Internet of Things (IoT). ?Are you ready?
The doorbell warned the air conditioner that the front door may open.
The toaster told the smoke alarm that it was on.
The refrigerator posted to the shopping list that some food items were low and others were outdated.
The microwave asked the mac & cheese package for cooking instructions.
The stove asked the cook for the size and type of pan to be used to prepare the meal.
The skillet shared its temperature with the stove.
The entertainment system adjusted the lighting and video settings to watch a movie.
The faucet told the shower what temperature to set your water.
The security system reset itself for nighttime after everyone was home and settled down.
And the list goes on. Not just in our homes, but in our cars, on our persons, our health care facilities and within the industries that manufacture and service the products we use and that produce the substances we consume. Based on technologies available, today, the future of the Internet of Things (IoT) is limited only by our imaginations and inhibitions. Certainly, the assurance of privacy and the security of personal data about one’s daily habits will be essential if IoT is to be broadly accepted at the consumer level, but the desire for and promise of better products, convenience, comfort, health and security will propel this market forward, regardless.
A significant amount of capital and effort will be required to bring a fuller vision of the IoT’s Jetson-like future to fruition. And there are still a lot of questions about how it will unfold. What companies are leading the way? What new technologies are on the brink of making an impact? Who will do the work? What jobs will IoT create? How many? Where? What standards will prevail? How will the voluminous private and personal data be protected? What agencies will regulate IoT?
The fuller answers to these questions will resolve only as IoT develops, but if you are a Software Developer, Hardware Engineer, Automation Engineer, Electronics Engineer or Mechanical Engineer, to name a few, you should be attuned to IoT’s evolution and prepare to participate, if you aren’t already. Consider joining one of the many related Groups at LinkedIn to gain more insight and to share your thoughts and ideas.
For my part, I welcome your LinkedIn connection, so that we may work together as the job prospects within IoT, expand.
George Clarke, CPC, CTS
StaffStream