In the present day, it is highly unlikely that you have not heard of a device that comes with a prefix smart. There are smart phones, smart watches, smart cars, smart thermostats and what not. And recently, if you have been in touch with the advancements of technology, you must have heard of the IoT trend. The IoT or the Internet of things has successfully become the growing topic of discussion and debate and is a revolutionary concept that is here to stay. But, just as is the case with every new trend, there is a section of the population that is away from the world of IoT and/or does not understand what is internet of things.
Let’s begin by understanding the rudiments of IoT or the internet of things..
What is IoT?
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a concept that aims at establishing and inter-networking of all inanimate objects so as to allow them to communicate with each other without any human intervention. To put it simply, internet of things is basically the internet for things, where things refer to any and all electronic devices that human use. On the basic level, IoT points to the connection of everyday things to each other and to the internet. That makes it pretty much internet of everything. Now you may ask, what is its goal? The answer is - A smoother, more convenient experience for the user.
To narrow it down, we can say that the idea behind IoT consists of creating devices with a built-in wireless connection so that they can be accessed, controlled, monitored and linked over the internet using a mobile application. What makes IoT a very unique concept is that the objects that are being built under this technology are not restricted to phones and tablets but are inclusive of everyday objects, for instance, a washing machine or a coffee maker. With the pace of current advancement, IoT is also entering the world of healthcare and medicines. In fact anything around us can become as IOT device with a simple installation of IOT sensor in it.
How does the Internet of Things work?
The simplest answer would be: on technology. Ever since the introduction of the internet and the Wi-Fi, the population has witnessed that more and more devices with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity were being manufactured. The IoT also works on similar principles. There is underlying technology such as the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (usually low-energy Bluetooth, RFID, and NFC) and wireless radios that permit the devices to connect to the internet and then to each other. In addition to these familiar technologies, there are also the likes of Z-Wave, 6LoWPAN, and ZigBee that are at work. Also in the picture are cloud services.
How does Internet of Things offer me a convenient experience?
IoT has often been defined in a single sentence that goes, “Anything that can be connected, will be connected.” Imagine a scenario where your alarm clock wakes you up at 7 and while you’re struggling to get out of bed, your coffee maker makes a noise to notify you that your coffee is ready. This is because your alarm clock can, thanks to IoT, notify your coffee maker to prepare coffee for you. Similarly, internet of the things can introduce scenarios where your car can pull up your calendar and provide the best route for you while notifying the other party if you’re running late or office equipment that automatically reorders more supplies because it knows its running low. Since the IoT technology is on an expansion spree, a scenario where your fitness tracker senses that you’re asleep and therefore turns off your lights and TV is not far away. Sounds impossible? Well, thanks to IoT, it’s not.
On a wider scale, IoT is being employed by major cities to keep a check on things such as traffic and quality of water and air.
Examples
Out of the many companies that are working on developing innovative Internet of Things technology and platforms, SmartThings and Nest provide the best examples.
SmartThings has developed a varied range of sensors and smart-home kits that are capable of monitoring minimalistic things such as who is entering and leaving your house or a water leak. Nest Thermostat, on the other hand, is a thermostat with a built-in Wi-Fi connectivity which allows users to adjust/control the temperature using your mobile device. This smart device is also capable of learning your behavioural patterns and can create a temperature-setting schedule accordingly.
How does the Internet of Things work?
The simplest answer would be: on technology. Ever since the introduction of the internet and the Wi-Fi, the population has witnessed that more and more devices with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity were being manufactured. The IoT also works on similar principles. There is underlying technology such as the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (usually low-energy Bluetooth, RFID, and NFC) and wireless radios that permit the devices to connect to the internet and then to each other. In addition to these familiar technologies, there are also the likes of Z-Wave, 6LoWPAN, and ZigBee that are at work. Also in the picture are cloud services.
How does Internet of Things offer me a convenient experience?
IoT has often been defined in a single sentence that goes, “Anything that can be connected, will be connected.” Imagine a scenario where your alarm clock wakes you up at 7 and while you’re struggling to get out of bed, your coffee maker makes a noise to notify you that your coffee is ready. This is because your alarm clock can, thanks to IoT, can notify your coffee maker to prepare coffee for you. Similarly, IoT can introduce scenarios where your car can pull up your calendar and provide the best route for you while notifying the other party if you’re running late or office equipment that automatically reorders more supplies because it knows its running low. Since the IoT is on an expansion spree, a scenario where your fitness tracker senses that you’re asleep and therefore turns off your lights and TV is not far away. Sounds impossible? Well, thanks to IoT, it’s not.
On a wider scale, IoT is being employed by major cities to keep a check on things such as traffic and quality of water and air.
Examples
Out of the many companies that are working on developing innovative Internet of Things technology and platforms, SmartThings and Nest provide the best examples.
SmartThings has developed a varied range of sensors and smart-home kits that are capable of monitoring minimalistic things such as who is entering and leaving your house or a water leak. Nest Thermostat, on the other hand, is a thermostat with a built-in Wi-Fi connectivity which allows users to adjust/control the temperature using your mobile device. This smart device is also capable of learning your behavioural patterns and can create a temperature-setting schedule accordingly.
