The Internet of Things refers to everyday physical devices connected to the internet and each other — collecting and sharing data. Examples: smart thermostats, connected fridges, smart speakers, wearable fitness trackers, industrial sensors.
Benefits: automation, energy efficiency, convenience, remote monitoring of health or equipment
Concerns: security vulnerabilities — poorly secured IoT devices can be exploited by attackers
Privacy: constant data collection raises concerns about who has access to personal usage data
Augmented & Virtual Reality
AR and VR Technologies
Augmented Reality (AR): overlays digital content onto the real world. Examples: Snapchat filters, AR navigation apps, surgery guidance overlays for surgeons, warehouse picking systems.
Virtual Reality (VR): fully immerses the user in a simulated environment. Examples: VR gaming, flight simulators, medical training, virtual property tours.
Quantum computers use quantum bits (qubits) which can exist as 0, 1, or both simultaneously (superposition). This allows massively parallel processing for certain problems — potentially solving in minutes what classical computers would take millions of years.
Potential applications: drug discovery, materials science, cryptography, financial modelling
Threat to security: quantum computers could break current RSA/AES encryption — driving research into post-quantum cryptography
Exam Practice
Have a go at this question
Edexcel-style question
Describe one benefit and one risk of IoT devices being used in a home environment.
4 marks
Benefit: a smart thermostat can learn household patterns and automatically adjust heating, saving energy and reducing bills [1+1]. Risk: IoT devices often have weak default passwords and limited security updates [1], making them targets for hackers who can gain access to the home network [1].
Key Takeaways
What to Remember
IoT: physical devices connected to the internet — convenience vs security/privacy risks
AR: overlay on real world; VR: fully immersive — both used in training, gaming, education
Quantum computing: qubits, superposition, massively parallel — threatens current encryption
All emerging technologies carry both benefits (efficiency, capability) and risks (security, privacy, job displacement)