IoT gets a lot of crap
The Internet of Things (IoT) is coming. It just makes sense to put the devices around us on a network. To make them “smarter”. To make the data they possess available to us, and other devices also on that network to use, consume, and react to.
This is scary, but it’s also really, really cool. Of course some OEMs have let the cool get ahead of the planning, and the implementations aren’t always well thought out from a security, updating, or longevity perspective – which might cause all sorts of problems down the road. But, it’s still going to happen and it still has an amazing potential to make our lives easier, better, smarter.
I’ve been meaning to write something about this, but unfortunately time has been really lacking lately. Fortunately I ran across a high-level paper by Cee Links (CEO of GreenPeak, a company working with Zigbee silicon) that addresses some of the things I wanted to write about. So I thought it might be easier to use that as a conversation starter. Go have a read…
Unfortunately, the label of the IoT with the word “things” puts many people on the wrong path of thinking.
Things are the necessary enablers, but the complete solution includes data analytics, smart phone apps and billing/support systems as well. There is an entire ecosystem at play, in which things play a (minor) role.
Also, many people confuse IoT things with connected devices. It is not enough to just web connect a device – it needs to be able to speak to other devices and systems in the home, as well as to be able to become smart – to utilize web intelligence, so that is more than just a remotely operated sensor or actuator.