What Is IoT and How Does It Work? Part 1

At the core of the Internet of Things is the idea of connectivity with the purpose of optimizing our lives, whether at home, at play, or at work. How did we get here? In one sentence: 20th century telcom gave us long distance calling, personal computers, and the internet; while 21st century technology gave us mobile devices (i.e. the iPhone) and much faster connectivity that opened our eyes to the possibilities of device integration. (Run on sentence, I know.)

The reality is, there is an entire range of devices, tools, processes and “things” tied to the internet allowing us to interact and connect. Everything from the simple tools we hold in our hands to complex processes allowing manufacturing facilities to optimize processes. All this allows humans to focus on more important activities.

Through the Internet of Things we can gather and analyze data, gaining insights for simplification and optimization. A simple example of this – a homeowner can connect a smart thermostat to their home. That thermostat will automatically learn the behavior of those living in the home and adapt accordingly. This will save money and time for the homeowner. Then, to take the example one step further, the homeowner can use a connected app to access and control the thermostat remotely, when needed.

In fact, the core of what we do at SecureNet, highly connected security and monitoring, is deeply rooted in the fundamentals of IoT. A homeowner can be out of town and still have full awareness of the safety and security of her home environment. This can be done through a connection of a security system, smart locks, smart garage door openers, smart cameras, and so many other devices. And, all of these devices can be viewed and controlled from the convenience of a mobile device. It’s pretty amazing!

A security system with smart home devices is an easy and smart way to enter into the exciting world of IoT. We’re excited to see what’s to come in the near IoT future!

In Part 2, we’ll give a simple overview of the components of the IoT landscape.

Cover image credit: Thinkwik