What is the Internet of Things?

The Internet of Things, in general, refers to uniquely identifiable objects and their virtual representations in an Internet-like structure. If all objects and people in daily life were equipped with identifiers, they could be managed and inventoried by computers. This tagging of things, besides using radio-frequency identification (RFID), may be achieved through such technologies like near field communication (NFC), barcodes and QR codes. In the IT world today, the term Internet of Things (commonly abbreviated as IoT) is used to describe the advanced connectivity of devices, systems and services that goes beyond machine-to-machine communications; it covers a variety of protocols, domains and applications.

So how does the IoT change our lifestyle?

No more “missing the bus”

In some major cities, Singapore for example, I can use the mobile application installed on my smartphone to check when my designated bus will arrive at my bus stop. To make this information available, all buses in Singapore are equipped with automatic vehicle management system (AVMS) tracking devices. These tracking devices are comprised of GPS, object identifiers and a communication system that normally uses a 3G or 4G (LTE) network for sending position and speed information. The buses’ exact locations en route can be tracked in near real time, and, together with relevant route conditions and patterns collected from road sensors, this can help the tracking system provide estimated arrival times for the next bus. With this information, I can easily catch my bus at the right time, and I no longer have to waste time waiting at the bus stop.

Cashless payment

Nowadays, most smartphones are equipped with near field communication capability. Some developed countries are looking at using the NFC infrastructure for mobile payment services as part of a next-generation electronic payment program. Many of our daily activities involve making cash payments, and these can now be completed using a mobile device. Buses and taxis, grocery stores, movie theaters and more now accept cashless payments using NFC that is tied to the customer’s bank account or credit card.

Cashless payments enabled by NFC provide some of the following benefits to the consumer:

• A single NFC application that is able to combine multiple transactions into one saves the customer from the hassle of presenting separate loyalty and payment cards.
  
• The ability to instantly load information by tapping the NFC mobile phone against a smart poster lets the customer easily download coupons, discount vouchers and tickets to his or her phone.

Be healthier and live a longer life

A smartwatch is not just a device that tells you the time and date, and acts as a stopwatch or alarm clock. This device can work with your smartphone to provide certain phone functions such as message notification, making a call, listening to music and others. Because these capabilities are part of a little gadget (a watch) that most people wear for the majority of the day, that gadget can also be used to track a person’s health. In the world of health and fitness tracking, connected smartphone device vendors have scoped out the wrist as the ideal place for accelerometers, pulse trackers and galvanic skin response sensors to give people feedback about their workouts, as well as other health stats such as heart rate, blood pressure and more.

Collecting and sending your daily health stats to your family doctor or healthcare system to be analyzed allows your health to be monitored by an expert. Thus, you might be able to get earlier health warnings and the proper treatment before your health gets worse. With these technologies in place, don’t you think you can live longer?

Connect with me on Twitter @StevenYeoky to discuss more about how technology and the Internet of Things is changing our lives.

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