When wireless is perfectly applied the whole earth will be converted into a huge brain, which in fact it is, all things being particles of a real and rhythmic whole…and the instruments through which we shall be able to do this will be amazingly simple compared with our present telephone. A man will be able to carry one in his vest pocket.
-Nikola Tesla, Early 1800s.
The Internet of Things has been defined in a number of ways by many people. The simplest interpretation we think is that IoT is a concept. It is a network of connected devices. This connection is enabled by the use of sensors, the internet and the cloud. The sensors gather data which is then analysed using a cloud-based application to make decisions in real time. IoT has shown great potential for both consumer and industrial applications.
The simplest example of such a machine is the sensor device used in air conditioners which is able to control the temperature of the air conditioner based on several factors like the room temperature, room capacity, etc. Cisco, in its white paper is of the opinion that IoT is simply the point in time when more things/objects are connected to the Internet than people.
The applications of the Internet of Things are many. It is one genius idea away from becoming a redefining thing in the history of mankind. A few of the ideas are a completely sensor-driven automobile or a smart home wherein you can control the electricity, water supply, security from miles away without flipping a switch or smart roads to control traffic and prevent accidents.
A majority of these ideas are still in a nascent planning stage. Maybe the resources needed are not available, maybe the idea is too complex to implement, but all the ideas seem groundbreaking. Even if a few of them are properly realized, our lives would become so much simpler.
The Internet of Things has been around for a while. The hype around it has increased manyfold in the past couple of years. Now that it is finally in the limelight, the possibilities are endless and we can expect great things from it.