Internet of Things

Purdue University proposes to enhance the ongoing Internet of Things (IoT) National Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) program (Award # 15PBJA-21-GK-03998-INTE) by investigating personal wearable devices that track users’ key biometrics and activity data. Based on different types of wearable devices, their capabilities, and known vulnerabilities, PIs plan to develop and deliver a robust training and technical assistance program based on the data collected by these devices, their smartphone apps, and cloud platforms, particularly wearable fitness devices, smart clothing, smart ring, smart oximeter, smart glucometer, etc.  In this continuation project, Purdue will continue working with National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) to develop and deliver an effective TTA program which will be updated based on participant feedback and collected survey data from the current training. This continuation award will help in addressing the need for the IoT TTA program, specially designed for criminal justice practitioners, related to wearable IoT digital evidence stored client-side (on the devices), smartphones, and cloud servers.

            The Purdue team will investigate new wearable devices, such as smart ring, smart oximeter, smart clothing, and other devices (e.g., smart bed toppers) that monitor users’ health and biometrics. The investigation of these devices will be conducted based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology standards. The goal is to include new knowledge discovered from these devices and present it to criminal justice practitioners with the help of NW3C to enhance their understanding of digital evidence that can be extracted from these devices and help in prosecution. Both teams will work together to expand and improve IoT TTA materials and deliverables based on Purdue’s academically, scientifically, legally, and operationally sound findings and feedback from participants.  There will be extensive training delivered via live online, on-demand and webinar modalities.

            Towards providing effective training for increasing knowledge of criminal justice practitioners, their communities, and enhancing the regional training capacity, NW3C and Purdue will collaboratively develop two live webinars for criminal justice professionals, focusing on the understanding and collection of evidence from wearable devices and how to use it in court. These webinars will be delivered via the NW3C learning management platform and offered on-demand. Both teams will also deliver a 90-minute live question and answer webinar with the SMEs. The enhanced TTA program will also include updated databases of personal wearable device capabilities and vulnerabilities hosted on a secure portal maintained by NW3C accessible to over 114,000 U.S. criminal justice practitioners.

Purdue University will utilize this supplemental award to continue the development and delivery of its robust training and technical assistance program based on the data collected from the use of Internet of Things devices, their smartphone applications, and cloud platforms. The focus of the selected IoT devices will be how commonly they are found in a crime scenes such as homes, hotels, etc.  This collaborative work with NW3C will continue to  provide the TTA program which will be updated based on participant feedback and collected survey data from the current training. This continuation award will help in addressing the need for the IoT TTA program, specially designed for criminal justice practitioners, related to commonly used IoT device evidence stored on client-side (on the devices), smartphones, and cloud servers.