Today's objects are networked and smart and have their own digital identity. Their use brings challenges and opportunities in equal measure.
The Internet of Things (IoT) consists of “intelligent” objects that support people in their activities without being distracting or conspicuous. The “intelligent” objects consist of ever smaller, networked embedded systems with various sensors and actuators. Even today, more devices than people are connected to the internet. Cisco estimates that the Internet of Things will comprise around 50 billion devices by 2020. We have carried out numerous IoT projects with partners to transform electricity meters, power generators and impact absorbers into “smart” objects. Mathematically, the Internet of Things can be described with the following equation:
Internet of Things (IoT) = objects + (microcontrollers + software + sensors + actuators) + Internet
ESA Institut für Elektronik, Sensorik und Aktorik Professor für Elektrotechnik und Elektronik
+41 58 257 33 91 guido.piai@ost.ch
