First responders often work in harsh and potentially dangerous environments during their duties, whether in extreme heat when fighting fires or under exposure to toxins and other pollutants on the site of man-made disasters. The ramifications of working in such challenging conditions can include short- and long-term health consequences for first responders. Many of the heroes who worked to rescue lives at Ground Zero on 9/11 have dealt with lasting health problems ever since. Keeping first responders as safe and healthy as possible while they help others is where technology can step in—both by monitoring first responders' vital signs and critical health metrics and by monitoring the environment they're working in for hazardous conditions or airborne pollutants.

Wearable Technology with Environmental Sensors

Along with the emergency response equipment first responders bring to a rescue situation, there are emerging technologies that can equip them for safety in a number of ways. Wearable tech can inform supervisors if team members are experiencing any spikes in heart rate or blood pressure, as well as other biometric data, while environmental sensors can determine if any toxins or dangerous chemicals are present in the surrounding environment. Measuring blood oxygen levels via pulse oximetry sensors can tell firefighters when they've been overexposed to smoke-filled air, and body positioning sensors like the kind used in some step counters and other fitness trackers can sound the alarm when a first responder is lying prone or in any awkward position that might indicate potential distress. Something as simple as monitoring body temperature can let firefighters know when to pull back from the front lines and rehydrate.

Environmental sensors capable of measuring the presence of airborne pollutants or particulate matter are commonly implemented in industrial manufacturing and processing facilities for employee safety. First responders can utilize similar technology in a more mobile application to provide them with important safety information about environments they're encountering with limited prior knowledge.

Concentrations of potentially poisonous and invisible gases in the air, like carbon monoxide or dioxide or volatile organic compounds, can be detected through chromatography and light refraction. Particulate matter created by combustion, like the kind made by forest fires, can also be detected and measured through light reflection. Larger pieces of particulate reflect more light than smaller ones and pose a greater health risk, so measuring the size of particulate fragments as precisely as possible is essential. Environmental data collected from scenes of disasters has value for medical personnel as well. Having prior knowledge of the types of airborne toxins or pollutants victims and evacuees have been exposed to before they've even been examined can help develop treatment plans more quickly.

Real-time Data Collection

Mobile sensors collecting real-time data on first responders' persons feed the information into an intelligent processing layer and then display data on a “dashboard” of sorts, presenting a digital readout of the various vital signs and environmental factors being monitored. The dashboard can be monitored remotely by first responders on the scene or supervisors offsite to ensure that any responders in distress can be helped as quickly as possible. Real-time data on the surrounding air quality can tell firefighters precisely when they have to employ oxygen tanks in the field in order to breathe safely or when toxic fumes from a chemical spill have become too dangerous to be exposed to without a special breathing apparatus. Vital sign monitoring lets supervisors know when individual firefighters on the front lines of a blaze need a break or medical intervention, similar to the technology being implemented in sports to monitor athletes’ body temperature and blood oxygen levels.

Data collected in real time can also be saved and fed into algorithms that recognize patterns and make predictions to help optimize future emergency response plans. Knowing that personnel can only safely fight fires burning at certain temperatures from specific distances helps spare future hospitalizations, or worse, heatstroke or smoke inhalation. Furthermore, knowing how first responders' bodies have reacted to the presence of certain gases or volatile organic compounds in the environment can help design emergency treatment options if first responders or victims are exposed in the future and require immediate medical attention in the field. In large-scale personnel deployments, like forest fires or natural disaster relief, historical data on employee health and wellness can help supervisors determine the optimal length and frequency of shifts to maximize overall efficiency and help responders get the appropriate amount of sleep and nutrition.

Conclusion

Working in potentially hazardous environments is something asked of first responders every day, so monitoring their vital signs as well as key environmental factors is critical to ensuring safety. Using the data collected from first responders on the front lines to optimize future emergency response plans may also save lives and ensure first responders live longer, healthier lives post-retirement. The short- and long-term benefits of wearable technology and environmental sensors are so self-evident that you may see firefighters, EMTs, and even police officers wearing bio- and environmental-metric sensors on a daily basis in the near future.

Original Source: Mouser

About the Author

Alex is a senior technical writer for Wavefront Marketing specializing in advanced electronics, emerging technologies and responsible technology development.

Join Rudy Ramos for a weekly look at all things interesting, new, and noteworthy for design engineers.

