi 3 and Raspberry Pi Zero to your projects
You may be wondering why we are presenting a Raspberry Pi book in this space of IoT. Well, Raspberry Pi is economical and versatile and can be adapted for thousands of applications. The book takes on a “learn by doing” approach and you will get to deeply understand how the IoT world works by actually programming devices for yourself. The book favors engineering principles over a ‘recipe’ approach to give you the skills you need to design and build your own projects. If you are a hands-on type of person, this is the right resource for you.
2. IoT and Edge Computing for Architects
As IoT is on the brink of being adopted in multiple sectors around the globe, author Perry Lea knows that an architectural guide is needed if you want to traverse the spectrum of technologies needed to build a successful IoT system, whether that is a single device or millions of IoT devices. Perry is a 30-year veteran technologist who spent over 20 years at Hewlett-Packard as chief architect and distinguished technologist of the LaserJet business. He then led a team at Micron focusing on emerging computing using in-memory processing for machine learning and computer vision. He has other accolades that distinguish him as a reliable and well-rounded professional. He pivoted the company into 5G and the IoT at Cradlepoint then he co-founded Rumble, an industry leader in edge/IoT products.
IoT and Edge Computing for Architects, Second Edition encompasses the entire spectrum of IoT solutions, from IoT sensors to the cloud. It examines modern sensor systems, focusing on their power and functionality. It also looks at communication theory, paying close attention to near-range PAN, including the new Bluetooth® 5.0 specification and mesh networks. Then, the book explores IP-based communication in LAN and WAN, including 802.11ah, 5G LTE cellular, Sigfox, and LoRaWAN. It also explains edge computing, routing and gateways, and their role in fog computing, as well as the messaging protocols of MQTT 5.0 and CoAP.
There is so much more for you to chew on in this 632 pages and 14 chapter of work of art.
- Understand the role and scope of architecting a successful IoT deployment
- Scan the landscape of IoT technologies, from sensors to the cloud and more
- See the trade-offs in choices of protocols and communications in IoT deployments
- Become familiar with the terminology needed to work in the IoT space
- Broaden your skills in the multiple engineering domains necessary for the IoT architect
- Implement best practices to ensure reliability, scalability, and security in your IoT infrastructure
This book is for architects, system designers, technologists, and technology managers who want to understand the IoT ecosphere, technologies, and trade-offs, and develop a 50,000-foot view of IoT architecture. Perry recommends that an understanding of the architectural side of IoT is necessary to get the best out of this book. Anyhow, for curious people, it won’t hurt to take a peek at it.
3. Hands-On Industrial Internet of Things
Giacomo Veneri holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience context with various scientific publications. He has 18 years of experience as IT architect and team leader. Apart from that, he is an expert on IOT since 2013 in the field of Oil & Gas and Transportation. His co-author, Antonio Capasso, has been working for twenty years working on large and complex IT projects related to the industrial world in different markets. He graduated in Computer Automation in 1999 and Computer Automation in 2003 from the University of Naples.
Hands-On Industrial Internet of Things by the two experienced authors takes you through the implementation of industrial processes and specialized control devices and protocols. You will have the opportunity to study the process of identifying and connecting to different industrial data sources gathered from different sensors. Furthermore, you will be able to connect these sensors to cloud networks, such as AWS IoT, Azure IoT, Google IoT, and OEM IoT platforms, and extract data from the cloud to your devices.
As you progress through the chapters, you will gain hands-on experience in using open-source Node-Red, Kafka, Cassandra, and Python. You will also learn how to develop streaming and batch-based Machine Learning algorithms.
As you can see, the resource gives you a broad range of topics and exposes you to multiple technologies and how all of them interact to solve particular problems. That is the power of IoT.
- Explore industrial processes, devices, and protocols
- Design and implement the I-IoT network flow
- Gather and transfer industrial data in a secure way
- Get to grips with popular cloud-based platforms
- Understand diagnostic analytics to answer critical workforce questions
- Discover the Edge device and understand Edge and Fog computing
- Implement equipment and process management to achieve business-specific goals
4. Precision: Principles, Practices, and Solutions for the Internet of Things
Timothy Chou, the author of Precision, has been lucky enough to have a career spanning academia, successful (and not-so-successful) startups, and large corporations. He was one of only a few people to hold the President title at Oracle. As President of Oracle On Demand, he grew the cloud business from its very beginning. After earning his Ph.D. in EE at the University of Illinois he went to work for Tandem Computers, one of the original Silicon Valley startups. Among many other achievements, Timothy is focused on several new ventures in cloud computing, machine learning, and the Internet of Things today.
You may not be sure why your coffee pot should talk to your toaster, but precision technology powering an industrial Internet of Things has the potential to reshape the planet. To help clarify, Dr. Timothy Chou has created Precision to introduce us to the basics of the industrial Internet of Things (IoT). The first part – Precision: Principles and Practices – introduces a vendor-neutral, acronym-free framework. Dr. Chou then discusses the framework’s fundamental principles and these principles are put into practice.
The second part – Precision: Solutions – puts Dr. Chou’s IoT framework into practice highlighting 14 real-world solutions for manufacturers who are building precision machines and companies utilizing these machines to receive precision-enhanced business outcomes. Case studies discussed span a number of industries such as power, water, healthcare, transportation, oil & gas, construction, agriculture, gene sequencers, mining, and race cars.
5. IoT Fundamentals: Networking Technologies, Protocols, and Use Cases for the Internet of Things
This is one of those books that has a combination of authors with the type of sought-after talent, skills, and experience. David Hanes, CCIE No. 3491, is a Technical Leader specializing in IoT and working in Cisco Technical Services as part of the Cloud Support Technical Assistance Center (TAC). With experience in the incubation of new technologies, he is currently leading the TAC support effort for Cisco’s IoT cloud solutions. He also has technical expertise in the areas of collaboration and cognitive computing. David has multiple patents issued and pending in the areas of IoT and collaboration. He is an active participant in the SIP Forum and in the IETF as an RFC contributor and author.
Gonzalo Salgueiro, CCIE No. 4541, a co-author, is a Principal Engineer in Technical Services, working on several emerging technologies and the services opportunities they offer. Gonzalo has spent more than 20 years at Cisco, establishing himself as a subject matter expert, innovator, and industry thought leader in various technologies, including Collaboration, ML/AI, Cloud, and IoT.
Building on these essentials, they present several detailed use cases, including manufacturing, energy, utilities, smart+connected cities, transportation, mining, and public safety. Whatever your role or existing infrastructure, you’ll gain deep insight into what IoT applications can do, and what it takes to deliver them.
Summary of the book
- Fully covers the principles and components of next-generation wireless networks built with Cisco IOT solutions such as IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.15.4-2015 (Mesh), and LoRaWAN
- Brings together real-world tips, insights, and best practices for designing and implementing next-generation wireless networks
- Presents start-to-finish configuration examples for common deployment scenarios
- Reflects the extensive first-hand experience of Cisco experts
Getting the fundamentals right is non-negotiable in any kind of career or venture. It is the building block where your mansion is to be built on and getting it right is the beginning of longevity, stability, and good performance.