If you pay attention to tech news, you may have noticed the recent buzzword, “internet of things.” While this is a pretty silly nickname, it refers to a situation where objects, people, or even animals are given unique identifiers, allowing them to transmit data over a network without interaction with another human or a computer. . Through the use of wireless technology and robust servers, the Internet of Things (IoT) has become a complex network with limitless possibilities.
1. The Internet of Things is all-in
When it comes to the Internet of Things, there are almost no limits to the types of “things” that can be considered. A ‘thing’ can be a human with a wireless heart monitor, livestock with biochip transponders, or even a car that can alert its driver when tire pressure is low. In short, a ‘thing’ can be anything that can be measured by a sensor, given a unique IP address, and transmitted via wire or wireless.
2. The most common machine-to-machine transmissions
Most of the Internet of Things right now is understood as machines talking to other machines. This is often referred to as M2M for short. For example, many machines used in manufacturing, power production, and oil and gas utilities already transmit data to each other to provide time-sensitive information that is critical to their operation. For example, a robust server atop a weather station could wirelessly record and transmit data to weather equipment on the ground.
3. Advances in IP address technology
In order to access or be accessed by the Internet and its users, you need a unique IP address assigned to your computer or website. In the past, this was a simple numerical address. However, IP addresses have come so far that, theoretically, there could be a unique IP address assigned to every atom on earth, and there would still be plenty of addresses left over for several more earths.
4. Traffic increases lead to security issues
As a result of advances in IP technology and the increase in the number of data nodes actively capturing data and transmitting it to a server somewhere. As this traffic increases and more and more people begin to record and transmit data for their own personal reasons, issues such as data privacy and security will be of paramount importance as IoT continues to evolve.
5. The IoT is not new
Although the term ‘Internet of Things’ was not coined until the turn of the century, it has been in practice for several decades. In fact, the first Internet-equipped device was a soda machine at Carnegie Melon University built in the early 1980s. Programmers were able to connect to the machine over a network to check the status of the machine and whether their drink favorite was stored in the machine before making the trip.