In the 1932 Marx Brothers' film “Horse Feathers,” Wagstaff (Groucho), the new college president, visits a speakeasy. Baravelli (Chico) accidentally reveals that the entry password is “Swordfish.” However, after Wagstaff enters and Baravelli exits, Wagstaff alters the password, promptly forgetting it. This mishap results in both being locked out. This early comedy exemplifies, though exaggerated, the flaws in human nature and behavior when it comes to passwords.

Weak passwords have been a consistent issue for data security. According to various studies and reports over the years, weak passwords or reused passwords are often the primary culprits in many data breaches. This week, we take a look at the differences between passwords, passphrases, and passkeys, and how the power of “length” is the key factor for security regardless of whether you use passwords or passphrases.

The Weakest Link

The weakest link in securing digital assets is often said to be the “human element.” Despite advanced technology and sophisticated security protocols, human behaviors, mistakes, and oversights can introduce vulnerabilities that malicious actors can exploit. Among the list of vulnerabilities posed by the human element, poor password practices are near the top. Many people still use weak passwords or reuse passwords across multiple sites and services, making it easier for attackers to gain unauthorized access.

For instance, in 2023, 64% of passwords only contain eight to 11 characters. Nearly 40% of users admit to sharing their personal passwords with others, and 61% of those affected by password hacking had passwords that were shorter than eight characters.

Also, according to the Q2 2023 Cyber-threat Report (April 1 - June 30) by ReliaQuest, a significant spike in ransomware activity was noted, marking it as the quarter with the highest number of victims listed on ransomware data-leak sites. The ransomware group ALPHV, affiliated with “DarkSide” and “BlackMatter,” practices triple extortion: ransomware, data theft, and DDoS attacks. ALPHV employs the AES and ChaCha20 encryption algorithms, targeting operating systems like Windows, ESXi, Debian, and more. They infiltrate systems through vulnerabilities, compromised passwords, or initial access brokers (IABs), using tools such as WebBrowserPassView, Cobalt Strike, and Mimikatz for password acquisition, initial access, and privilege escalation.

Lastly, the average global cost of a data breach in 2023 was a record high $4.45 million. Furthermore, a 2019 study by the Ponemon Institute highlighted that companies in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and France spend, on average, around $5.2 million annually responding to password-related issues, revealing the economic impact of weak password practices.

User Authentication

User authentication is critical for online security, and despite education and awareness movements, users still practice poor password etiquette and sometimes fall victim to phishing emails, leading to unauthorized access, malware infections, and data breaches. Also, physical security oversights like losing devices—e.g., laptops or USB drives—or leaving them unattended can lead to data breaches. Without proper cybersecurity training, employees might not recognize potential security threats or understand the best practices to mitigate them.

To address all these human elements, continuous education, training, and cyber security awareness campaigns are nonetheless essential. Tools such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) can also mitigate risks associated with human error. Still, cultivating a security-conscious corporate and personal culture is one of the most effective strategies to protect digital assets.

Authentication Best Practice

Moving towards a security-conscious culture requires rethinking our approaches to authentication. Authentication of login credentials aims to verify an individual's identity, ensuring system access is granted only to legitimate users. Understanding the best practices for the three primary user authentication methods—passwords, passphrases, and passkeys—is crucial to prevent unauthorized system access and thwart potential attackers.

Passwords are user-created character strings, while passphrases are longer, word-based sequences for enhanced security. Passkeys employ public-key cryptography, stored on devices, and use biometrics or security keys as the second authentication factor instead of codes.

The key factor for security, whether using passwords or passphrases, is length. Increasing a password’s length raises the difficulty of brute forcing exponentially. Passphrases have equivalent or better strength than passwords of the same length. Very long, 20+ character passwords or 5+ word passphrases offer protection that may take longer than a human lifetime to crack through brute force alone

The table below shows the estimated brute force crack times for passwords vs. passphrases of different lengths with numbers, upper and lowercase letters, and symbols. Note that estimated times are approximate since crack speed depends heavily on the hacking hardware and techniques. (Source: Author)

Password/Passphrase Length	Estimated Crack Time
8-character password	Seconds to minutes
12-character password	Hours to days
16-character password	Years
20-character password	Centuries
4-word passphrase	Centuries
5-word passphrase	Millennia
6-word passphrase	Millions of years
7-word passphrase	Billions of years

