Imagine you are trying to explain the concept of social media to a member of some remote civilization that has never experienced a computer, networking system, or the world wide web. Where would you begin this very difficult task? Now, we add one more step to further complicate this monumental feat. What if you could only describe with words, written or spoken, but could not physically demonstrate a device or social media page. Comprehending the aptly named Internet of Things (IoT) is very similar to the exercise above.
Defining a Thing
A good place to start is to define what sub categories could be included when we talk about a specific thing. If you remember from your elementary grammar classes, a noun is a person, place, or thing. Nouns can be further described using adjectives. So we have some context here; a thing found in the IoT could be a blue car or a jumping spider. A thing could even be an evening Paris skyline.
For the sake of clarity, let us also take a quick moment to very loosely define the internet. Through a complex communication protocol, the internet allows many devices and networks to simultaneously enjoy access to collective information. The interconnectivity is possible because all senders and receivers use the same standardized processes to share and retrieve information.
Internet of Things
Given the history of how the internet came to be and how quickly technology expands and changes, it is no surprise that users demand more. The Internet of Things is the answer for those that want more information and more useful online tools and resources. Over the past two decades, ongoing research efforts have yielded a plethora of information on everything from advanced algorithms to artificial intelligence.
Underlying elements of the most popular and effective tools, such as search engine optimization, cookies, and digital marketing, all have a similar foundation. Their common denominator is the intuitive learning basis. The tools and information available through the Internet of Things are very valuable and can be adapted to many uses. Users can access a variety of data on multiple devices. Administrators can restrict or release data without delay depending on the current situational needs.