The Internet Of Things Explained: Definition And Examples

Whether self-driving cars, innovative heating systems, or coffee machines controlled via the app – the Internet of Things has many faces. But what exactly is this Internet of Things, and what is it supposed to be able to do? We give a definition and examples.

Simply put, the Internet of Things (IoT) describes the networking of everyday objects, machines, and goods with each other. They communicate with each other and act together via the Internet. The user controls them in this way. In general, it is about the comprehensive networking of everything with everything.

Model Entertainment Electronics

This development began a few years ago in the field of consumer electronics. In many households, devices such as televisions, PCs, and smartphones are connected via the home network. Films stored on the computer can already be streamed to the TV set via WLAN and watched there without any problems. Smartphones, tablets, and PCs play a central role in this world, as they are the classic devices we navigate the Internet and use to communicate with one another there.

Networking Reaches Everyday Life

In the meantime, networking is no longer only relevant in consumer electronics. It is increasingly spreading to other areas of daily life. It doesn’t matter whether it’s washing machines, microwaves, or garden lighting – almost everything can theoretically be remotely controlled via an app. Even entire heating systems can be regulated in this way.

For manufacturers, the Internet of Things is no longer just about excellent gimmicks but about tangible added value such as substantial savings of time, money, and energy – i.e., things that can be sold to customers on a large scale. Washing machine manufacturers offer devices that can be switched on when you are out and about using an app. For example, users could ensure that their clothes are washed in time for the end of the day.

The coffee machine can be operated in the same way. While you are still in bed, you could use an app to tell it to brew your morning coffee. With the bright LED light Hue, Philips offers a networked lighting system. Individual lamps can be distributed in different household rooms and controlled remotely via an app. In this way, different rooms can be illuminated in different colors. The lighting color and intensity can be adjusted according to the occasion or time of day. Overall, many of the fields of application for the Internet of Things overlap with the Smart Home area.

The Internet of Things is practical, but it can also help save money. One example is the intelligent heating systems. Here, an intelligent thermostat uses a smartphone to determine the location of the residents and automatically lowers the temperature in the household when the last person leaves the house. On the other hand, if a resident approaches the house, the thermostat preheats the apartment. Overall, the manufacturer promises energy savings of up to 31 percent with its system.

Connected Devices And Processes

An essential aspect of the Internet of Things is the networking of different devices that at first glance have no direct relation to each other. The mutual exchange of data should enable household appliances, for example, to respond even better to the needs of their owners. This could even go so far that a washing machine automatically recognizes the clothes in the drum using microchips and then selects the appropriate washing program. The possibilities of networking seem almost unlimited.

Also Read: Security Solutions For Wearable IoT Devices

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