Imagine if your kitchen scales could advise you about nutrition or if your lavatory could tell you to see a doctor. The Internet of Things is making these ideas possible, but at what price?The Internet of Things may be one of the clumsier neologisms to have emerged in recent times, but that has seemingly done nothing to slow its growth. For those unfamiliar with it, the Internet of Things (also known as M2M or machine to machine) refers to an expanding network of interconnected internet-enabled devices. Driven by miniaturisation, the affordability of components such as cheap Bluetooth sensors, and the growing ubiquity of technologies such as Wi-Fi, it is now possible to connect devices in a way that would never have previously been thought possible. While still in its “early adopter” infancy, some estimates suggest that by 2020 there will be in the region of 50bn IoT devices – all talking with one another on a constant basis.”Consumers are beginning to realise that this technology isn’t an outlandish, futurist concept coming to life from The Jetsons but in fact can be used efficiently and effectively to solve everyday problems,” says Alex Hawkinson, CEO of home automation company SmartThings. “The top-use cases have to do with security, peace of mind and savings. For example, consumers can be notified when a door is opened or there is motion while they’re away. They can be notified when there is moisture in the basement and they can programme the lights and heat to turn off when no one is present in the house, which can mean huge energy savings.”
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jun/08/internet-of-things-coming-together-tech-revolution