The Internet of Things may very well have been named when someone was really at a loss for words. But whatever the name of the new wave of tech, it appears that IoT is on everyone’s radar. The Internet of Things refers to the connectivity of all elements involved in human lifestyle. Think refrigerators, coffee machines and maybe even the oil burner.
Just like TVs now come pre-built with connections for computer cables and various audio, video and game players, your household items may soon come with the capability to speak to the internet. There are a number of repercussions to this. Life will certainly be even easier with more automated systems. There are almost too many time and labor saving devices in existence to list. Consider simple items like dishwashers or windshield wipers up to more complex ones like those that notify us of severe weather or satellites that detect space anomalies. All these things were once left to human eyes and hands.
On the other hand, the internet is far more complex than the direct link between your car’s dash and the windshield wipers. Privacy is continually touted as the concern of the future. An item that has been pre-programmed to dial into the manufacturers and, for example, advise its own warranty upgrade, could have also come with a virus that infects others by jumping to your connected devices.
Most of these IoT linked items will have a communication hub via a mobile app device and app developers are going to have to include some means of virus scanning. More complicated password requirements are also on the table as a means to prevent data theft.
Inanimate objects that humans depend on could also talk to each other, with fully integrated IoT. Schedules for interconnecting train lines could link service between two rail lines or service between surface and air or subway lines could better match each other. Commercial traffic is not the only application. Local highways could be monitored for congestion and sent to consumers’ GPS mobile apps that developers have programmed to track best routes. IoT mobile app development could incorporate commercial information by, for example, reading smart-enabled highway signs.
Smart enabled shopping is poised to open a new marketing field through the use of IoT. With a store app, consumers can be notified of nearby stores or sales based on their location. A smart phone with the right app can direct a user to an area of interest that they previously identified like a museum, show or social venue.
As far as societal impact, the internet of things could well be a life-saving device. City planners could incorporate redundant systems that notified each other of utility service issues that impact thousands of consumers. A water contamination issue could be monitored and communicated to city water flow faster and easier than spot testing, done usually by hand. Or pollution, emergencies and traffic could be monitored and broadcasted to media directly.
Buildings of the future could have smart tech built into joints and foundations and notify safety crews of structural failures. The list of possibilities is as long as the list of necessities that daily life has provided. Even the job market could open up with new possibilities. The storage and communication needed for IoT information will grow and with it, new venues for tech developers.
