The Internet of Things (IoT) is a scenario in which objects, animals or people are provided with
unique identifiers and
the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer
interaction. IoT has evolved from the convergence of wireless technologies,
micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)
and the Internet.
A thing,
in the Internet of Things, can be a person with a heart monitor implant, a farm animal with a biochip transponder,
an automobile that has built-in sensors to alert the driver when tire
pressure is low -- or any other natural or man-made object that can be assigned an IP
address and provided with the ability to transfer data over a network. So far, the
Internet of Things has been most closely associated with machine-to-machine (M2M) communication in
manufacturing and power, oil and gas utilities. Products built with M2M communication capabilities
are often referred to as being
smart. (See: smart label, smart meter, smart grid
sensor)
IPv6’s
huge increase in
address space is an important factor in the development of the Internet of Things. According to
Steve Leibson, who identifies himself as “occasional docent at the Computer History Museum,” the
address space expansion means that we could “assign an IPV6 address to every atom on the surface of
the earth, and still have enough addresses left to do another 100+ earths.” In other words, humans
could easily assign an IP address to every "thing" on the planet. An increase in the number of
smart nodes, as well as the amount of upstream data the nodes generate, is expected to raise new
concerns about data
privacy, data
sovereignty and security.
Although the concept wasn't named until 1999, the Internet of Things has been in development for
decades. The first Internet
appliance, for example, was a Coke machine at Carnegie Melon University in the early 1980s. The
programmers could connect to the machine over the Internet, check the status of the machine and
determine whether or not there would be a cold drink awaiting them, should they decide to make the
trip down to the machine.
An Internet of Things
"In the next century, planet earth will don an electronic skin.
It will use the Internet as a scaffold to support and transmit its sensations."
INTERNET OF THINGS APPLICATION AREA EXAMPLES
Maintain & Repair
Sensors installed inside equipment will monitor if any parts
have exceeded their designed thresholds, and will automatically send
reports to owners and manufacturers if they have. Early predictions on
equipment malfunctions can be made with parts and service maintenance
can be automatically scheduled ahead of a an actual part failure.
Maintain quality & consistency
Using networked sensors, cameras, and lasers to analyze
manufacturing processes like those from SightMachine you can determine
if a part is good or bad based on its physical characteristics; identify
if it is the right component for the job and monitor trends,
variations, and relationships in the system over time.
Stop driving in circles
With the use of installed sensors, mobile apps, and real-time
web applications like those provided in Streetline’s ParkSight service,
cities can optimize revenue, parking space availability and enable
citizens to reduce their environmental impact by helping them quickly
find an open spot for their cars.
Keep streets clean
Products like the cellular communication enabled Smart Belly
trash use real-time data collection and alerts to let municipal services
know when a bin needs to be emptied. This information can drastically
reduce the number of pick-ups required, and translates into fuel and
financial savings for communities service departments.
Track down those lost keys
You can easily track down those lost keys or cell phone in
your house using Bluetooth and other wireless technology devices like
the Cobra Tag
Monitor an aging family member
Using a wearable alarm button and other discrete wireless
sensors placed around the home, the BeClose system can track your loved
one's daily routine and give you peace of mind for their safety by
alerting you to any serious disruptions detected in their normal
schedule
Michael is a Professional blogger, IT Consultant and a Web Designer. He loves Spending time with his PC.
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