IoT Interview Question and Answer

1. What is the Internet of Things (IoT)?

Ans. Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the network of physical devices or objects called ‘things’. These devices are embedded with sensors, electronics, software, etc., which enable them to gather data and share it with other internet-connected devices and systems without human interactions. The term ‘things’ in the Internet of Things includes everything in our day-to-day life which is accessed or connected through the internet, like smartphones, wearables, electronic appliances, etc. 

2. What are the different components of IoT systems?

Ans. IoT systems consist of four main components:

1. Sensors 

Sensors collect data from their surroundings. This data could be a simple temperature reading, GPS, accelerometer, or even a complex one like a live video feature on a social media platform. Thus, sensors are the devices that sense the environment and perform multiple tasks. Multiple sensors can be part of a device that does more than just sense things, like a smartphone. 

2. Connectivity

The data collected by sensors is sent to the cloud through different ways like Bluetooth, WiFi, cellular, satellite, Ethernet, low-power wide-area networks (LPWAN), etc. Now the devices can interact freely with each other in a transparent manner. These connectivity options differ from each other in terms of range, bandwidth, and power consumption. Different IoT applications use different connectivity options depending on their needs. 

3. Data Processing 

After the data is gathered by the sensors and gets to the cloud, the software starts processing the collected information and data to perform the required tasks. The tasks could be as simple as checking if the temperature reading is within the acceptable range. It could be as complex as using the computer vision on the video to identify objects

This phase includes different techniques like classification, calculations, and sorting to get meaningful information from the data received. Data processing software enhances the automation in IoT devices. 

4. User Interface 

User Interface is the means by which a user and an IoT device interact. This phase involves making the information useful to the end-user. It can be done by sending an alert to the user via text, notification, or email. 

3. What are the different types of sensors in IoT? 

Ans. The different types of sensors in IoT are: 

4. What are the top security risks related to IoT?

Ans. Following are some of the security risks that revolve around IoT: 

1. Privacy

IoT devices are vulnerable to hacking. Many IoT devices collect personal information and some of them send this personal information across the network without any encryption. This information can be easily traced and read by hackers. Cloud endpoints could also be used by hackers to attack servers. 

2. Web interface

Simple default passwords pose a threat when it comes to the user web interface. The use of weak passwords on the web interface may enable hackers to easily identify accounts of users and misuse them. 

3. Rogue IoT Devices

Rogue IoT devices are just plain counterfeit malicious devices that are installed in secured networks without authorization. Some examples of rogue IoT devices are Raspberry Pi and WiFi Pineapple. A rogue device either replaces the original IoT device or appears as a member of a group to gather sensitive information. These devices break the network perimeter.

4. Insufficient testing & Lack of updates

The IoT market is fast-paced, which is why many companies or manufacturers are in a hurry to create and release their products and software without sufficiently testing them. Some of them also fail in providing timely software updates.

Compared to other devices like smartphones, IoT devices continue to be used without the necessary updates, which can enable hackers to steal sensitive information. Thus, sufficient testing and timely updates are critical for maintaining security on IoT devices. They should be updated right after new vulnerabilities are identified. 

5. Lack of user Knowledge & Awareness

Since IoT is a new technology, people still do not know much about it. One of the biggest security threats related to IoT is the user’s lack of knowledge and awareness of the IoT functionality. This puts everybody at risk.

5. Explain IoT Protocols. Name some of the popular IoT Protocols.

Ans. IoT protocols are a set of rules that guide how data gets sent to the internet. They ensure optimum security to the data being exchanged between connected IoT devices. 

Some of the popular IoT protocols are: 

6. What is the difference between IoT and IIoT?

Ans. The differences between IoT and IIoT are: 

7. What is Raspberry Pi? 

Ans. Raspberry Pi is a small, low-cost, card-sized computer with a set of features like General Purpose Input Output (GPIO), pins, WiFi, and Bluetooth that can be used to connect, control, and communicate with external electronic devices. The combination of IoT applications and Raspberry Pi enables businesses to embrace technology more efficiently.

8. What is Arduino? What are its features?

Ans. Arduino is a platform that offers easy-to-use hardware and software to create electronics projects. It has a microcontroller (physical programmable circuit board) and a piece of software that can be used to write and upload computer code to the physical board. Arduino boards read inputs like a light on a sensor and turn them into an output like activating a motor.

Some of the features of Arduino are: 

1. Cross-platform – The Arduino IDE is designed to run on different operating systems, like Windows, macOS, and Linux.
2. Open source and extensible software and hardware.
3. Easy-to-use for beginners.
4. Inexpensive compared to other microcontroller platforms.

9. What are the differences between Arduino and Raspberry Pi?

Ans. The differences between Arduino and Raspberry Pi are: 

Q10. What are the differences between IoT and M2M?

Ans. The differences between IoT and M2M are: