TRIVERGENCE

3Animating the Physical World

Technologists and science-fiction writers have long envisioned a world where a seamless global network of Internet-connected sensors could capture every event, action, and change on Earth. Not long ago, the notion that a world of inanimate objects imbued with intelligence could reshape the very foundation of society might have seemed fanciful. Yet, today, that vision of a seamless and intelligent fabric of interconnected devices and objects is edging closer and closer to reality.

The origins of the so-called Internet of Things (IoT) can be traced back to the early 1980s when researchers started exploring the idea of connecting devices to communication networks. At this stage, IoT pioneers focused primarily on machine-to-machine (M2M) communication and industrial applications. Simple devices like sensors and actuators were connected to internal networks, enabling data collection and remote control.

The 1990s marked a significant milestone with the proliferation of Internet connectivity. The development of protocols such as TCP/IP and the growth of wireless communication technologies, including Wi-Fi and 5G, laid the foundation for IoT expansion. This era saw the emergence of consumer-oriented IoT devices, including home automation systems, smart appliances, and the first generation of wearable devices.

The early 2000s witnessed massive growth in data generation and storage capabilities. Cloud computing platforms offered scalable storage and computing ...