The Internet of Things
"The internet of things," you must have come across this phrase a couple of times and wondered what it meant. Well, that's not strange. I was once there, so there is no need to be shy about it. This article is dedicated to solving that and also making you understand how you can be a part of what once looked like a mystery to you.
The internet of things deals with the myriads of hardware devices all over the world that are linked to the internet which are constantly sharing and collecting data.
Fortunately, the advent of super-affordable computer chips and the omnipresence of wireless networks has made turning anything from as small as a pill to something as large as an airplane, into a part of the internet of things possible.
Linking up all these diverse objects and adding sensors to them sums up a level of digital brightness to devices that otherwise would be dumb and unattractive, empowering them to communicate real-time data without the interference of a human being.
The fabric of the world around us is has become smarter and it keeps getting more responsive, bringing together the digital and physical universes because of the internet of things.
Examples of Internet of Things Devices
Almost any physical object can be turned into an internet of things device if it can be linked to the internet in order to be controlled or communicate information.
A light bulb that can be turned on and off with the use of a smartphone application is an internet of things device as much as a motion sensor or a smart thermostat installed in your office or a connected street lamp.
Internet of things device could be as fuzzy as a child's toy or as weighty as a truck without the need of a driver. Some larger objects may have the need of being made up of much smaller internet of things components such as a jet engine that is now fitted with myriads of sensors that collect and transmit data back to and from the aircraft's cockpit to make sure it is operating optimally.
On an even larger scale, entire regions are being filled with sensors by smart cities projects to enable us to understand and control the environment.
The term internet of things is majorly used to refer to devices that normally wouldn't be considered to have an internet connection, and that can establish communication with the network independent of human influence. This is why a PC is not generally regarded as an internet of things device and neither is your smartphone even though the latter is laden with sensors. A smartwatch or a fitness band or other devices that can be worn may however be considered as an internet of things device.
Now that I have demystified the term "the internet of things" to you and shown you various examples of devices that can be considered as the internet of things, the next focus of this article will be to show you how you can be a part of this world that was once mystical to you. Exciting, right? Yeah… follow me closely then.
Being a part of the internet of things simply refers to how it affects you as an individual. There are several ways in which the internet of things will affect your life directly or indirectly. Below are some examples of these.
1. In the home: smart, connected devices are what naturally comes to the mind when you hear of the internet of things. You imagine an intelligent house, designed to save energy and make your life much more comfortable.
Alarm clocks will be linked with traffic apps; heating systems will be connected to external temperature sensors, which will be linked to cost evaluations; lighting will respond as you enter a room, as well as your coffee maker. This may sound so alien to you, but the reality is that there are already many of this type of homes that exist.
2. Waste Management: with the uninterrupted merger of light, heat, and air conditioning that responds to you, a good amount of money could be saved on those bills. For food, anything you don't get to eat in your fridge will be recorded so that you purchase based on the examination of your eating trends and patterns and hence limit wastage.
3. Daily Commuting: imagine leaving your home without your house key, then your house tells you this. Your car will expect your approach and open itself via a sensor in your phone. Intelligent traffic detection will let your device give you directions to the shortest route to work and home. Taxi services for your business meetings will be planned in accordance with your calendar and linked to your smartphone.
4. Personal health: the possibilities in this area are even more far-reaching. 3D-printed wristbands for reading vital signs of the body organs are already in development. With the extensive list of wearable devices already available, you can even track more: nutritional balance, sleeping patterns, fitness programs, GP visits, and check-up schedules, etc. To keep you safe, sensors installed around your city will also alert you to any potential threats including traffic accidents, bad weather, proximity alerts around your vehicle, and more.
5. In sport: internet of things devices and wearables will be basically focused on all-round performance efficiency. You will be able to keep track of your progress, errors, agility, power, general cardiovascular fitness level, and any variable you can imagine. Whether tennis, football, swimming, sprinting, or cycling, all can employ the use of sensors and you can use them to their full capacity.
The examples given above show the boundless potential of the internet of things. The more creative you are with sensors, the more valuable data you will gather. If the trends in development are to be believed, then be assured that the best is yet to come.
