What You Need to Know About the Internet of Things

​The "Internet of Things" (IoT) is a complex concept with more real world implications each day. It's a huge topic—the mere depth of which the tech world is still uncovering. But it is undeniably part of a proactive company's conversations about what to look out for on the tech radar. This post is going to focus on what exactly the Internet of Things is. We won't get into what it means for small and medium, or even large businesses yet, although you'll probably begin to see some possibilities. In the coming weeks, we'll talk about data security in a world where IoT is becoming normal. But for now, let's just hash out the mass amount of information out there about IoT to figure out what it is at its root.

At its core, Internet of Things is instantaneous machine-to-machine communication. It's built on networks of data-gathering sensors and Cloud computing. It's the idea that a Smart House can exist. The garage communicates with electronics to ensure you turned your stove off when you left the house; the alarm clock in the bedroom tells the coffeemaker downstairs when to power on. You get the idea- and you probably aren't surprised. It's already happening in so many places. You may have already interacted with the Internet of Things in your personal life: your Fitbit sending your workout activity to the Cloud, or a thermostat you can control from your mobile device.

The key here is data. Machine-to-machine conversations can't happen without the gathering of data from sensors. The value of IoT comes from leveraging mass amounts of data. And without Cloud-based applications to measure and analyze that data, it wouldn't get turned into instructions.

What kind of data do these sensors collect? You name it, and more are being invented rapidly. There's "Smart Cement" that can measure motion, weight, ice, and corrosion. There are sensors that detect gas leaks and chemicals, that differentiate sound vibrations, that monitor blood pressure, and that notice changes in temperature or pressure. IoT is developing the ability to gather limitless intelligence in real time.

The scope of the Internet of Things is incredible, and growing. There is currently double the amount of "things," or devices, connected to the Internet than humans on the planet. And a study from Juniper Research predicts that number will rise to 38.5 billion by 2020. But it's important to keep in mind that mere connections do not become useful until the data gathered by them are processed, analyzed, and understood.

Internet of Things is a moving target for CEOs and managers who want to stay on top of their technology game. We'll continue to talk about business benefits of IoT and security implications in the coming weeks.