The internet of things (IoT) is an area that is more and more likely to play a central role in our lives in the near and long-term future. Do you know exactly what is meant by this term? Well, it essentially refers to physical objects that have electronics, software, and sensors built-in. This allows them to both collect and exchange data as needed, allowing objects to become ‘smart’. As you are probably already imagining, the impact on our daily lives could potentially be staggering, and we are already starting to see the effects of this happening. So, let’s look in a little more detail at the Internet of Things to determine how it works. 

Sensors and Devices 

The starting point of the Internet of Things begins with such devices as smartphones and smartwatches, working alongside such electrical appliances as washing machines and toasters. Sensors allow them to collect live data, which could have a varying degree of complexity depending on what you are trying to establish. For example, it may be there to simply monitor the temperature or detect light levels. Then you have your devices, which may also have sensors built-in, but they can perform other tasks as well. Just think of your phone as a good example of this. 

Connectivity 

The sensors and devices operating independently of one another would not do much good at all, but when the data is hooked up to a cloud infrastructure, this allows for the connectivity that gets them ‘talking’ to one another. There are various forms of communication possibilities out there including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Of course, the rollout of 5G technology is going to have a big impact on the IoT platform. 

Data Processing 

The data that is being collected and sent across also has the need to be properly processed to determine what it all means. Once data has been gathered, it moves to the cloud where software can process it. Sometimes, this may be a matter of checking what the current conditions around are. These could include such elements as temperature readings or the current setting of an air conditioning unit or a heater. On other occasions, this is going to be even more complex such as determining objects via video or computer vision. 

User Interface 

The next step is the data being transferred to a user interface that is easily readable. This can be sent to smartphones to trigger alerts via notifications, emails, text messages, etc. The user may want to check something more directly, such as the video feed. Instead of just being a matter of one-way communication, the user may be able to choose an action that they want to control. A change in temperature of the heater or air conditioning unit is just one example. 

There we have a good overview of the Internet of Things and how it works. This basic template could be applied to all sorts of devices in the future.

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