When MIT grad and innovator Kevin Ashton coined the now infamous term the “Internet of Things” (IoT) in 1999, he probably sounded wildly crazy. Few people at the time were thinking about the potential of the Internet to reach beyond Y2K and our clunky desktops to become something connecting the entire world and everything we do.
About 18 years later, the technology connecting our lives never ceases to amaze us. Whether it’s through connected home devices or tools to improve business outcomes forever, the modern IoT world is something we live in today, and it’s only going to get better.
What is the Internet of Things(IoT)?
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of physical devices connected to the Internet, such as smartphones, appliances, vehicles, and sensors that can communicate and share data. These devices collect and exchange information, enabling them to perform tasks and make intelligent decisions without human intervention. The IoT can potentially revolutionize various aspects of our lives, from smart homes and cities to industrial automation and healthcare monitoring. It offers increased efficiency, convenience, and improved decision-making through seamless connectivity and data exchange.
Giving the home some smarts
If the home is where the heart is, people love to put some cool devices to keep things beating. New smart home devices that link to our cell phones and devices are launching daily and making our lives easier. Whether it’s door locks, key finders, kitchen appliances, or more, Postscapes pulled together the best everyday tools for your home.
Keeping your business secure
With greater amounts of connectivity comes an even greater need for security. With so many businesses seeing major security breaches in the last few years, ensuring your business grows in a safe and trusted manner is vital for its future. Luckily, Forbes agrees, noting IoT security technologies add the most lasting value to businesses. From network security to authentication and encryption, this article has you covered when it comes to the changing forces for protecting your data.
Be a fitness geek
Sports and fitness IoT devices have revolutionized how we exercise and stay healthy. Knowing your exact performance results right at your wrist, using data to understand how to improve your hail mary pass, and monitoring concussions from sensors in a helmet are all real things Mashable writes we have today to help us become our better selves.
Robots in the workplace
Manufacturing is one industry to take the biggest dive into the IoT world. Having invested about $102.5 billion in these tools, IDC reports manufacturers are seriously realizing the value. Like the Industrial Revolution, mechanized business outputs, digital transformation via AI, machine learning, and robots are increasing speed and efficiency for many manufacturers worldwide, Forbes reports.
Take me there, technology
We’ve all heard about the future of self-driving cars, but IoT has already been making huge strides in the transportation industry. Business Insider recently dove into what these influences have had in both the public and private sectors. In the public sector, sensors on buses and trains have been utilized to understand better when something is breaking down and whether our rides will be late. In our own rides, we’re now able to find songs at the tap of a button, make calls, and get pinpointed understandings of what’s wrong with our cars.
What is the future of the Internet of Things?
As more and more devices become connected to the internet, like smart home devices or wearable gadgets, it becomes important to protect them from hackers and cyber threats.
In the future, we can expect to see stronger security measures in place. This means that device manufacturers will focus on building devices with better security features, like door locks to keep hackers out. They will also work to regularly update the device software to fix any security issues that may arise.
Improved ways to monitor networks and detect any suspicious activity will also be improved. Think of it as having security cameras in your house that alert you if someone tries to break in. These monitoring tools will use advanced technology to keep an eye on the network and quickly respond to any potential threats.
To ensure that all devices are safe, there will be standardized rules and guidelines that device manufacturers will have to follow. This will help create common security practices across all IoT devices.
Different groups, like government organizations and industry experts, will work together to share information and knowledge about cybersecurity threats. They will learn from each other and come up with better ways to protect our devices and data.
Lastly, there will be stricter rules and regulations from the government to ensure that companies take cybersecurity seriously. These rules will help ensure that the devices we use are built with our security and privacy in mind.
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