Digitally Curious

CHAPTER 9THE INTERNET OF EVERYTHING

With the proliferation of affordable computer chips and the always-on internet, billions of devices can now communicate. This connectivity allows everyday objects – from fridges and dishwashers to cars and industrial machines – to transmit data and respond with intelligent insights to users via small sensors.

This interconnected network of devices, known as the “Internet of Things” (IoT), is not a technology often visible to consumers, but we use IoT devices every day.

Examples include:

• Temperature sensors such as Google’s Nest.¹
• Internet-enabled security cameras from companies such as Arlo.²
• Wearables like Google’s Fitbit³ and the Apple Watch.⁴

The concept of the IoT is not new; engineers have been integrating sensors and processors into everyday items since the 1990s. Initially, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags were utilised to track valuable equipment, but their size and cost were restrictive. As technology advanced, these tags became smaller, faster, and more efficient. Today, they are widely used in items such as ID badges and are expected to be incorporated into clothing in the near future,⁵ something we examined in Chapter 6.

The unique properties of smart objects are that they can transmit data to and from the internet at low data rates and can be battery powered, which is crucial for sensors placed in hard-to-reach areas such as buildings or factories. Cloud computing has also meant that the “heavy lifting” of computer ...