In an effort to raise awareness regarding the potential and ecosystem of the Internet of Things (IoT), the Informatics Engineering Study Program at Dian Nusantara University (UNDIRA) held a Public Lecture titled “Internet of Things (IoT): Synergy between Innovation and National Concern.” To provide profound insights, UNDIRA invited an R&D expert and Data Scientist from PT Visi Global Teknologi, Dr. Abdusy Syarif, S.T., M.T.

In his presentation, Dr. Abdusy explained that IoT is an integrated system consisting of several crucial components: Sensors (measuring physical data such as temperature and pressure), Devices (data capture units), Gateways (information traffic regulators), and Servers that process data to be distributed across various cross-platform applications.

The utilization of the Internet of Things (IoT) has now become the backbone of various industrial sectors. With the development of devices that are increasingly competitive, ergonomic, and multifunctional, it is no surprise that IoT will play an even more extensive role in the future.

Dr. Abdusy Syarif further elaborated that with the current acceleration of industry and automation, IoT utilization has expanded into various strategic sectors, ranging from industry and manufacturing to the development of Smart Cities, Smart Autonomous Vehicles, Smart Manufacturing, Smart Monitoring through Smart Weighing, and Smart Agriculture Farming.

Despite the rapid pace of technological advancement—with predictions exceeding 400 billion connected devices in the future—Dr. Abdusy Syarif reminded the audience that technology is fundamentally neutral. "The impact depends on who wields it: an ethical expert or a reckless amateur," he asserted.

He reflected on the dark history of the 17th-century Industrial Revolution in Europe, where the massive and aggressive advancement of factories without environmental control led to carbon pollution that claimed thousands of lives in London. In the digital age, a similar threat emerges in the form of privacy and security breaches, such as the Mirai Malware case, which exploited security vulnerabilities in CCTVs and routers to launch DDoS attacks that crippled online services.

To the students of UNDIRA’s Informatics Engineering Program, Dr. Abdusy Syarif emphasized that beyond designing functional programs and creating renewable innovations, an Informatics expert must possess a "Smart Engineer" mentality. According to him, a Smart Engineer is not merely tasked with creating viral technology but must be able to maintain a balance between innovation and ecosystem sustainability.

"You are not merely technicians; you are builders of civilization. An engineer must possess integrity and ethics. We must not create applications that wiretap or violate human rights," he added. He shared three primary tips for UNDIRA's future Smart Engineers:

1. Deeply master digital technology.

2. Adapt swiftly to the rapid evolution of information.

3. Collaborate actively, both with devices and colleagues, to create breakthroughs.

Reiterating a sentiment once shared by Albert Einstein, “Technological progress is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal,” he noted that the optimal use of technology depends not only on one's level of competence but also on their level of morality.

In closing, he emphasized that innovation without ethics is a potential disaster. Every innovation must possess positive social value and benefit the wider community. "Develop positive vibes in every work you create, because every technological innovation must be able to prosper humanity without sacrificing human values themselves," he concluded.