Fascinating Facts About the Internet of Things
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Impressive Beginnings
Kevin Ashton originated the phrase "Internet of things" in 2009. He's co-founder of MIT's Auto-ID Center, which developed a global standard system for RFID and other sensors. -
Room to Grow
Only .06% of "things" that could be connected to the Internet currently are. -
Total Connection
More than 26 billion devices will be associated with the Internet of things by 2020. -
Human Factor
The number of things connected to the Internet first exceeded the number of people on earth In 2008. -
Big Money
Cisco CEO John Chambers has estimated the potential market value of the Internet of things at $19 trillion. A more conservative estimate is $8.9 trillion by 2020. -
Peak Demand
26% of the IT opportunities associated with the Internet of things will be driven by the need to improve the customer experience, and 21% will be driven by the need for more innovation. -
Available Space
With IPv6, the Internet will be capable of having 100 Web addresses for every atom on the earth's surface, paving the way for the Internet of things. -
Committed Stake
Three out of four companies are currently exploring the Internet of things internally, and 68% are allocating IT budget to it. -
Risky Business
The connected "things" that have already been hacked include game consoles, TVs and refrigerators. -
Stamp of Approval
83% of IT experts and other Internet of things stakeholders believe that the Internet of things will ultimately benefit the world.
If something isn't connected to the Internet—whether human, animal, household appliance, automobile, factory tool, etc.—does it exist? If you're going all-in on the Internet of things, you may conclude that it doesn't. Simply stated, the Internet of things refers to the possibility of providing online connectivity for every "thing" on the planet. In addition to computing devices, the objects and products that can be connected include cars, ovens, bathtubs, washing machines, bridges, dams and hospital patient monitors. What else could come of this? "Paper towel dispensers in restrooms that signal when they need to be refilled," according to a recent report from the Pew Research Internet Project. "Municipal trash cans that signal when they need to be emptied. Alarm clocks that start the coffee maker." The phenomenon has even launched the concept of "smart creatures," which places homing devices on animals. In the case of honey bees, for example, the device would monitor their pollination productivity. Given the growing interest in these and other related tech developments, we're presenting the following 10 fascinating facts about the Internet of things. They were compiled from a variety of online research and infographics, including reports from Cisco, Gartner and the Pew Research Internet Project study.