It is an undisputable fact that the Internet of Things (IoT) will revolutionize technology across every industry, not just within the products themselves, but in the way we interact with them. Consumer and enterprise users alike will find connected technology seeping into their everyday lives. At this point, we’re already seeing major disruptions— from the way we communicate to the way we exercise or pay for our purchases. This is only the beginning. The integration of IoT technology into our daily lives will eventually become frictionless, allowing our connected devices to interact with the spaces around us, redefining the way we fundamentally understand technology today.
One paradigm shift we’re seeing is in our attitudes towards security. In the past, security credentials were a hindrance for consumers and employees alike. From back-end multi-authentication login procedures, to bag-checks at the ballpark, security is often thought of as a hoop to jump through. However, as technology moves towards personalization and frictionless interactions, security is evolving into a convenient process.
For example—remember the last time you went to an airport? How long did you wait in line at the TSA checkpoint? The process of proving your identity, combined with a physical body scan becomes a time-consuming ordeal. IoT technology could transform this experience. The TSA has the opportunity to take authentication one step further by introducing technology like presence, wearables and mobile devices to streamline the process. Right now the experience isn’t frictionless, and the multi-factor ID authentication that already exists on the devices we’re carrying could easily change this process for the better.
When you go through the “TSA Pre” line using the IoT, your fingerprints and background information are already on file. We should be able to express that to checkpoint officials through our mobile device from any line. When we walk up to the TSA Agent’s podium, they should be able to sense us using Bluetooth low energy (BLE), pop up our profiles and use a second factor to identify us. This additional layer of authentication could be a security question, a four digit pin, a fingerprint scan, etc. A simple two-pronged identification procedure could transform the entire experience.
This desire for personalized, curated experiences has always existed. This brings me back to my college days, when I worked as an oyster shucker at a local restaurant. We had a group of tried-and-true regulars who I came to know very well. I learned their schedules and orders, so that when Tom came in on Tuesday at six pm I always had eight oysters and a beer waiting for him. Every Tuesday for four years we had this interaction, and he kept coming back because of the curated, personalized experience the restaurant provided him.
By using technology like wearables and BLE, security can bring that same experience to the everyday frequent flyer, consumer, or employee. If a building can sense when a person is entering, just like I knew Tom would be coming into the restaurant, our experience inside the building can easily be curated just for us. This level of personalization is seeping into our everyday interactions with technology—and will only expand from here.