As Internet speed and accessibility has increased, there has been a lot of talk about the Internet of Things (also referred to as IoT). To some the concept might sound foreign, but it is, in fact, technology we use every day.
What is the Internet of Things?
The Internet of Things is, simply put, a network of connections between any device with an on and off switch to the Internet. Anything from smartphones and wearables to TV’s and washing machines, and even machine components like the jet engines of airplanes, or the drills of oil rigs can be considered IoT.
The only requirements for an object to be a part of the IoT is that it be assigned a unique IP address and have the ability to transfer data over a network. When items and devices are connected to the IoT, it greatly expands data gathering abilities, as it is not necessary for humans to manually input data.
Very often connected devices work on an “if-this-then-that” causal principle. For example, when your alarm clock goes off, it might signal the coffee maker to start brewing that crucial first cup of coffee. In the broader scheme of things, the IoT can help to reduce waste and improve energy efficiency in cities around the world.
Telemetry and the Internet of Things
Telemetry has been around for a good few decades, and works on exactly the same principle as the IoT, transferring data from sensors at the source to a remote receiver. The first telemetric applications were used with telephone lines in Chicago in 1912, but today telemetry has merged with the IoT, and is used in everything from the gates of security complexes, tracking devices in vehicles and even vending machines. Very often these devices are fitted with a telemetric SIM card.
The analyst firm Gartner says that over 26 billion devices will be connected to the IoT by the year 2020, while other estimates put that number at over 100 billion. The possibilities are certainly endless, and the IoT is sure to shake our lives up in more ways than one.
Please contact Smartcom for all your telemetry requirements.