INFOGRAPHIC
The Internet of Things: the
best is yet to come
T
he Internet of things (IoT) is a
term that’s been bandied about
for a long time and we’re finally at
a stage where it’s coming more into the
forefront, in terms of the technology and
consumer adoption.
Before going any further, it’s useful to
determine what is actually meant by
IoT. Technology visionary Kevin Ashton,
who coined the term, defines it this way:
“The Internet of Things means sensors
connected to the Internet and behaving in
an Internet-like way: making open, ad-hoc
connections, sharing data freely, allowing
unexpected applications, and creating a
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INTELLIGENTCIO
nervous system for the planet that enables
computers to understand the things in the
world around them.”
IoT is starting to make a difference to many
areas of our lives. Connected smart meters
wirelessly track our domestic energy usage,
while smart watches and smart cars are
playing a small but influential role in the wider
IoT movement. And this is even before we
get started on connected home technologies,
ranging from security sensors to connected
light bulbs and even smart toasters.
Aruba conducted an international study, The
Internet of Things, Today and Tomorrow,
in which they asked 3,100 execs from
20 countries about IoT. The research
found a range of interesting ideas and
attitudes, but it also revealed that 2019
will be IoT’s breakthrough year. In fact
85% of businesses plan to start using IoT
technologies by 2019.
78% of city leaders believe that IoT is in
its infancy and will transform how we live
in the future. However, the main challenge
will be to manage the large volume of IoT
data and to create value from it. Municipal
respondents said that the next biggest
challenge was moving server compute to the
edge to gain faster insights.
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