How IoT will change your homes
My intuition is improving as I am getting older (very old in my case). Speaking the truth is one of the few things that I am getting better at. The reason I am saying this, is not to blow my own trumpet, but to help you to subscribe to my latest instinct on ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT).
Since the internet came into our lives, we have seen more and more devices capable of connecting to the internet appearing, many of them can even be controlled remotely. For many, this may be something incredible, but the truth is that the revolution has just started. The old modem is now giving way to fibre optic lines, meaning we are at the point of starting to enjoy all the advantages of 5G. This has meant that we can navigate faster and faster from any connected device, but it has also led to more and more talk about IoT.
First thing first - what is IoT or Internet of Things and what is it used for?
IoT is the interconnection of all types of devices through a network. This network can be private or it can be a network itself or the internet. In that network, all the devices can be identified to be recognised by and interact with each other without the need for human intervention. Therefore, it is a machine-to-machine interaction, or what is known as the M2M.
The term M2M refers to the machine-to-machine communication without a human having to intervene, regardless of the type of connection, by proximity, being within the same network or connected remotely through some software.
Therefore, the IoT extends beyond the internet connectivity of the most common devices, such as mobile phones, tablets or computers. It is a concept that is increasingly reaching more devices and goals in our life that use certain technologies to communicate and interact with the external environment through the internet, such as refrigerators, washing machines, coffee makers, sensors, speakers and even other everyday objects, such as clothes or shoes, cars, suitcases, etc.
How IoT works and what technologies are involved
The Internet of Things is already a reality, although it still has a long way to go with a large field in which to evolve. In addition, its scope is increasingly wide and every day more devices appear that make IoT possible.
This is the scenario in which several devices connect to each other through a network or the internet, the technology that allows data collection and transmission to the network for analysis. In this communication process one of the most important issues is the communication protocol to be used by all devices. Although today there are modern devices that use the latest technologies and make connection to the internet and between devices simple, there are older devices that do not use the same protocols, making the connection between them more complicated. Therefore, one must think about how this is not a problem with the passage of time, or that it can at least be remedied in a simple way.
Not to mention that today, each manufacturer can have its own communication protocols, however, we can find that they may not always be compatible with those of other manufacturers. The truth is that to try to solve this problem we have already worked on the creation of a standard protocol so that all manufacturers can support it and facilitate communication between all types of devices.
5G is the key to the future
Another important part is the hardware itself and the technologies that each device can use for its proper functioning. This is where the sensors, processors, etc. come into play. That without forgetting the communication technologies themselves, either through WiFi, cable or 3G, 4G mobile networks or in the near future 5G. And of course, the technologies used to ensure that all information travels securely over the network.
Surely, many people wonder how it is possible that one device communicates with another, and the other question is to understand how things carry out certain orders or perform a certain task based on parameters or signals received by sensors, etc.
The truth is that for IoT to work, we only need the devices correctly equipped with the necessary hardware that allows them to connect to the internet and a telecommunications infrastructure that supports them. As we have said, there are more and more devices that have the ability to connect to the internet, while the infrastructure is somewhat more complex, although telecommunications companies are already well prepared in this regard, since they are already in a position to support the large number of devices that will be connected.
In addition, each time they offer higher speeds - something that is also expected to significantly improve 5G - as well as introducing low latency and reduced energy consumption. This will undoubtedly enable many other devices to be connected and the range of IoT applications will be expanded.