Internet of Things, or briefly IoT, is one of the most promising trends in technology. According to many analysts, Internet of things can be the most disruptive technology in the upcoming decade. It will have a huge impact on our lives and it promises to modify our habits. IoT is and will be in the future a pervasive technology that will span its effects across many sectors:
- Industry
- Healthcare
- Transportation
- Manufacturing
- Agriculture
- Retail
- Smart cities
All these areas will benefit from using IoT. Before diving into IoT projects, it is important to know what IoT means. There are several definitions about the Internet of things, addressing different aspects and considering different areas of application. Anyway, it is important to underline that the IoT is much more than a network of smartphones, tablets, and PCs connected to each other. Briefly, IoT is an ecosystem where objects are interconnected and, at the same time, they connect to the internet. The Internet of things includes every object that can potentially connect to the internet and exchange data and information. These objects are always connected anytime, anywhere, and they exchange data.
The concept of connected objects is not new and over the years it has been developed. The level of circuit miniaturization and the increasing power of CPU with a lower consumption makes it possible to imagine a future where there are millions of "things" that talk to each other.
The first time that the Internet of things was officially recognized was in 2005. The International Communication Union (ITU) in a report titled The Internet of things (https://www.itu.int/osg/spu/publications/internetofthings/InternetofThings_summary.pdf), gave the first definition:
"A new dimension has been added to the world of information and communication technologies (ICTs): from anytime, any place connectivity for anyone, we will now have connectivity for anything ... . Connections will multiply and create an entirely new dynamic network of networks - an Internet of Things "
In other words, the IoT is a network of smart objects (or things) that can receive and send data and we can control it remotely.
