IoT : The Invisible Threads Connecting the World

As our technologies grew, so did our imagination and the possibilities of what can be done with them. Internet-enabled systems were one such idea which cropped up in the early 1980s and got the name Internet of Things in 1999 when Kevin Ashton coined it. Since then a lot has changed, technology and infrastructure alike, but IoT has gone from being an idea to becoming a reality which is ever-growing now with estimates of 127 new IoT devices being connected to the network every second and a total of 50 billion such devices by the end of 2020.

Image Source : Cisco

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of things – physical objects – that are embedded with technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the internet. To put it in layman terms, IoT is the network of tomorrow which is helping us make our lives more connected to the internet and enjoy the benefits of a highly integrated digital environment.

Image Source : Guru99.com

Networks and the internet have been around for long. Earlier the traditional networks used to connect stand-alone PCs and servers to the internet for processing and information sharing. With the revolution in networking technologies and the development of cheap computer chips, the array of devices that have networking capabilities has grown rapidly. From stand-alone computers to laptops, mobiles to smartwatches, cars to traffic signals, power lines to electric distribution centers, almost everything is now connected, or in the process of being enabled, and thus is a part of the giant network of IoT. The term IoT is mainly used for 'things' that are not generally expected to have an internet connection and those that can communicate with the network independent of human action. Hence, neither PC nor smartphone is generally considered IoT devices. A smart band or a fitness band and other wearables on the other hand might be counted as IoT devices. Making all these devices connected, gives them an added level of 'digital intelligence' which enables them to communicate real-time data without human intervention. It can easily be said that IoT is making our world more connected, alive, smart, and responsive and is diluting the boundary between the physical and the digital universes.

The era of connected 'things' was furthered by the development in traditional fields of embedded systems, wireless sensors, control systems, automation, and chip and controller manufacture. The advancement in the internet and the rise connections era was an added impetus that pushed design, development, and testing in the connected devices arena on the rise. The recent advancement in storage management with Cloud and the advent of AI has facilitated the introduction of a smart assistant era where Alexa and Google Home are revolutionizing our homes. All these separate yet interconnected advancements in electronic and information technologies have made it possible for us to enjoy a connected lifestyle and hence dwell in an era where the digital and physical universes are starting to merge.

Image Source : Pixabay

With the ever-growing use of applications and digital devices, very soon we are going to enjoy the benefits of a truly connected and integrated world where the physical interacts with the digital to give us a wholesome experience. All credit to the evolution of hardware, software, the internet, and the manifestation of the Internet Of Things.

This is the first in a series of posts about IoT and its integration. Follow along for a joyful ride through technologies, ideas, and practices which I'll discuss in the posts that follow.