CHAPTER 7Java Programming for IoT Applications
Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability.
—Edsger Dijkstra
7.1 What Is the Internet of Things?
Internet of Things (IoT) is no doubt one of the hottest buzzwords at the moment. If you read technical magazines, it is everywhere. Related to IoT is the concept of Industry 4.0. So, what exactly is IoT, and what is Industry 4.0?
In the broadest sense, Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the global network of interconnected devices or “things.” This is going to be the future of the Internet, which is currently a global network of interconnected computers, including smartphones and tablets. The things in IoT refer to the everyday physical devices that are not primarily computers but have embedded computing hardware (microcontrollers), such as TVs, fridges, cookers, kettles, lights, cars, doors, chairs, and so on. Figure 7.1 shows an illustrative IoT diagram.
Figure 7.1: The Internet of Things
To connect these everyday devices to the Internet, you need several technologies.
- Addressing Each device on the IoT needs to have a unique address so that it can be uniquely identified. ...