Key Features of Passwords, Passphrases, and Passkeys

Passwords

• Authentication: Passwords are one of the most common methods for user authentication. They help systems verify the identity of users.
• Complexity: A strong password typically consists of a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, which make it difficult for unauthorized users to guess or break using various hacking methods.
• Encryption: In secure systems, passwords are often stored in an encrypted form. When users enter their password, the system encrypts the input and compares it to the stored encrypted version.
• Use Cases: Passwords are used in various digital contexts, including logging into computers, email accounts, social media platforms, online banking, and more.
• Security Weaknesses: Because of their widespread use and often weak construction, passwords are a frequent target for cyberattacks, like brute force attacks, dictionary attacks, and phishing. Also, passwords can be hard to remember.
• Best Practices: It's recommended to have unique passwords for different accounts, regularly update passwords, and avoid using easily guessable information, like birthdays or names.
• Additional Proof of Identity: Passwords are increasingly being paired with other authentication methods, like two-factor authentication (2FA), to improve security.

Passphrases

• Length: Passphrases are typically longer than passwords. This added length can make them more secure against brute force attacks.
• Memorability: Passphrases often consist of multiple words or a sentence, making them easier to remember than complex passwords. For instance, "BlueSkyRainyDay!" is easier to remember than "B$Rd#91!".
• Usage: Passphrases work well for master passwords or encryption keys.
• Entropy: Good passphrases have high entropy, meaning they are random and hard to predict. This makes them resistant to dictionary attacks, where an attacker tries every word in the dictionary.
• Use in Cryptography: Passphrases are often used as the human-memorable component in generating strong encryption keys. For instance, in PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption, a passphrase encrypts the private key.
• Ease of Typing: Because they are often composed of regular words or sentences, passphrases can be quicker and less error-prone compared to passwords with a mix of characters, numbers, and symbols.
• Commonality: Not all passphrases are secure. "password1234" is technically a passphrase, but it's not a secure one. Good passphrases should avoid using common phrases or quotations and ideally include a mix of character types (uppercase, lowercase, numbers, symbols) when the system allows.

Passkeys

• Public-Key Cryptography: Passkeys often relate to cryptographic key pairs consisting of a public key and a private key. The public key can be shared with anyone, while the private key remains confidential.
• Device-Based: Passkeys can be generated and stored on a user's device, such as a smartphone or hardware security token. Passkeys eliminate password reuse across accounts.
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): In some implementations, passkeys are used as part of a 2FA process. In addition to something you know (like a password), it involves something you have, such as a device that generates or stores a passkey, like a YubiKey.
• Biometric Integration: Some passkey systems incorporate biometrics as an added security layer. A device might require a fingerprint or facial recognition scan before displaying or using the passkey.
• Usage in Temporary Authentication: Passkeys can sometimes be temporary or single-use codes generated for the purpose of a specific session or transaction.
• Avoid Shared Secrets: Unlike passwords, which are shared with the server for validation (though usually in hashed form), passkeys, especially in the context of public-key cryptography, avoid the need to share secrets. The server can verify the user's identity without ever knowing or storing the exact passkey. Passkeys are resilient against phishing and leaks, are easier to use, and are more secure.
   

Featured Products

This week's New Tech Tuesday introduces Microchip Technology's EV97M19A and Swissbit's iShield Key Pro. These two cutting-edge solutions are crafted for those who demand uncompromised security in engineering applications.

The Microchip Technology EV97M19A is a compact mikroBUS™ extension board for showcasing Microchip's SHA104 and SHA105 capabilities. While the SHA104 focuses on accessory-side applications like consumables, the SHA105 caters to host-side needs, enabling mutual authentication. Together, they ensure robust mutual symmetric authentication in commercial and industrial settings.

Designed for seamless integration with the CryptoAuth Trust Platform and other Microchip platforms with a MikroElektronica mikroBUS header, the EV97M19A also supports connection to XPRO header boards via the ATMBUSADAPTER-XPRO. It streamlines the authentication system development with its onboard Microchip devices.

