Convergence is when two or more separate technologies are paired together to create a capability that is greater than the original technologies individually. The additional value of the converged system itself now opens up new applications as well potentially new challenges.

Municipal IoT needs a protocol standard that enables interoperability in connected community architectures.

I know what you’re thinking. “Not another post about how we need comprehensive privacy legislation,” [insert eye roll emoji] I get it. We all know that we need privacy legislation at the federal level and we all know we are unlikely to get it soon.

Boy, who needs a drink, eh? Critical infrastructure, cyber vulnerabilities, AI, lack of guidance, forget it. Before you reach for something strong to drown your sorrows, let’s kick back for a second with something calming. Coming your way right here, right now, and courtesy of GoTech is a toolkit that our municipal officials and critical infrastructure operators can use to help begin to mitigate risks from connected community architecture deployments.

Much like how a combination of ostensibly unrelated ingredients can result in a delicious salad, U.S. critical infrastructure coalesces disparate parts to form the public services and functions that we have come to rely on.