How the internet of things is going to change your world |
Posted: November 24, 2017 |
Let me rephrase that slightly: the internet of things is already changing your world. But first, let’s start with a definition. What are we talking about here? A thing inthis context is a device of some kind not normally associated with computing which has nevertheless been connected to the internet. Examples include blu-ray players which can update their software,smart fridges which will alert you when you’re running out of milk andgarage doors you can open from your phone. Thermostats, security cameras, locks, kettles, smoke detectors…the list goes on. Internet-connected televisions and lighting are currently perhaps the most prominent examples. ‘Smart’ TVs can not only update their software but also connect directly to online streaming services like Netflix without the need for a set-top box of any kind. You can download and run TV apps and even play mobile phone-style games. Luxuries just a few short years ago, smart TVs have since edged steadily into the mainstream. Visit your local TV showroom and you will now find more smart TVs than traditional models. Meanwhile, the number of smart lighting products available is expanding: everything: from colour-changing bulbs and light strips through toelaborate wall displays. Each contains an embedded processor and wifi chip, enabling the device to be controlled over the internet, either from a mobile phone app or, with many of the larger models, via voice control. The latter option is enabled by Apple’s Siri and theAmazon Echo, amongst other options. Add names and group your lights in the app, then simply stroll into your living room or bedroom and command Alexa or Siri to do your bidding. Light switches are so last century. Alternatively you can set and trigger ‘scenes’ –sets of instructions – so that, for example, your smart lights all switch off when you go to bed or leave for work in the morning. What makes theInternet of Things so distinct is the sheer numbers of products that will increasingly join the roster. In as little as three years, some estimates suggest that as many as 20 billion products will have been connected to the internet. The total number of smartphones is little more than three billion or so (is that all?) As the Internet spreads into every nook and cranny of our lives, this process will only accelerate. Ever greater numbers of us will lead ‘always on’ lives, surrounded by devices that talk to each other all day, every day. That could be both good and bad. Tasks that were once simple, ‘analogue’ and reliable such as turning on your living room lights or opening your garage door could randomly fail. Your Internet-connected kettle might fall victim to a technical glitch and refuse to boil your coffee in the morning. Your Amazon Echo could be hacked viaa Bluetooth vulnerablity that threatens the security of your entire home network. Such headaches will have to be navigated one by one. But the problems are bound to be accompanied by a whole world of new possibilities too.
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