I is for Internet of Things

I recently wrote a children’s book called D is for Data: The ABCs of Data Analytics. This is the ninth in a series of behind-the-scenes, companion articles that will dive a little deeper into each term. We’ll explore the illustration used to define the term, how the word is used in the data world, and other interesting (to me) trivia.

IoT stands for Internet of Things. What is the Internet of Things? Well, the Internet is about connecting small networks into one big interconnected, world-wide web. “Things” in this context are smart devices like smart speakers, smart phones, and smart doorbells. These devices are able to join the network and send their data up to the cloud where you can access it.

The number of things that have become “smart” is staggering. Our washing machine is now smart. I can monitor the wash cycle from my phone. When the cycle is complete, not only does it play Schubert’s Die Forelle, but it also lets Alexa know. So, a chorus of voices announces, “Your washer is done!”

The next generation of connectivity will come from something called ambient IoT. Ambient IoT uses energy harvesting to power small batteryless devices as small and thin as postage stamps. These stamp-sized devices use the ambient energy all around us to broadcast back their identification and small amounts of sensor data to the cloud. In the near future, these devices will be used to monitor and track everything from medicine to strawberries. This will boost the number of devices connected to the internet up to trillions of devices.