Simple Explanation of Internet of Things – Part 1

The “Internet of things” (IoT) is becoming an increasingly growing topic of conversation both in the workplace and outside of it. It’s a concept that not only has the potential to impact how we live but also how we work. But what exactly is the “Internet of things” and what impact is it going to have on you, if any? There are a lot of definition of IoT, but in this article I want to make it simple so you can understand easily.

First, I want to make sure that you already understand several terms like, Wi-Fi and internet connection. IoT is the concept of basically connecting any device with an on and off switch to the Internet (and/or to each other). This includes everything from cellphones, coffee makers, washing machines, headphones, lamps, wearable devices and almost anything else you can think of.  This also applies to components of machines, for example a jet engine of an airplane or fuel tank.

The key of Internet of Things is anything that can be connected, will be connected. Say for example you are on your way to a meeting; your car could have access to your calendar and already know the best route to take. If the traffic is heavy your car might send a text to the other party notifying them that you will be late. What if your alarm clock wakes up you at 6 a.m. and then notifies your coffee maker to start brewing coffee for you? What if your office equipment knew when it was running low on supplies and automatically re-ordered more? In this case we can use our car’s fuel tank for example. If the tank is low of fuel, then sensors will be send notification to your smartphone while your car is at the parking lot.

 What if the wearable device you used in the workplace could tell you when and where you were most active and productive and shared that information with other devices that you used while working? IoT can be applied to things like transportation networks: “smart cities” which can help us reduce waste and improve efficiency for things such as energy use; this helping us understand and improve how we work and live. See from this picture below:

Let’s we continue in the part 2 of this article. I will explain more examples of IoT in our daily lives.

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2014/05/13/simple-explanation-internet-things-that-anyone-can-understand/#7240605d1d09