I’d like to talk to you today about the IoT (Internet of Things). It is a very interesting topic in the tech world today and constantly growing and evolving. If you’d like to learn some interesting things about what this area of technology is doing, read on!
For starters, just what is IoT? Well, in simple terms, it is when we embed sensors and actuators into physical objects, which are linked through wired and/or wireless networks. These linked objects often use the same IP (Internet Protocol) that connects the Internet. Basically, it is machine-to-machine communication with no human interaction needed.
The IoT is getting larger everyday and it is a very exciting technology to be involved with. This technology can help make our every day lives much simpler. Wish you could just relax on your way into work instead of being stressed over the constant ebb and flow of traffic? Automated cars and buses are being tested which would allow you to sit back and relax while the vehicle does the driving for you. These automated vehicles use IoT technology that allows the vehicle to communicate directly with the traffic lights to cross-junctions and automatically break in the event of an obstacle presenting itself. It sounds futuristic, but there are many companies now testing out automated vehicles, including Mercedes Benz and Google.
Another example involving vehicles using IoT I experienced personally. I recently went to test drive a Lincoln as it was nearing time to turn in my lease. They handed me the keys and off I went. It was a very nice car and I was checking out the dashboard and noticed a little speed limit sign on the right hand side. I was wondering what it was there for, and when I looked down the road ahead I saw a 35mph sign coming up on my right. The second the back bumper of the car passed that sign, the little speed limit sign in the dashboard also changed to 35mph. The cars dashboard connected with the GPS and communicated the speed limit change. I was so impressed; it was by far the most interesting thing about the car to me. How many times have you been traveling down a road and wondering what the speed limit is because you didn't see a sign? With this built into the car you'll never have to wonder again! If these are the kinds of things this technology can do, sign me up. (Pun intended.)
Japan is currently testing out Billboards that can look back at you! These billboards use a camera and can tell if a person walking by is male or female and what age group they fall into. Currently they are collecting data to see what demographics walk by during certain times of day so they can plan their ads accordingly. Eventually these billboards could change their ads immediately by judging who is walking by. How cool is that? This is a great advantage for marketers. Knowing your demographic is a very important part of marketing; if you don't know who is looking at your product, how do you know how to appeal to them? If you know what time of day your target audience is most active and available, you have a better chance of catching their eye with an ad.
The IoT can help collect data for marketers as seen in the example above, and it can also help mundane everyday tasks become much simpler or even non-existent. This frees us up to have more time for thinking about important topics such as these instead of being stuck doing mundane everyday tasks. This technology makes certain tasks more efficient. I personally can’t wait to see where this technology leads us in the future.
