The challenges of creating The Industrial Internet of Things

As industry looks to build out the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), its biggest challenge will be seamlessly Internet-enabling the ‘Things’ that live at the edge of the network. Industry-wide, this area contains trillions of Things that contain one or many data points that may need to be analysed and combined into information.
IIoT sets its sights on Internet-enabling all hardware and software components (the “Things”) that comprise an automation system. This will allow for smarter automation, where Things can share information with other Things and adapt their behaviour, to achieve optimum performance. In addition, personnel responsible for the operations of the system will be able to remotely assess and manipulate all aspects of such systems, without the need for dedicated on-site expertise.
These benefits are contingent upon the resolution of key challenges; most notably the interchange of data between the mechanical, digital and human components of an industrial automation process.
Today, however, there are several cultural and technological changes that are impacting the scale and speed of the creation of the IIoT.