As the latest estimates claim the number of devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) will jump from 15 billion now to 50 billion in 2020, we look at what a connected world actually means.
What is the IoT? Well, at its most basic level, it is a network of devices fitted with data-capturing sensors that can connect to the internet, talking wirelessly to each other, applications – and indeed us. And these devices? They’re things in your home, things you wear, wearables such as Fitbit and the car you drive.
The phrase IoT has been in circulation for nearly a decade in technology circles, but only now with smart, connected devices such as thermostats and refrigerators, as well as driverless cars, becoming a reality is it something that is becoming relevant to the majority of the population.
What would a truly connected world look like? More straightforward is one answer, as all these intelligent little machines that between them know so much about us and our lives start to co-ordinate.
In classic examples, your alarm clock wakes you up and then tells your coffee machine to start boiling ready for a morning cuppa, while on the drive to work your car knows the quickest route for where and when you need to be, and can even text whoever you’re meeting if you’re running late.
Lots of smart devices, collecting and streaming huge amounts of user data and providing real-time information on, well, just about anything. Performing nominated tasks on demand and combining to make life as frictionless as possible. After all, how much easier would life be if your house’s heating could tell it was about to break and was able to summon an engineer itself before it actually did so?
And these devices could bring real benefits, not least cost as well as convenience, to all our lives. The heating that knows to turn itself off or down on a sunny day will save individual users money, as potentially could smart cars that send data about how they are being driven to insurance companies to feed into premiums.
The decreasing cost of computer power means there is no cost barrier to entry for putting sensors that can generate data in the most mundane items, and there is clearly no shortage of opportunities for smart machines that can do something in addition to their primary, practical purpose.
With so much data zipping around, questions about privacy and security are at the forefront of concerns and there are clearly many debates to be had around the IoT, its limitations and indeed its strengths.
But one thing is not in doubt – a huge amount of data is going to be generated, and how that is analysed and interpreted is going to be key to how successful the IoT is, for individuals and businesses alike.
Of course, at digi.me, we believe in returning the power of data to the owner, for them to use and permission as they wish, in both their personal and public lives.
The Internet of Things, and its natural successor the Internet of Me, where the individual is at the centre of their connected life, is a natural fit for us, as control returns to the user. Businesses need accurate rich data, which an individual is best placed to provide – but only if they want to and only if it is worth their while.
Leveraging the IoT is the dream for many companies, but here at digi.me we’re already got a headstart – and you can try it out for yourself with a free download of our amazing app.