Read this PPT to discover how IoT testing and software quality assurance are converting the concept of smart home automation systems into reality.

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IoT Testing is the Backbone of Your Smart Home Solutions

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IoT Testing is the Backbone of Your Smart Home Solutions
Advancements in the field of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Internet of Things are driving us to a future dominated by such
state-of-the-art technology. Analyzing the rate at which these next-generations technologies are taking over our daily lives,
Gartner predicted that by 2020, about 20.4 Billion “Connected Things” will be in use.
One of the most popular and promising use cases of the proliferating IoT devices is smart homes. The smart home market is
growing fast and is expected to touch the $151.4 billion mark by 2024 at a CAGR of 12.02%. About 50% of everyday essential
household consumable products will be auto-replenished from the “connected home” through Internet of Things. From smart
phones to smart assistants and now smart homes, there has been a constant technology-wise evolutionary process ongoing.
Smart home automation systems comprise of solutions such as motion sensors, leak detectors, doorbells, thermostats, cameras,
dimmers, smart outlets and plugs, smart switches, striving to make our lives sophisticated, but easier.
This rapid growth of the smart home market comes with its own set of challenges that needs to be dealt with strategically,
otherwise this entire ‘smart’ ecosystem will collapse irrecoverably. In order to keep everything intact and robust, IoT
implementation in smart homes is of paramount importance.
Understanding a Smart Home Automation System
Virtual digital assistants are now facilitating and automating routine tasks through their intelligence. A typical automation
system in a smart home controls the lighting, ambience, entertainment systems and appliances. It also includes a home security
system abreast with features such as access control and alarm systems, thereby enhancing overall home safety.

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IoT Testing is the Backbone of Your Smart Home Solutions
Secondly, a huge number of devices are connected in a smart home system and all these different devices need to
communicate with one another effectively. So, numerous devices and all the applications involved must connect continuously
in a controlled and systematic manner. This simultaneous connectivity must always be ensured for overall performance of the
entire system.
The third factor, the environment, acts as a stimulus to trigger smart devices into action. A smooth and flawless functioning
across all these parameters is mandatory in an interconnected smart home ecosystem.
A dedicated IoT strategy help manage this complex network sprawled across such a diverse technological landscape.
Testing multiple Layers in an IoT Smart Home Automation System
The IoT system can be described as a web of interconnected layers consisting of – device, data ingestion and transformation,
data processing, and application. All these four layers need to work in sync to effectively convert data to information that will
initiate subsequent action. The multiple layers in an IoT system create a unique and complex architecture, which mandates
various testing types across the system. Protocol and device interoperability testing, security and privacy testing, network
testing, performance and real-time testing, end-user usability testing are all very crucial to deal with the challenges
associated while validating IoT systems in smart homes.

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IoT Testing is the Backbone of Your Smart Home Solutions
Data security, Energy Efficiency and User Experience
Smart homes exist to make our lives safer, cheaper and easier. It is estimated that by 2020, Home security systems will
account for over $100 Billion in the security market. About 45% of Americans save on average $1,179.60 per year with
smart devices. More than half of Americans claim that smart products save them 30 minutes every day. But this is only
possible through proper functionality, connectivity, and efficiency of smart devices in an IoT network.
A lot of confidential and sensitive data is generated while all the IoT devices are interconnected with the applications in a
smart home system. The entire system will fall into chaos if such vital information is disclosed. There is a critical
requirement to protect data privacy and deliver network reliability in a virtually connected environment. Hence, various
nodes in a system must be critically tested to ensure that no sensitive information gets leaked, and effective firewalls should
be built based on the defined vulnerabilities. Any breach in the smart home system can be prevented by testing the security
and reliability of the IoT network.
IT will play a crucial role in the future of energy landscape especially in the renewable energy sector. The scarcity of
resources has put a pressure on the growing need for home automation. Smart home technology is more energy-efficient
than any traditional home appliances and electronics. The connected appliances are designed to work in such a way that
least amount of energy is consumed, thus, resulting in decreased energy consumption costs.

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IoT Testing is the Backbone of Your Smart Home Solutions
The Future of Testing in Smart Homes
Technology and business processes merge together in smart homes to drive a personalized customer experience. In this
digital age, the notion of quality is linked to all these three things – customer experience, business process, and technology.
Since, user experience and user satisfaction help in bringing profitability to the business, assuring quality in the home
automation environment is a prime necessity.
Implementing IoT with intelligent devices is essential in smart homes to streamline various operations and facilitate an
exchange of data. This also means that the applications managing these devices need to get tested for scalability,
performance, functionality, and security. Along with IoT testing and Quality Assurance in smart homes, there is the need for
test automation to speed up the process and improve test coverage. End-to-end automation and service virtualization can
help achieve a faster release time by eliminating human intervention. Quality Engineering and Digital Assurance also play a
very crucial role in the future of smart home system. Along with the advent of smart technologies in almost every sector,
the face of the testing industry is also changing at a rapid pace, and the enterprises need to adopt new methods of
software testing to cope up with this change.
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