Key features:

• SHA104 and SHA105 devices with I2C interface for accessory and host-side authentication, respectively
• Additional SHA104 device with Microchip's unique SWI-PWM interface
• Convenient parasitic power option for SHA104 and selectable jumper
• Compact mikroBUS board with pass-through header for extra mikroBUS boards
• 3V default power with an optional 5V via a 0Ω resistor
• Onboard power indicator LED

Swissbit's iShield Key Pro (USB-A/NFC) delivers secure, simple, and versatile authentication. This hardware-based solution elevates online account protection against online attacks, such as phishing, social engineering, and account takeover, aligning with Swissbit's reputation for robust data and device security. Tailored for businesses, IT infrastructures, and online service providers, it offers users superior protection for personal and professional online accounts through advanced asymmetric cryptography. Crafted in Berlin's Swissbit factory, the iShield Key Pro boasts impeccable quality and is customizable. It supports NFC for mobile devices and ensures seamless integration with any FIDO2 and U2F compatible platforms, even allowing password-less sign-ins to Windows 10. With its all-in-one design, it fortifies authentication, replaces traditional passwords, and offers options ranging from single-factor to multi-factor authentication.

Key Features:

• Works with FIDO2 and U2F-compatible websites and services
• Supports FIDO2 and U2F standards
• Public and private key cryptography
• HOTP (Event), Smartcard (PIV-compatible), OpenSC-compatible
• Durable security key with fully molded, robust, and water-resistant housing
• Tap-and-go authentication with NFC for mobile devices
• Touch authentication for USB-A interface
• OS: Windows 10/11, macOS, iOS, Linux, Chrome OS, Android
• Browsers: Firefox, MS Edge, Google, Chrome, Apple Safari

Takeaway

Passwords are a prevalent part of our lives, and while the incessant requirements to update them can seem tedious, taking authentication seriously is the first step in protecting our data. Weak passwords are a substantial cybersecurity vulnerability that comes at a significant cost. Secure user authentication is paramount in the digital age. Passwords, passphrases, and passkeys play vital roles in ensuring only authorized users access systems. Each offers advantages, but their efficacy hinges on proper use and understanding. Still, regardless of the chosen authentication method, length is a pivotal security factor. A password's length directly influences its resilience against brute force attacks. While there are numerous best practices for authentication, cybersecurity’s greatest defense is password length.  

Original Source: Mouser

About the Author

Rudy is a member of the Technical Content Marketing team at Mouser Electronics, bringing 35+ years of expertise in advanced electromechanical systems, robotics, pneumatics, vacuum systems, high voltage, semiconductor manufacturing, military hardware, and project management. As a technology subject matter expert, Rudy supports global marketing efforts through his extensive product knowledge and by creating and editing technical content for Mouser's website. Rudy has authored technical articles appearing in engineering websites and holds a BS in Technical Management and an MBA with a concentration in Project Management. Prior to Mouser, Rudy worked for National Semiconductor and Texas Instruments.

IoT and AI has the higher chance to escalate R&D expenses, requires a completely skilled workforce, and includes cross-border regulation.

Semiconductors are now the backbone of modern electronic products and are playing an imperative role in our daily lives. They are the building blocks for the integrated circuits, which power everything from computers to smartphones, and every essential home appliance. For the past few decades, technology has evolved tremendously and for instance, artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) are playing a pivotal role in almost every industrial sector. The procedure of semiconductor manufacturing includes designing devices and utilizing photolithography to place the circuits accurately on the silicon wafers. 

The chip industry is growing at a rapid pace all over the world and it includes firms that design and produce chip devices and components, including integrated circuits and transistors. The industry has now turned to be highly competitive coupled with major companies investing billions in research and development. Now, the point is that AI is playing an important role in the semiconductor industry. The technology is transforming the sector by improving the design, testing, and manufacturing of chips. 

While speaking of design, AI helps engineers to optimize the architecture of semiconductors and performance by quickly examining the colossal datasets, and at the same time, identifying patterns, that could be an impediment for the engineers to detect. Moreover, AI is now helping the industry’s design pattern and perks-up the potentials of chip-enabled devices. On the other hand, the verification procedure is now completely automated with the help of AI, which ensures the reliability of complex semiconductor designs. The global AI market is forecast to grow to $390.9 billion by 2025, representing a compound annual growth rate of 55.6 percent over that short period.

