Internet of Things

The term Internet of Things (IoT) has replaced M2M (machine to machine) and is gaining more popularity recently. But what exactly is it? Robots and appliances tweeting and posting pictures in Instagram?!

Well, the internet as we know it could be labeled “Internet of People,” helping users around the world in a variety of ways. Today these users access the Internet using smart phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. The IoT is about to change that, and in the near future, there will be more appliances and sensors connected to each other than the number of people connected today—hence, the Internet of Things.

Analysts predict as many as 100 things to each person online, making sensors and controllers an intimate part of our regular day. The Internet is currently used to share and distribute content. Massive amounts of data give us access to books, movies, emails and pictures, being stored in the “cloud” and available anywhere we are and using different tools to get access to it, including glasses and watches (a.k.a. wearables).

As the IoT expands, new devices will be added to this network, many of it will be sensors and controllers that will capture information and send commands to the appliances and electronics in our houses, offices and our cars.

For instance, a thermostat compares the room temperature with your settings, sending commands to your heater or air conditioner to ensure that the room will be nice when you get home monitoring where you are based on the GPS information obtained from your smartphone and the traffic conditions on your route. Yes, part of it already exists and is just an example of what we should expect from the IoT.

The smart home (or office) is a major driver for the Internet of Things. Are you sure you closed the garage door when you left home this morning? How about the lights? And what if you are traveling, do you feel insecure about burglary or the heavy rain you heard in the news?

The cars currently have a large number of sensors and actuators, monitoring fuel level and consumption, engine temperature, speed, and in some cases even detecting other cars in the driver's blind spots. All these devices allow the driver to focus on the road. But, can you gain access to these information remotely, do something about it such as knowing if Jr. is driving too fast on the way to friends' house?

And how about the cruise control? Can it sense the speed of the cars you are following to avoid a collision? Can it detect when the light will turn red and prevent you from accidentally cross it?

All these sensors and controllers in you house, office, car, streets, will be future users of the Internet of Things.

Evidently, to connect all these devices, sensors and controllers we need a common language (or communication protocols) but, the same way we saw the videotape war between VHS and the Betamax, the satellite radio war between Sirius and XM, iOS and Android, there is currently more than one protocol to connect the 'Things'. Groups like the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), AllSeen Alliance, Thread Group and Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC) were recently created to either solve the problem or add more fire to the discussion.

Beyond the homes and cars, industries, agriculture, retailers and other areas will benefit from the IoT. It might take a decade but the world as we know it will certainly be different and much more connected.

 Sidnei Stifelmann is a business development executive, with a strong business acumen, acquired while working for global leaders. Extensive experience in business development, sales operations and strategic alliances, using financial acumen to manage P&L and significantly enhance bottom line. Successful cross functional interactions with both commercial and technical organizations. A trust advisor that clients rely on, which leads to customer satisfaction, increased market share and revenue growth.