It’s the future, y’know.
Also known as ‘IoT’, it’s about everything being connected, including:
- Washing machines
- Glasses in a bar
- Traffic lights
- Cars (eg ‘black boxes’ that offer cheaper insurance)
- Light bulbs
- Buildings
- Boats
- Cows
- Fridges
- Boilers
- Thermostats
- Gas/electricity meters
- Clothing
- Doorbells
The number of devices connected to the internet in 2003 was roughly 500 million. In 2011, it was 12.5 billion, and some have predicted that by 2020 it will be 50 billion. Others say the figure will be more than 200 billion.
The IoT now is similar to when the internet itself was in its infancy a couple of decades ago in that people know that it’s going to change the world but no one really knows to what extent.
I think the more we can learn about it, in plain English, and how it will affect our lives, the better.
