What is the Internet of Things (IoT)?
What is the Internet of Things (IoT)?
Internet of Things or “IoT” for short refers to a network of physical objects that have an IP address and share information.
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The possibility of devices communicating with another without human
intervention was rooted in Ubiquitous
or Pervasive Computing.
This idea started taking form by the end of 1970 and now it has
birthed a new thing of technology-IoT.
And it took this technology several decades to become what people
all over the world are talking about.
The first known IoT-device is the Coca-Cola vending machine that
sells soft drinks at Carnegie MellonUniversity.
Theoretically, and practically, IoT is based on the communication of information,
analysis data, and then decision(s) making by several devices with unique
identifiers.
The birth of ArtificialIntelligence has changed the concept of IoT.
Thus, the rapid development of technology in the year 2000 brought
about the implementation of IoT projects on a large scale.
These developments brought about Smart Cities, Factories,
Homes, and even vehicles by brining the full automation process.
We are now living in an era where devices, machines, computers, and
infrastructures are gradually integrated via the internet.
But if you are still living with the delusion that the Internet
of Things is a distant future, then you are still dreaming.
Already, several examples of the Internet of Things that have
evolved over the years.
Presenting these IoT examples to you may change your opinion about
the use and practical benefits it has for humanity.
And now, the Internet of Things (IoT) has become a growing topic in
the world.
It has changed our understanding of devices, infrastructures, and
how they can interact with one another.
IoT has gradually automated processes, reduce time and energy
consumption, conservation of material space, optimization of productivity, and
efficiency of devices with IP addresses.
What
is IoT?
The Internet of Things is a network where devices communicate with
each other and their environment with little or no human interference.
Although in its broad sense, IoT encompasses everything connected
with the internet from a simple sensor, to smartphones and wearable.
The definition of the Internet of Things varies from author to
author, from blog to blog, and from basic knowledge to in-depth understanding.
In all these, the definition of the Internet of Things, its
conception and ideology is all about devices to communicate with one another
without human interference.
Thus, there are many definitions of the Internet of Things.
However
In general terms for IoT, the examples of internet of things can be
a person, an animal, an inanimate object build in a car to alert the driver
during an imminent collision, or a building itself.
In as much as it can communicate data, it is an IoT device.
These devices are all connected to the internet wirelessly and are
been assigned an Internet Protocol (IP) and it can transfer data over a network.
Billions of devices are now connected and are sharing information.
That is the power of the Internet of Things.
IoT devices are increasing in number towards bringing the world into
a technological utopia.
A
Brief History of IoT
Several things are of interest when it comes to the internet and
even human history.
Without knowing the beginning of IoT devices, we can do justice to
it no matter how we look at it.
Although we may be interested in things like the creation of the
internet itself, the first page on the internet network.
Probably we can’t even list all things we are interested in, so
let’s focus on what’s important; The
Internet of Things.
In such a manner, let’s be interested in IoT
Looking down into history, from 1926 Nikola Telsa said the future of
radio will be transformed into a big brain.
Furthermore, all things will become part of a single whole and can
be fitted in your pocket.
John Romki was the first person to connect his toasted to the
internet in 1990 and at that time it is called Internet-thing.
Kelvin Aston in 1999 proposed the term Internet of Things and in the same year,
auto-ID center proposed Radio
Frequencies Identification (RFID)
So basically, Kelvin Aston is the father of IoT.
And about the Internet
of Things, it did not get much traction until 10
years later when it started finding applications in everyday life.
Ever since, what is the Internet of Things? Or what is the internet
of things became the next buzz word in technology.
Now is has become a cutting edge technology in development and the
definition of the Internet of Things is also changing and getting more
traction.
Some
Related Concepts to IoT
Soon after the birth and gradual acceptance of the Internet of
Things, then come some related terminologies that relate to IoT.
These terms are;
The Internet of Everything
(IoE)
The concept of the Internet
of Everything (IoE) originated at Cisco.
Its idea here is an intelligent connection of people, living things,
inanimate objects, data, processes, and things together.
IoE is the entire generality of things
and processes, with user-generated communications and interactions with the
entire world.
The internet of everything can be group into;
Thing(s)
A thing in IoE maybe someone, a thing as an object capable of gathering
information and sharing information with other things or people.
It may also be smart gadgets, a nurse, as well as a ventilator
machine or a simple eyedropper.
IoE is any element that has a built-in sensing system and it's
connected to the internet, it is a part of the Internet of Everything.
People
The bridge between the Internet and Everything is people.
Without people, animals, and other living things, there exists no
link between the Internet and everything.
People have now connected themselves because they need these systems
for informed decisions at their place of work or their homes.
These connections that allow informed decisions can come from
machines to machines, people to machines or even people to people.
The
Process for IoT
This is the main medium for the operations of any IoE.
Everything about the internet of things is included in the Internet
of Everything (IoE)-people, things, and data are interwoven in IoE
for smooth and smart operations.
When all the elements that constitute the definition of the internet
of everything are in synergy, the working principles of IoE are always
achieved.
A time is coming and it’s here, we can’t deny the evidence of the
Internet of Everything and it’s already flourishing market.
Maybe we may wake up tomorrow and find we are in a
better-digitalized world.
Won’t that be nice?
How
IoT works?
