Anatomy of the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) is essentially a network of physical objects connected via the Internet, a buzzword for a new technology landscape that is reshaping the way we live and work. But is its potential understood and are we prepared for a new wave of industrial revolution?

The “things” are physical entities whose state or identity is capable of being relayed to a connected infrastructure. Almost anything to which a sensor can be attached – a plant, a cow in a field, the refrigerator in your home, a lamppost in the street or shipping container – can become a node or an endpoint in the IoT.





Sensors are components of “things’ that both collate and disseminate critical data on such things as temperature, altitude, velocity, illumination, motion, power, humidity, blood sugar, air quality, soil moisture or location… you name it. Mankind and technology are revolutionizing products and services, that were once analog and mechanical to complex systems that combine hardware, sensors, data storage, microprocessors, software and connectivity in multitude of ways.

These so-called smart or connected products have been made possible thanks to vast improvements and declining costs in data-processing power and device miniaturization, along with very sophisticated layered security. The products use sensors that can communicate either directly with the internet or with internet-connected devices, and by tapping ubiquitous wireless connectivity. Further, the software needed to analyze this data has improved dramatically, opening to the door to a new hyper-connected era of competition and growth.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

- Albert Einstein - 1879-1955, Theoretical Physicist