Member Article

Just what is the Internet of Things?

You may have been hearing the term “The Internet of Things” (IoT) used more and more recently. For those who are not so tech-savvy (and maybe those that are too) this may sound like a daunting concept, or simply another piece of technology jargon. It’s therefore worth trying to explain what it is, and why it is relevant to all of us.

What is the Internet of Things exactly?

In the Internet of Things, a “thing” can effectively be any natural or man-made object that can be assigned an IP (Internet Protocol) address and provided with the ability to transfer data over a network. For instance, a person with a heart monitor implant or a vehicle that has built-in sensors to alert the driver when tyre pressure is low are examples of “things”.

Such objects contain embedded technology to interact with internal states or the external environment through sensors and actuators embedded within them. That external environment might be the road (in the case of vehicles) which in turn is linked through a wired or wireless network.

These networks churn out huge volumes of data that flow to computers and systems for analysis. When objects can both sense the environment and communicate, they become tools for understanding complexity and responding to it swiftly.

Healthcare is just one area where the Internet of Things can and is already having an impact. Imagine an elderly relative with sensors in their home – either wearable, in furniture or around the property – which can record sleeping patterns including for example the number of bathroom visits in the night. A change in these readings or the number of visits can indicate an underlying health issue which could be addressed much earlier simply because the information is available to the healthcare professional or concerned relative. This type of application is already in use.

The impact of the Internet of Things

The developments in this area are potentially huge; the UK government has invested £73m in the Internet of Things, which the Prime Minister sees as key to a new “industrial revolution” centred on technology, he said;

“I see the Internet of Things as a huge transformative development – a way of boosting productivity, of keeping us healthier, making transport more efficient, reducing energy needs, tackling climate change”

It is suggested that the IoT will account for an increasing number of connections: an estimated 1.9 billion devices exist today, which is due to grow to 9 billion by 2018.

The benefit of this is that when environments are monitored continuously for hazards or when objects can take corrective action to avoid damage, risks and costs diminish. This connectivity means more data, gathered from more places, can provide more ways to increase efficiency and improve safety and security in both our professional and personal lives.

The buzz around the subject has led to a number of suggestions for where the IoT may be in the not too distant future.

Here are 9 very possible realities:

- By 2025, there will be 10 connected objects for every person on the planet.

- Users will have substantial experience of using technology that harnesses the IoT across home and work lives, resulting in a substantial increase in the awareness of workers, a trend we are already beginning to see.

- Most of our devices will communicate on our behalf, interacting with the physical and virtual worlds in real time, tracking all aspects of our everyday lives. By sensing our actions, the devices will react automatically and provide us with whatever is necessary to suit the data we are transmitting.

- ‘Smart homes’ will know when to wake users up, warm the house, brew coffee and switch off the security system purely through the activity monitor on our wrist.

- Our own fridges may be able to sense what is inside them, organise meal plans, place an order via an online supermarket and sync a delivery slot with our personal calendars.

- Human implanted sensors will be able to gather data from the human body which can be accessed by doctors, this would serve elderly patients who can be monitored in their homes rather than increasing the levels of hospitalisation.

- Sensors will allow us to better manage and control water systems, including a great increase in our ability to manage floods, enabling better efficiency and cost effectiveness.

- Smart cities may be able to turn streetlights on only when someone approaches them to reduce energy consumption. Potentially, data may even be collected that maps urban travel patterns, allowing intelligent traffic lights to work with the flow of traffic to reduce congestion.

- Our bodies may have the potential to be promotional and advertising tools for businesses by incorporating IoT technology into clothes and devices, creating a completely new promotional tool to target consumers.

Some of these predictions are scary and some may not come to fruition but it’s certainly food for thought for all of us.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Atlas Cloud .