Open Standards: A Must for the Internet of Things

 The Internet of Things is the future of computing and Internet networking. ABI Research estimates there will be more than 30 billion wirelessly connected devices by the end of the decade. By 2020 — a mere six years from now — Gartner Group predicts the aggregated value and economic benefit of IoT will exceed $19 trillion.Currently, the Internet is composed of computers and devices that are dependent on data captured by humans. But in the course of the next few years, according to technologist Kevin Ashton, that trend will see a complete shift. As millions of more connected devices are added, they will primarily rely on information that originated from other devices. One of the pros of machine-to-machine communication is it frees humans from being the routers of information, and instead allows them to focus on ideas.

For that to happen, interoperability and communications protocols, common processing and programming interfaces, and tools to dissolve the barriers between diverse computing platforms, devices, and operating systems must improve.

A new open computing system architecture called Heterogeneous System Architecture (HSA) is a step towards the IoT reality. With its matching programming tools, HSA is emerging as the next-generation industry standard that integrates different types of microprocessors and compute elements, according to Sasa Marinkovic, Head of Technical Marketing at AMD.

By standardizing the heterogeneous programming model, developers can more easily and cost-effectively develop new software tailored to take advantage of the expanding heterogeneous processor market. The HSA Foundation is working to usher in the next era of software innovation, from enabling unprecedented user experiences to improving cloud-based data management, streaming, and security.

“In addition to its obvious performance benefits, another key attribute of the architecture is broad portability across computing devices,” Marinkovic wrote. “ Applications written using HSA tools will be easy to move across compliant platforms, enabling a write-once, run-nearly-anywhere opportunity. This will greatly boost compatibility for many applications within the Internet of Things.”

If you or your organization also support Open Standards as they relate to system architecture and the development of the IoT, consider showing your support by signing your name on our Stand With Us page.