Guest Column

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This is the first in a series of guest columns by David Schnaufer of RFMD

The evolution of technology has created a society in which we have round-the-clock access to information. We are connected to the Internet via laptops, tablets, or smartphones; having information readily available is now taken for granted. The information pathways of today are expanding and becoming embedded — sometimes literally — into our everyday lives. This expanding transformation is being called the Internet of Things (IoT).

As smartphones drove the trend of constant connection, the IoT will drive the adoption of devices in markets such as smart energy, smart cities, and smart homes. As technological developments and Internet connections increase, these areas will become interconnected, allowing businesses, consumers, and governments to control, analyze, and make intuitive decisions using the many forms of data entering their mobile and nonmobile devices.

The IoT is not new — the technological advancements have been discussed for some time — but the technology and actual development of it are now emerging. Tiny electronic sensors and devices embedded in everything from smart meters and washers and dryers to traffic lights and radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are changing our lives, our businesses, and our governments.

Organizations have already begun the rollout of devices that analyze and use this flow of information. Machine–to-machine (M2M) sensors, such as RFID tags used on products and packages, track items through supply chains, optimizing the efficiency of inventory management systems and reducing costs. These sensors also allow companies to track the flow of goods among warehouses, trucks, businesses, and consumers. Gathering and analyzing the information from these sensors allows companies to increase fuel efficiency by monitoring driver actions of speed, stops, and traffic-related data. All of this data will give companies a better understanding of real-time events, leading to better overall decisions throughout the supply chain.

According to market research analysts, there are currently five billion users worldwide connected to mobile networks; Ericsson estimates there will be 50 billion connected devices by 2020. With this exponential growth, we see an increase in both user connections as well as M2M communication connections, with M2M connections being the main driver behind the increased use of the IoT. These M2M connections will allow us to monitor data between hubs or base stations and machines such as energy meters, vending machines, household appliances, and, in the future, point-of-sale devices and GPS sensors in emergency responders' clothing. Ultimately, these connections of data will provide us with information to add value to our daily lives via automated management of our homes, public utilities, and more.

At a high level, the IoT will allow us to instantaneously gather and analyze information from a plethora of objects, thereby enabling us to control these objects and make well-informed decisions about our daily activities. For example, our smart homes will be equipped with ground sensors so the sprinkler system "knows" the lawn needs watering, or our car automatically communicates with the garage door and it opens as we pull into the driveway.

The IoT will also be helpful in the healthcare industry. These M2M sensors offer the possibility of monitoring patients' symptoms, vitals, and behaviors in real time, allowing doctors to make accurate diagnoses and plan treatment regimens. Treatments could be monitored remotely 24 hours a day, seven days a week instead of visiting the doctor. Attaining all of this data from patients remotely and instantaneously will allow doctors and hospitals to track patient trends at minimal cost and intrusion of a patient's daily life. This could ultimately lead to reduced hospitalization costs and more effective patient treatment.

It is important for consumers, businesses, and governments to realize the potential this new IoT brings. Opportunities for applications and devices are endless, and they will build upon each other as this trend takes hold. Advancements in areas such as nanotechnology will allow for smaller, more compact devices; batteries with extended life will allow for longer device operation; energy harvesting technology will pull operational energy from the environment; and all will create new opportunities, making it easier to link sensors anywhere and at any time.

Smart cities and smart energy will most likely be the catalysts that drive the growth of the IoT due to their ability to provide value through linking consumers, businesses, and governments simultaneously to data that provides financial savings and control. The smart city concept is becoming central to the long-term vision of many city governments around the world. Currently, many smart energy sensors are being installed to enable users to control utility networks and reduce energy costs. Market research analysts predict smart cities will evolve over the next several years, emerging through smaller ecosystem submarkets, such as the smart energy market. These submarkets will grow from an umbrella of grid infrastructure, buildings, education, security, and transportation — where several providers will interlink their services through information and communication technology (ICT) to create the overall smart city IoT ecosystem. As providers and end users continue to see the value added by the IoT ecosystems — energy savings, safety, and security — adoption will increase.

As with every new technology or trend, consumers, businesses, and governments will have to recognize the value of the IoT before they will embrace its use. The IoT has endless possibilities, but there will be some hurdles to overcome, such as legal implications of privacy and keeping device protocols aligned. Addressing these hurdles by resolving the concerns of all sides will be imperative for adoption in all subgroups of the IoT.

As the IoT gains momentum, it will open additional horizons in the 50 billion connections predicted by Ericsson. It will most assuredly offer an even greater number of connections beyond that date. The evolution from supply-chain management applications to vertical market applications in transportation and healthcare, and then finally to the future of ubiquitous positioning where we have the ability to locate objects all around us instantaneously, will most likely be endless. One can be sure that the IoT will change our environment and how we live in the same way that smartphones and tablets are now changing our lives and the way we live.

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