Akshara Bassi, Senior Research Analyst at Counterpoint told Circuit Digest exclusively, “AI helps in accelerating chip design and development times. At the same time, ML and AI helps analyze large datasets to generate efficient chip architectures. Additionally, they help in simulating the chip performance before it goes to production in the foundry. The simulation can help in tweaks for improved performance and enhanced functionality. Now, if you speak about the role of AI in semiconductor manufacturing or the foundry level, AI helps to activate predictive maintenance by analyzing historical production patterns for lower downtime and increased productivity of site. Additionally, the continual iterative learning process helps in improving yield rate and lower wastage. The growth looks exponential as companies would try to integrate AI into their businesses and processes for faster GTM and lower cost of chip design."

The crucial aspect is how AI is going to impact the global chip production and design. The massive demand of AI will now have a huge impact on this industry because the volume of data stored and processed by AI applications is huge. According to the experts, it is an urgent need of the hour to improve chip architecture in an effort to address the data utilization in AI based integrated circuits. The AI based chip design will be not only about boosting the overall performance, but also about escalating the data movement both in and out of the memory coupled with more augmented power and accurate memory systems. According to an exclusive engineering report published in irds.ieee.org, one option is the design of chips for AI neural networks that perform like human brain synapses. Instead of sending constant signals, such chips would “fire” and send data only when needed. Nonvolatile memory may also see more use in AI-related semiconductor designs. Nonvolatile memory can hold saved data without power. Combining nonvolatile memory on chips with processing logic would make “system on a chip” processors possible, which could meet the demands of AI algorithms.

Semiconductor experts have clearly highlighted that the improvements in semiconductor design are increasing to counter the data demands of AI applications, but they increase a bundle of production and manufacturing hurdles. As the requirement of memories have increased, AI based chips have also increased over the years. The semiconductor size is so huge now, it is not an easy task for a chip vendor to gain profit, while working on specialized hardware. The simple reason is for each application, producing dedicated AI chips becomes very expensive. In order to counter this impediment, a general-purpose AI dais would be useful. It will be easier for the vendors to escalate this general-purpose podium with inputs/outputs, accelerators, and sensors. Manufacturers will be then able to customize the podium for various workload requirements of any application, while also reducing expenses. 

Now, from the perspective of production, this industry will also gain huge benefits from AI adoption. At all the process points, AI will be there to decrease manufacturing time, boosting production efficacies, and decrease material losses. For the past couple of years, the chip industry has earned most of its revenues from the mobile device and smartphone market. The smartphone industry has already hit the peak, the chip industry should find other industries for its growth. The AI applications mostly in industrial robotics, autonomous vehicles, and big data can offer growth opportunities to the chip industry. By defining a new AI strategy, the chip companies can grab the full benefits of the emerging AI market. 

Along with AI, the Internet of Things (IoT) is another important technology, which is very likely to disrupt the chip sector in the business and industrial domains. IoT has the potential to turn almost every device into smart devices starting from retail to consumer products, medical science, and irrigation. Industrial IoTs are in huge demand these days. As the increasing demand for IoT solutions is poised to generate huge revenues, McKinsey Global Institute stated that IoT applications will generate between $4 trillion and $11 trillion globally in 2025. This huge growth offers both complexities and opportunities for the chip industry globally. 

Mohit Agrawal, Senior Research Analyst who specializes in digital transformation, AI and IoT market told Circuit Digest, “The key areas where IoT is going to make a difference in manufacturing is predictive maintenance, enhancing efficiency, asset tracking, etc. IoT and AI (computer vision) is being used for quality control in a big way. Another concept that is gaining currency is Digital Twin. We can have a digital twin of a machine, system or the entire manufacturing set up. Digital Twins enables us to simulate by taking the real time data into account."

“IoT applications fail to work without integrated circuits and dedicated sensors and therefore, every IoT device is in need of semiconductors. The mobile phone or the smartphone market, which has boosted the chip market for several years, has now finally started taking rest. The chip vendors have the higher chance of grabbing new revenue opportunities with the help of IoT, helping the sector to maintain an average yearly growth rate of 3 to 4 percent in the future. Most importantly, the IoT backed devices would augment demand for integrated circuits, microcontrollers, sensors, memory, and connectivity, which has the higher chance of putting pressure on the current semiconductor supply chain ecosystem,” added Agrawal.

According to some industry sources, who wish to be unnamed, said that IoT applications mostly require a very small microcontroller, which can be embedded in smaller electronics. Therefore, there will be a huge pressure on the semiconductor industry to come out with innovative technology required for small chips, while also maintaining the chip power consumption. There is a possibility that the current base material silicon, which is used in integrated circuits, could be replaced with gallium-arsenide.  

