The modern world does not stand still. Every day, new devices are aimed at improving a person’s life. The Internet of Things (IoT) has gained particular popularity today.
There is an opinion that such devices have already been created more than people live on our planet, and their number will continue to grow. It leads to testers needing to change their approach to work, go beyond the existing framework and leave their comfort zone to do their job well.
What is IoT, and how is it evolving?
The advent of smartphones has become a real revolution in technology. It is a small computer that can perform almost any action connected to a phone. Billions of people worldwide have already appreciated all the benefits of such devices. But why do users like them so much?
The answer is quite simple, they have access to the Internet and can connect to other devices. It allows a person to search for the necessary information, communicate on social networks, or watch videos at any convenient time and place.
IoT is devices that also have access to the Internet and other devices and help perform practical actions. Among these devices are:
- Implanted medical devices and fitness meters are worn on the wrist;
- Sensors in cars that monitor tire pressure and display a light on the dashboard when tire pressure changes;
- Household appliances that can tell a person when they have finished their work or when they need to buy certain foodstuffs;
- Flow control systems in wastewater treatment plants since the amount of water and act accordingly.
The advantage of IoT is that they can collect information themselves, analyze it and make decisions, depending on the settings put into it by the manufacturer and owner.
Today, with the help of IoT, humanity can solve many problems, so it is expected that their number will grow at a tremendous speed. Each such device must have its IP address. To solve this problem recently, specialists have implemented IPv6, which increased the number of available identifiers from 4.3 billion addresses to 3,4×10 38 addresses. Thus, today every atom on our planet can have its IoT device, and a little more will be left for other space bodies.
It is assumed that by 2025 the capitalization of such devices will be 6.2 trillion dollars a year, and this number will continue to grow. In addition, active work is underway to develop new QA processes and procedures in this industry.
As you can see, IoT is developing rapidly and will continue to do so in the next few decades. That is why various programmers and testers must devote more time and effort to this area.
How does IoT affect testing?
Most testers are used to working in their office or lab, but this approach is wrong in the case of IoT. The fact is that most of these devices receive information from various sensors, and the tester needs to understand how well they work.
Consider one example to understand better how the Internet of Things testing services work. Let’s test the operation of a fitness bracelet, which should measure the number of steps, distance traveled, temperature, pulse, and blood pressure of the wearer. Typically, such devices have several modes of operation (walking, running, running on a treadmill, cycling). Today we will be interested in running.
So, first, you need to find a strong person who can run for a long time without rest. Next, you need to move to an open area, there shouldn’t be the best conditions there, for example, the Internet is not catching well.
Next, you need to put the device on the runner’s wrist so that it adheres well to the skin and is not covered by clothing. Next, you must measure the runner’s blood pressure and temperature before starting the workout. You need to do this in two ways, using your device and traditional methods (tonometer and thermometer). All indicators should match, and the error should ideally be less than 0.5%. You must also ensure that the distance, speed, and several steps are zero.
The next step is to start training. The runner must run for 30 minutes. At this time, you must follow him in a car or other device to simultaneously change the distance and speed and compare with the indicators on the device. After this time, you must stop for one minute to repeat the changes in the runner’s blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature. You also need to do this two ways and compare the results.
Then you need to repeat this step several times.
It is also preferable to carry out additional tests under bad weather conditions (rain, extreme heat, or cold).
As you can see, the mobile testing approach is fundamentally different from most experts. In addition to leaving their familiar territory, they now need to hire additional staff, in this case, a runner, and rent equipment (a car, a thermometer, a blood pressure monitor, and more).
