The Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the inter-communication of a plethora of devices connected to the internet. These devices can include cars, TVs, smartphones and smartwatches, and even new refrigerators. Anything with the ability to connect to the internet is considered to be an IoT device. These devices gather real-time, transactional data through various sensors and relay that information through a cloud-based server to other devices. The main idea behind IoT is for these devices to optimize efficiency for daily tasks with minimal, or no, human intervention; or, simply, to make life easier.
A major component of IoT devices is the ability to gather, store, retrieve, and interpret data in order to effectively communicate with one another. In the first sections of MIS 2502, we learned how real-time data is stored in a transactional database and extracted into an analytical data store once the data has been transformed into summarized data that can be analyzed. This is essentially the process IoT devices go through in order to relay information within the network. IoT devices first gather external, real-time data using sensors and then store that data in a transactional database hosted on a network server. A different IoT device will then extract that data and transform it into analytical data, which the device then interprets and reacts to accordingly.
One of the best current examples of IoT is Amazon Go, Amazon’s alternative to the traditional grocery store. The store has cameras that watch individual customers and keep track of what the customers put into their shopping carts. Once done shopping, a customer simply walks out of the store and their Amazon account is automatically charged for the items in the shopping cart. The cameras, Amazon’s website, and the customer’s phone interact with one another to create a simplified shopping experience.
References:
Morgan, Jacob. “A Simple Explanation Of ‘The Internet Of Things’.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 20 Apr. 2017. Web. 28 Apr. 2017<https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2014/05/13/simple-explanation-internet-things-that-anyone-can-understand/#161dffdf1d09>.
Burrus, Daniel. “The Internet of Things Is Far Bigger Than Anyone Realizes.” Wired. Conde Nast, 06 Aug. 2015. Web. 28 Apr. 2017. <https://www.wired.com/insights/2014/11/the-internet-of-things-bigger/>.
Meola, Andrew. “What Is the Internet of Things (IoT)?” Business Insider. Business Insider, 19 Dec. 2016. Web. 28 Apr. 2017. <http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-the-internet-of-things-definition-2016-8>.
Leswing, Kif. “This Is Amazon’s Grocery Store of the Future: No Cashiers, No Registers, and No Lines.” Business Insider. Business Insider, 05 Dec. 2016. Web. 28 Apr. 2017. <http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-go-grocery-store-future-photos-video-2016-12/#watch-the-entire-video-below-8>.