How Does the Internet of Things Work?

Guest Contribution from James Daniels

Technology moves extraordinarily quickly and it can seem like there is something new coming out every week or every month. New technologies are often driven by visionaries, people who have inspiring ideas for new technologies, but who don’t necessarily have the means to develop them whether that be because of a lack of skills or funding. It is not uncommon for these new technologies to fail almost before they even get going.

One of the main reasons for this is because they are so ahead of their time that the mass market would not fully understand how to use the new technology or have not yet discovered the need for this new technology. A good example of this is electric cars. Electric cars were first being developed as far back as 1828 and people are only beginning to adopt this technology now in the masses.

One such technology that has been successful and that is being integrated into people’s lives more and more every day in the Internet of Things. In some cases, is it so ingrained that people do not yet know that some of the devices they are using is powered by or is using the Internet of Things?

What is the Internet of Things?

The Internet of Things is part of what makes devices ‘smart’. Devices that make use of the IoT may have an IoT sim that enables them to connect to the internet and to a network. Examples of devices that may be connected to the Internet of Things include TVs and refrigerators.

In reality, if something can be connected to the internet then it can be part of the Internet of Things. Devices that are connected are able to talk to each other. The data that is transferred between these devices can be collected, analyzed and used to help make people’s lives easier or to help tasks get done quicker.

An example might be a refrigerator that is connected to the Internet of Things. Some refrigerators will be able to tell when you are running slow on supplies and place an order for groceries without any assistance or prompt.

Privacy and Security Concerns

Although the Internet of Things is still really in its infancy, there are already a number of concerns that are being raised around privacy and security. Essentially the smart devices in your home rely of the collection and analysis of data to do their job. Who owns this data, where this data is stored, and whether companies should have access to it are all questions that are currently being debated.

Privacy is another key issue that people are wrestling with. The internet has many great benefits but it can also be very easily misused. Some cases of this misuse have been where people have installed security cameras into their home. Hackers may be able to gain access to these cameras, watch you in your home and know when you are at home and when you are not.

Although the Internet of Things seems like a great and useful tool, key issues like these need to be considered before diving head-first into the world of IoT.

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James Daniels is a freelance writer, business enthusiast, a bit of a tech buff, and an overall geek. He is also an avid reader, who can while away hours reading and knowing about the latest gadgets and tech, whilst offering views and opinions on these topics.