VISO approach: A socialization proposal for the Internet of Things objects

Amidst the ongoing technological expansion, IoT-based applications have established their presence in various scenarios, including smart homes, healthcare, wearable devices, and more. However, fostering robust social relationships among objects within intelligent environments requires considering a multitude of parameters, from historical transactions data to peer opinions on interaction experiences. Our primary objective is to introduce the VISO concept, a finely tuned approach for community formation and facilitating autonomous interactions among Social IoT objects. Key contributions of VISO include: (i) a recommendation mechanism for cultivating friendships; (ii) the virtualization of devices, known as Virtual Objects, based on the Digital Twin concept; (iii) object ranking, determined by peer evaluations at the edge; and (iv) profiling the identity of each object within the environment. The VISO approach is rooted in the link analysis model, which seeks to uncover connections between individuals and qualify interactions. Additionally, the construction of social circles is guided by the Organizational Network Analysis model, a concept grounded in social networks designed to simplify the initiation of new friendships. The VISO approach stands out through its amalgamation of dynamic trust mechanisms, object virtualization, real-time interaction monitoring, and the highlighting of the most active objects. These characteristics collectively contribute to its effectiveness in managing relationships within the social IoT, while simultaneously addressing challenges posed by alternative models. Preliminary results in a testing environment substantiate the model's capability to categorize interactions and identify the most beneficial object roles for establishing new relationships. In particular, by selecting the most active objects 30%, they account for a staggering 90% of local actions. These validation outcomes lay the foundation for planned future work and enhancements to the VISO approach. Encouraged by the promising results, the inception of a significant project is on the horizon. The application of the VISO approach to relationship management within a smart campus for ubiquitous education underscores the remarkable versatility and potential of Social IoT. This application has the power to elevate various facets of campus life, ranging from education to resource management, creating a transformative impact within the educational landscape.