A few researchers still doubt that IoT is going to dominate the international market for chips, because a lot of companies including the renowned ones are putting attention to the R&D of this sector. The major challenge is applying the technology. IoT products have specialized requirements, which have niche markets and very low sales. This thinking has left most of the chip firms to detest billions of dollars investments in IoT. The technology has the higher chance to escalate R&D expenses, requires a completely skilled workforce, and includes cross-border regulation.

In the ever-evolving field of IoT (Internet of Things), platforms like Blynk and Sinric Pro have emerged as key players, Blynk and Sinric Pro are both powerful platforms in the realm of IoT Projects, but they serve distinct purposes and cater to different needs. Let's explore the key differences between Blynk and Sinric Pro, shedding light on their purposes, capabilities, and the experiences they bring to the world of connected devices. You can also check out our article on selecting the right platform for your IoT solution if you are interested. 

1. Purpose and Focus

Blynk: Blynk is a versatile and dynamic IoT platform designed to empower developers and enthusiasts to create personalized mobile applications. Its primary goal is to facilitate the seamless interaction between users and their IoT devices by providing a user-friendly interface for building custom dashboards. Blynk stands out for its adaptability, supporting an extensive range of hardware platforms, including Arduino, Raspberry Pi, ESP8266, and ESP32.

Sinric Pro: Sinric Pro, on the other hand, is specifically tailored for integrating IoT devices integration with voice-controlled platforms. Sinric Pro focuses on enabling users to effortlessly connect their IoT devices with popular voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Home. This specialization sets it apart, positioning Sinric Pro as a dedicated solution for those seeking a voice-centric IoT experience.

2. Integration and Hardware Compability

Blynk: Blynk supports a wide range of hardware platforms, making it compatible with various microcontrollers and development boards, or single-board computers such as Arduino, Raspberry Pi, ESP8266, and ESP32 blynk provides a platform-agnostic environment. This flexibility allows users to choose the hardware that best suits their project requirements.

Sinric Pro: Sinric Pro, while not as hardware-agnostic as Blynk, it’s primarily focuses on integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. It provides libraries and tools to easily connect IoT devices to these voice-controlled platforms. While it may support multiple hardware platforms, its main strength lies in voice-enabled interactions.

3. Voice Control

Blynk: Blynk, by default does not provide voice control features. While it offers a great platform for building mobile apps with intuitive interfaces, users interested in voice interactions need to explore additional integrations or solutions outside the Blynk ecosystem.

Sinric Pro: The standout feature of Sinric Pro is its seamless integration with voice assistants. It allows the integration of IoT devices with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, allowing users to command and monitor their devices using voice commands. This can be particularly advantageous for users who prefer a hands-free approach to IoT device management.

4. Use Interface and Ease of Use

Blynk: Blynk is known for its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, making it easy for developers to create customized dashboards without extensive coding knowledge. The platform emphasizes simplicity and quick prototyping.

Sinric Pro: Sinric Pro, while not focusing extensively on custom dashboards it is designed to simplify the process of integrating IoT devices with voice assistants. Its libraries and examples aim to simplify the development process, especially for users looking to incorporate voice-controlled functionalities without delving into complex coding endeavors.

5. Community and Support

Blynk: Blynk boasts a large and active community of developers and makers. This vibrant community contributes to an extensive collection of tutorials, forums, and resources, making it easier for users to find solutions to common issues.

Sinric Pro: Sinric Pro has a growing community, and its support is geared towards assisting users in integrating their devices with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. While it may not be as extensive as Blynk's community, the platform benefits from regular updates and improvements based on user feedback within its targeted domain.

In summary, Blynk and Sinric Pro serve different purposes within the IoT field. Blynk is a versatile platform for creating mobile applications to control IoT devices, while Sinric Pro specializes in integrating devices with voice-controlled platforms like Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Whether you prioritize a diverse array of hardware compatibility and customizable dashboards go with Blynk or seamless integration with voice assistants then go with Sinric Pro, both platforms contribute significantly to the ever-expanding landscape of IoT possibilities. The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements and preferences of the developer or user.

We have already covered a project on ESP32 Home Automation with Google Assistant & Alexa using Sinric Pro, you can check that out if you want to get started with sinric pro.