Everything you need to know about Internet of things (IoT)

The Internet of things or IoT over the next few years will profoundly change our daily habits; it is one of those things, together with robotics, augmented reality and virtual reality that is making the technological revolution we are experiencing and that we will live in the coming years. In an increasingly connected world, the Internet of things will allow the complete digitization and networking of our lives, at any time of the day. After the people, always connected to the network through mobile devices, even things, objects will be connected and this will make them intelligent objects, able to do what they have done for us until today but in a more intelligent way.

What is the Internet of things?

The Internet of Things is invented in 1999 by the British researcher Kevin Ashton to indicate the possibility of connecting any object or device equipped with sensors to the Internet. The Internet of things (or Internet of things) is a kind of Internet of everyday tools, a mega-network in which all the objects that surround us are connected to the network and interconnected with each other without requiring the without demanding human-to-computer or human-to-human communication. In this way, they collect and exchange data in real-time, communicate with each other and communicate with the outside world and provide us with information that they did not have access to before. Appliances and devices with these features are called smart objects.

The Internet of things, examples

To make the idea better, think of a smart home, a home of the future furnished with appliances and remotely controlled devices that communicate with each other wirelessly. From the locks that open and close with the smartphone, to the thermostat that automatically regulates the temperature of the apartment, from the camera robots that monitor the house, when the fridge alarm alerts you when a food is about to end or is about to expire, all air conditioning system that you can turn on or off remotely, which alerts you or warns the service center when there is a fault. These are just a few examples. In reality, the world of the Internet of things is much wider; it goes beyond the domestics and finds application in various sectors: telematics, cars, robotics, healthcare, and transport, just to name a few. And there is no limit to the things it can do because there is no limit to the imagination. And we'll see more and more beautiful ones. 

The Internet of things and robotics

There is a very close relationship between the Internet of objects and robotics because robots need to be connected to the Internet to function better and interact with us and with the external environment. The most fitting example, from this point of view, is represented by personal robots, automata of the form humanoid and not, designed to help in the home.

The personal robots - also known as home robots, social robots, pet robots - are a concentrate of technology at the service of the family, are equipped with Bluetooth or wifi connections, and to perform many of their tasks must be connected to the network. They wake us up in the morning, inform us of weather forecasts, remember appointments and deadlines play with children assist the elderly and connect with other smart devices in the house. Among these are for example Buddy robots, Pepper robot, Jibo or Zenbo robot Asus, just to name a few.

Robots will be the heart of home automation, of the smart home. 

They will be connected with every object in your home and with the Internet. Do you want examples? just order your home robot to turn on the air conditioner or a lamp and he will do it for you. Thanks to the interconnection between the objects and your android. Or for example, you can ask him to make you a coffee and bring it to you. Your robot will "talk" to the coffee machine, and once it is ready it will bring it to you.

Another area of ​​robotics in which the Internet of things is finding a wide circulation is industrial robotics. This will serve even more to optimize production and increase the level of automation of the so-called 4.0 factories, those in which cobot, collaborative robots, and workers work side by side.

What is the daily use of the Internet of Things? 

We know what the Internet of Things is and its uses, but can we understand if we are already on the Internet of Things? Every day we use objects connected to the Internet of Things, what are they?

Objects of the Internet of Things that we use every day, and that many don't even know to belong to the Internet of Things, are the objects called wearable and smartwatches with which to read emails and reply to messages received on the smartphone, interactive glasses, and bracelets that we localize and monitor our physical conditions during sports.

This is only a part of objects that is part of the Internet of Things, and certainly the most developed in Europe, but in the rest of the where the internet of things is widely used like surveillance cameras, boiler thermostats, appliances such as refrigerators, ovens, washing machines.

What is the Internet of Things for Google, Amazon, and Apple

After reading about what the Internet of Things is, its applications and the everyday use we all do, all that remains is to look at companies that are focusing a lot on the Internet of things, especially with regards to everyday life at home.

Google, with Google Home and other devices like Chrome cast, wants to create a fully connected home: from the PC to the smartphone, from the tablet to Home, the home assistant to interact with, who can play music and perform any task for us. A smart home where the lighting of lights and air conditioners will be able to communicate with the outside world and understand when it is time to activate or shut down.

Similarly, Amazon had launched its home assistant ‘Echo’. Amazon launched the Echo before Google home. Furthermore, Amazon is increasingly heading towards the Internet of Things with its Amazon Dash buttons. In addition to the Dash buttons, Amazon has announced the Dash Replenishment Service, the cloud service that will allow manufacturers to configure their devices to be connected to the cloud and automatically re-order physical assets on Amazon. In this way, the printer will automatically order the toner when the cartridges are about to run out.

Finally, there is Apple, which is trying to gradually create an Internet of Things network between iPhone smartphones, iPad tablets, MacBook computers, iMacs and much more. With the creation of Apple TV, the Cupertino brand is all about entertainment but it is no secret that already on iPhone 6 there are dialogues between different devices to monitor users' health and physical parameters.

The dangers

What is the Internet of Things, and above all is there a need to fear the Internet of things? Many fear an upset about Black Mirror-style technology by reasoning that if what we wear and what we use every day communicates by communicating data over a network, and then third parties could also control ourselves.

The problem of privacy and personal data concerns Google and other brands that have access to all our domestic and private habits, and it cannot be excluded that the Internet of Things data is safe.

Furthermore, there is a problem related to Internet connections, which with the Internet of Things are becoming increasingly indispensable. If the instruments will also have a type of manual and analogical control, as well as sensorial and connected, the problem will be superfluous, but otherwise, we would have no more chance of doing anything in case of lack of connection.