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what’s the
WORD?
“Internet of Things”
Traditionally, we've used the internet to connect one computer to
another. e idea behind the internet of things is that computers
can now connect to everyday objects and vice versa.
As it becomes trivially inexpensive to add sensors or an intent
connection to just about anything from household appliances to
houseplants, we can get information, send commands, and work
alongside the objects we find in our day-to-day environments. is
means the internet is not just speaking in zeros and ones, it's also
speaking in atoms — the physical objects that make up the world
around us.
With the internet of things, your house knows when someone
arrives. Your thermostat knows the weather outside and adjusts the
temperature accordingly. In a fun experiment from MIT Media
Lab, your jacket even hugs you when someone likes your post on
Facebook. e internet of things, in other words, is about giving all
kinds of "things" a digital presence, and with wearable technology
that means giving people a new kind of digital presence, too. Nike
Fuelband tracks your physical activities with a digital counter,
smart watches dress your wrist with a convenient window into your
digital life, and pendants for kids keep parents up to date on their
location.
Much of what we do is about bringing the digital world into our
physical spaces. e internet of things brings the physical world
into the digital realm.