IoT Explained in a chat...

Recently one of my friend pinged me and following is the chat we had...

Friend: Hey, I'm confused about IoT, Internet of Things... I think you could help me out.

Me: Sure, can try to solve your queries.

F: What I understood is that suppose in a car one embedded device with multiple sensors is placed so that device captures all the data from the car and it transfers to cloud based server over the web and data is process over there and take decisions. Now those decisions are finally transferred to car owner's mobile or on any other device.

Me: Perfect

F: But this thing already exists. Black box does the similar task.

Me: Yes, it already exists. But there is more to it. Let us consider the same example. In car, now the data is logged continuously at intervals and send to server. Here Big data technology comes to picture. Because if a cars gives readings from at least 10 sensors at intervals of 15 to 30 mins, you can imagine the amount of data getting logged over the server. This is simple data logging.

What happens next is more interesting.

Now this data is processed and documented in a format that user is comfortable reading. So instead of saying that 'X' part of car is heating at 'y°C', the report may say you need to service the car in 15 days. So now the owner knows the health and report of the car.

Now the IoT device manufacturer [i.e. the embedded device in the car] can tie up with service centers and let them know the same. Or suggest the owner the nearest verified service center. Similarly if any part is damaged or malfunctioned the spare part dealer can also be informed at a click of a button. Or in case, the car gets punctured or malfunctioned on the go, the nearest garage person can be informed.

This is Internet of Things at very nascent stage like the early days of computers. Lots of upgrades necessary to technology to eliminate human intervention.

F: There are few examples of home automation where the devices doesn't communicated over internet [read world wide web]. So how are they categorized as IoT devices?

Me: This is a great misconception that internet means world wide web. It can be also be inter network of things and devices too. And only when there is need, then the device shares data or can be controlled over the web.

F: So basically IoT is connection of embedded devices to user via any network so that work and life gets simpler & handy.

Me: Yes. To summarize the above discussion following can be said of IoT.

Internet of Things is a seamless connected network of embedded objects or devices, in which machine to machine communication without any human intervention is possible using standard and inter-operable communication protocols.