“Anything that can be connected, will be connected.”[1]
The emphasis on connectivity is the ethos of the Internet of Things. Consider today there are about 8.4 billion IoT objects in use,[2] and by 2020, it is estimated there will be 212 billion IoT objects connected to the internet.[3]
So what exactly is the Internet of Things? IoT is the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances, and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and connectivity which enables these objects to connect and exchange data. Simply put, the IoT consists of any device with an on/off switch connected to the internet.[4]
The conceptualization of the IoT was most notably publicized in 1999, when in a speech before Proctor and Gamble, Kevin Ashton, the Executive Director of Auto-ID Labs at MIT, theorized the capacity for machines to be connected to computers that could track and manage their output accordingly. IoT is predicated on computers being able to process multitudes of data faster and more accurately than human managers. As a result, in order to reduce waste and cost, every device that can gather and track information is connected to a system that can analyze the data and manage the devices in its network to improve efficiency.
The promise of IoT is efficiency and convenience, which has enabled the number of IoT devices in use to skyrocket. The conditions are ideal for IoT to thrive as it becomes increasingly easier for individuals and machines to access the internet. IoT devices will increasingly play a part in our day to day lives. In the next few blogs, HCTS will help you navigate what IoT means for your homes, your businesses, and your city in the Highland Lakes.
[1] A Simple Explanation of “The Internet of Things” by Jacob Morgan
[2] Newsroom Press Release, by Gartner February 7, 2017,
[3] Internet of Things by Larry Dignan October 3, 2013
[4] A Brief History of the Internet of Things by Keith D. Foote, February 16, 2016
