What is the Internet of Things? See how IoT works and usage examples | Electronics
“Internet of Things” (in English, Internet of Things or IoT) refers to a technological revolution that aims to connect everyday objects with the world wide web. There are more and more household appliances, means of transport and even tennis shoes, clothes and doorknobs connected to the Internet and other devices such as computers and mobile phones.
The idea is that the physical and digital worlds are increasingly becoming one, through devices that communicate with each other, data centers and their clouds. Wearable devices, such as Google Glass and Apple Glass, make mobility and the presence of the Internet in different objects an ever closer reality. ON TechTudo seeks to explain what can be changed by applying the concept and shows examples of the Internet of Things below.
🔎 Internet of Things: 10 facts you need to know about IoT
Genius Smart Lock is a smart lock that also works with a shared key and is part of the Internet of Things — Photo: Reproduction/Genius Smart Lock
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What is IoT and how did the term come about?
The idea of ​​connecting objects has been discussed since 1991, when the TCP/IP connection and the Internet as we know it today started to become popular. Bill Joy, co-founder of Sun Microsystems, thought of a device-to-device (D2D) connection, a type of connection that is part of a larger concept, that of “multiple networks.”
In 1999, Kevin Ashton from MIT proposed the term “Internet of Things”, and ten years later he wrote the article “The Internet of Things Thing” for RFID Journal. According to experts, the network then offered 50 pentabytes. data collected in recordings, recordings and reproductions of images.
Big brands like LG already offer products for the Internet of Things — Photo: Fabricio Vitorino/TechTudo
According to Ashton, limited time and routine will force people to connect to the Internet in other ways. Thus, it will be possible to accumulate data about the movement of our bodies with much greater precision than today’s information.
With these records, it will be possible, for example, to reduce, optimize and save natural and energy resources. For the expert, this revolution will be greater than the development of the online world as we know it today.
How the Internet of Things and its applications work
Google Glass is part of the Internet of Things — Photo: Disclosure / Google
The Mobii prototype, developed in 2014 by Ford and Intel, aimed to reinvent the car’s interior. When entering a car with this technology, the camera would recognize the driver’s face to offer information about his daily life, recommend music and receive instructions to activate the GPS map.
If the system does not recognize the person, it takes a photo and sends the data to the owner’s cell phone, preventing theft. This is an example of a car within the Internet of Things environment, with additional equipment online and acting intelligently.
The Mobii project foresees the installation of a series of cameras and sensors inside the car — Photo: Disclosure / Ford
Another example of an Internet of Things application involves a partnership between elevator manufacturer Thyssenkrupp and Microsoft. Together, the companies have developed an intelligent, online elevator monitoring system via call centers and technicians. The software works on large desktop networks and portals, as well as an application for Windows tablets.
The purpose of the program is to provide real-time assistance and prevent accidents with preventive maintenance in the brand’s elevators. This initiative results in cost reduction and is an example of the applicability of the Internet of Things in infrastructure.
Internet of Things – a term used for electronic devices, platforms and systems connected to the web through integrated software such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. — Photo: Disclosure/Creative Commons.
The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is also investing in this area and is using Google Glass on the operating table. The test was made by Dr. Pierre Theodore, a surgeon, but he faced certain problems. Voice commands did not work well when performing an operation. To speed up procedures, the operator initiated commands for the glasses via a wireless connection.
The device worked with X-ray images, but needed less intense brightness to display the information with greater clarity. The initiative could be the beginning of mass use of mobile gadgets by doctors, especially new technological glasses.
The Internet of Things brings Google Glass to the operating table — Photo: Handout/UCSF/Leiland Kim
Initiative to unify the Internet of Things
Nowadays, there are many connected objects, such as refrigerators, glasses, elevators and cars. The network can intervene in small gadgets or complex infrastructures. Thinking about all this usability, initiatives have emerged involving large companies to unify the Internet of Things.
Dell, Intel and Samsung, for example, have come together to standardize connections, in a group called the Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC). The goal was to create a common protocol that would ensure the proper functioning of the connection between the most diverse devices.
Eletrolux smart refrigerator — Photo: Disclosure/Eletrolux
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC are features developed by the organization. Also part of the consortium are Atmel, a microcontroller company; Broadcom, for wired and wireless communication solutions; and Wind River, for software and embedded technology.
However, this is not the only initiative in this direction. Founded in December 2013, the AllSeen Alliance has 51 participating companies, including big names such as LG, Panasonic, Qualcomm, D-Link and Microsoft.
In Brazil, the W3C office, responsible for creating the World Wide Web, navigation standardized by browsers, is trying to spread the idea of ​​the Internet of Things. The body is connected to the Ponto BR Information and Coordination Center (NIC.br). They developed videos to promote the concept in our country. Check out the link above.
Examples of using the Internet of Things
- wearable. “Wearable” devices are smart accessories that we wear on our bodies, such as smart watches (Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch, for example) and headphones.
- House. The smart home is probably the most popular IoT application since it is the most affordable and accessible to consumers. There are many IoT-based devices such as smart TVs, Amazon Echo, thermostats, refrigerators and smart locks.
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- Health. IoT helps in integration with the patient’s medical record. Therefore, changes in clinical status, such as changes in blood pressure and heart rate, are updated in the registry, improving medical care.
- smart cities. IoT has the potential to transform entire cities and solve problems that citizens face every day. With the right connections and data, technology can solve traffic congestion problems and reduce noise, crime and pollution, for example.
- connected car. IoT vehicles have access to the Internet and can share the network with others. In addition, some cars are equipped with an intelligent system that puts away the physical keys and recognizes the driver by proximity, opens the door and allows starting at the push of a button. There are cars that use sensors for everything from remote start and alarm activation to opening the trunk and unlocking the vehicle with smart locks.
- Agriculture. Technology helps monitor temperature, soil and air humidity. The Internet of Things automatically activates irrigation systems, for example, when needed.
See also: Watch a video below about a smart fridge that alerts you when you’re running out of drinks
A smart fridge that notifies you when you run out of drinks was unveiled at CES
