Internet of Things

In today’s digital age, your home and all its appliances are no longer static. The IoT full form Internet of Things is an intelligent network of devices embedded with sensors, software, and wireless connectivity. They can connect directly to users or other IoT devices through cloud computing services. If you have ever asked yourself what IoT is or how the internet of things (IoT) works, you’ve come to the right place. This article will explain everything you need to know about the Internet of Things. Let’s get started!

Internet of Things Definition

In a nutshell, the definition of the internet of things is the network of physical objects embedded with computer software and sensors. IoT is not a thing but the convergence of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, sensor networks, and intelligent devices. The term “Internet of things” was coined in 1999 by the British computer scientist Kevin Ashton. The Internet of Things is growing phenomenally, and it is estimated that there will be 50 billion connected devices by 2020!

How Does The Internet of Things Work?

The Internet of Things (IoT) works in a simple two-way communication process known as device-to-device (D2D) communication. This is where one device transmits information to another device and vice versa. Let’s look at an example to understand this better. Let’s assume that you have a smart thermostat connected to the internet. You use a smart app on your smartphone to control the thermostat. Therefore, this thermostat and your smartphone are IoT devices in this example. Computer software and sensors are used in almost all IoT devices. Sensors are tiny electronic circuits that gather data like temperature, humidity, pressure, vibration etc. The sensors gather data and send it to the computer software. Then, the software processes the data and identifies the next course of action. Once it finds an appropriate solution, it sends a command to other IoT devices to take a certain action.

Types of IoT Devices

Many IoT devices use the same communication protocols, making communication easier. This allows developers to write code that can be used with various devices. That being said, not all IoT devices are the same, and they fall into one of the following categories: 

• Connected Home Devices: This is any device you can use to automate your home appliances like a voice-activated speaker, smart thermostat, smart light bulbs, vacuum cleaner, smart refrigerator and many more. 
• Wearable Devices: Wearable devices are devices you can wear on your body or put in your pocket like smartwatches, fitness sensors and health trackers, smart glasses etc. 
• Industrial IoT Devices: These are heavy-duty machines used in industries like vehicles, robots, and delivery drones. 
• Medical IoT Devices: Medical devices like connected medical implants, diagnostic equipment, and hospital equipment are used in medical settings.

Internet of Things Examples

There are many internet of things examples; some of the most common examples of IoT devices are smart home appliances, connected cars, healthcare, and wearables. 

Key Benefits of IoT

The following are some of the key benefits of IoT: 

• Better Customer Experiences: IoT devices help customers by enabling them to get real-time information, and this helps reduce the waiting time and helps them solve issues more quickly. 
• Increased Productivity: IoT devices can help businesses improve productivity by automating tasks and enabling remote workers. 
• Greater Collaboration: IoT devices help businesses to collaborate more efficiently by collecting data from various sources. 
• Fewer Errors: IoT devices help businesses to improve their accuracy by utilising the real-time data collected by the sensors. 
• Cost Reduction: IoT devices help businesses reduce costs by using energy more efficiently, reducing maintenance costs, and improving asset utilisation. 
• Advancement in Technology: IoT devices are used to build more complex technologies like self-driving cars, robots, and artificial intelligence.

Limitations of the Internet of Things

Like everything else, the Internet of Things (IoT) also has its share of limitations. Some of these limitations are listed below: 

• Security: The Internet of Things (IoT) security is one of the biggest concerns. IoT devices can be easily hacked because most of them are not equipped with proper security features.
• Privacy: Privacy is another big concern with the Internet of Things (IoT). Most IoT devices collect data from your surroundings and send it to the cloud. You cannot control what information they are gathering.
• Management: Managing many IoT devices can be difficult and managing and updating all your IoT devices can be challenging. 
• Integration: Integrating all your IoT devices can be challenging.

How is IoT Changing Our Lives?

IoT is changing the way we live dramatically. It has allowed us to automate tasks at home, track our health and fitness, and even find our car in a crowded parking lot. 

• Autonomous Transportation: Self-driving cars are the future of transportation. These smart cars have sensors, cameras, and other IoT devices. 
• Health and Fitness: IoT devices can help you track your health and fitness. Health trackers can measure your heart rate, blood pressure, and sleep patterns; fitness trackers can help you track your daily activities and calories burned. 
• Smart Home: You can automate your home with the help of IoT devices. You can integrate your lights, appliances, and security systems to work together. 
• Internet of Things in the Future The IoT is growing at a rapid pace, and it shows no sign of slowing down. It is expected that 50 billion devices will be connected to the internet by 2020, which is expected to double by 2025.

Conclusion:

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of devices embedded with sensors, software, and wireless connectivity. They can connect directly to users or other IoT devices through cloud computing services. The IoT works in a simple two-way communication process known as device-to-device (D2D) communication. This is where one device transmits information to another device and vice versa. In conclusion, the Internet of Things is growing rapidly and is expected to connect 50 billion devices by 2020. It is expected to double by 2025 and is changing how we live and travel.