An Internet of Things is any smart device.
A device that is embedded with a sensor, processor, or any form of
hardware/software that collects data or information and acts accordingly.
These devices may sometimes communicate with one and another or with
their environment.
They may also interpret the information locally or sent to a cloud
where it can be analyzed.
All these do not need human interference, guidance, or even control!
The Internet of Things, do not need human intervention or
correction.
Although, a human may initial the working environment of the IoT
device, like setting them and give them instruction and all that
In the Internet of Things, the goal is for the satisfaction of
humans.
Smart gadgets are produced yearly, in an attempt to get more people
to connect with the trending technology.
Unfortunately, as of now, these gadgets even though the intention is
for them to work without human interference or control, they can’t do anything
without man’s command.
In a nutshell of sorts, the internet of things can only work when
its goals are defined by a human.
There is the need to make our IoT be able to predict our emotions
and sets things in motion for us-say like when closing from work, the house
should estimate the time of arrival and make dinner, set the right living
atmospheric conditions, even turn on the air-conditioner and the thermostat.
Fortunately, we are yet to realize the full potential of what we
trying to create.
The classical working architecture for the internet of things around
us is thus;
They follow these simple steps;
The
IoT Device.
Devices like IoT work by collecting readings from sensors around them
to perform physical actions within and outside the house.
This information is sourced from a person, a wearable IoT device, or
an embedded system within the surrounding infrastructure.
The
Gateways.
Gateways receive information from devices and send them to the cloud
for processing so the device can perform a physical action or set of actions.
It can be a router, a splitter, or software. The important thing
here is they all have different IP protocols and unique identifiers.
The
Server.
A server is a place where
sensors are analyzed, processed, and also stored.
It can be within the house or in the environment, a real machine
somewhere, but it must remain a server so that the operations of an IoT device
can be executed.
The
Client.
The implementation is via a mobile or web application.
For example, when you speak with Google Assistant on your mobile device, it carries out the command via a web
application based program.
There is nothing complicated about the “how of IoT”.
Any programmer can write simple programs that can run on any cheap
IoT device and implement it in his home or working environment.
But when we speak about the working principles for Smart
Homes, or even a Smart City, it’s completely on a different level.
For the perfect working of the Internet of Things (IoT), Internet of
Everything (IoE), a Smart Home, or even a Smart City, all the devices need a
platform where they can be controlled and integrated.
Examples
of IoT
The internet of Things is all about the connection of objects,
things, and people together.
Essentially, this is to make all things have a sense of
intelligence-Artificially.
The application of IoT is endless in our homes, and it varies from
house to house and also city to city.
At home, IoT applications range from tablets, smartphones, computers,
refrigerators, etc.
To make them share information, they need to be connected with the
internet.
Thus, Computers, wristwatch, and even the clothing we put on can be
part of IoT.
Here is some of the Internet of Things;
IoT
and Smart Home
Anything that has a sensor attached and can receive and transmit data can be connected with the internet.
Some refrigerators will monitor and identify the goods inside them
and add the ones that are about to finish in the list of the month’s end
purchase.
The continued monitoring relieve you of the stress of having to
visit the refrigerator to take inventory at the end of the month.
Not just the refrigerator, some homes have automated sensors that
control and manage the window, the air temperature, the house lighting system,
the heating and cooling of bathing water, and much more.
Sounding to cool to be
true…
Technological advancement has allowed the installation of smart
meters for water, gas, and electricity.
These smart meters transfer data to a cloud about the consumption of
resources from each household.
IoT devices are now able to use these data and know-how to re-route
resources to prevent wastage and provide it on demand.
Who would not like full
automation of their homes?
With IoT devices, homes perform certain functions that the house
occupants should do.
These allow accurate and unbiased data about home utility
consumption, groceries, opening the garage, and many more.
IoT
and Smart Cars
The application of IoT has already reached the automotive world and
is growing rapidly.
The best thing that happens to vehicles today is the localization of
IoT devices.
Google Maps can help a driver to evade traffic, find the best route,
and above it, all is self-driving
cars.
With IoT devices installed in a car, they can find parking
spots, improve the flow of traffic, and help unmanned vehicles with a good
navigational system.
Future cars may be fully automated so that there’s no longer a
person in the driving seat.
Don’t you think it will be
great?
In general, major industries controlling the world’s economy are
gearing towards Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things
(IoT).
The benefits derived from combining both A.I artificial intelligence
and the Internet of Things IoT will help in minimizing the human factors
in production and biased nature in men.
IoT is opening more doors and opportunities for mankind to explore and make use of intelligent systems for self and commercial service deliveries.
The
Future of IoT
There are more than 12 billion devices that are currently connected to the internet.
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These markets are expanding and these means more IoT devices would
be integrated and the market is gradually changing.
Online game sites are gradually making money off people for
providing good graphics for video games because of IoT and a.i artificial intelligence.
The internet is changing from the traditional internet we know and
getting more automated because of IoT devices.
On
A Final Note
The Internet of Things was an idea that sprung up like antibodies to
meet the needs of humans in making a machine readily follow lay-down plans and
take care of a mundane task.
After the first IoT device, more people seemed to appreciate the
idea of having a smart machine.
And the coming of the Internet made all these things possible and
the world is now enjoying the best use of devices and material space.
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