The Internet of Things, or, The Toaster says Hello

The Internet of Things (IoT, for short) is a concept that has been around for over 15 years, and with the advent of cheap devices and plenty of bandwidth, has started to gain some traction.  So what is it?  There are a lot of definitions out there, covering a lot of area (and even more marketing hype) but there needs to be a good way of stating what it is.

 

So here is my definition:

 

The Internet of Things is a way of looking at how mundane devices can communicate with each other.

 

Yes, it's short, probably a lot shorter than you would expect.  But at the heart of it, it is things communicating with other things.  So maybe a few more definitions are in order

 

A Device can be anything that generates, processes, or consumes data. 

Communication is the act of sending and receiving of information

 

So far it sounds a lot like the regular internet.  You've got devices communicating back and forth, and you've got information flowing around between devices (in this case computers and servers).  We need that final word - Mundane.

 

Mundane - average, ordinary, not standing out in any way.

 

So we're not talking about connecting a tablet to eBay.  We're talking about connecting your front door to the security system, your mailbox sending a text message, or your toaster to the breadbox.  Some of these can already be done, and if you follow the news, you are seeing more products out every day that communicate back and forth.

 

But there is something lacking, and that is the ability of any device being able to communicate with any other device (within reason, of course - some conversations just don't make sense).  I've got the capability the tie my mailbox into the security system, and from there send me a text message whenever it is opened, but I can't just take that mailbox sensor and tag it directly from a browser.  I've got to go through an intermediary or two before I can get to the information.  Now this in itself isn't a problem, since there are times when you want this sort of aggregation to take place.  But in my case, since this information is local to my house, why should it go from the mailbox, to a centralized panel, to a server someplace in California, to a text message aggregator, and then finally I get that buzz on my phone when the postman does a delivery? 

 

Each device also has its idiosyncrasies for setting them up and communicating with them.  A WiFi camera will use 802.11x to communicate, while a 2Gig system uses a different set of frequencies and protocols to get things done.  Even the same class of devices on the same network may not communicate in the same way, meaning you cannot just get a device and add it to your security system, but have to get a specific type of sensor, sometimes with proprietary protocols that prevent it from working with other devices. 

 

So let me add another definition:

 

Open - the systems use non-proprietary methods of communications using commonly available protocols, and the communications medium is transparent as to function and capabilities.

 

So, a camera will look like a camera, and behave the same, at least at this level.  This isn't to say that a camera manufacturer can't add more functionality that can only be gotten to in their own special way - just that if you are a device, you have to play nicely.

 

So what am I doing here?  Well, I can't leave well enough alone. I don't do the hardware side, so developing devices isn't really my thing.  I'm an architect and developer, and I see a lack in the overall area.  There has been some mentions of a Web of Things, but it is also a bit nebulous.  So I'm not planning on creating the next widget to make my toaster talk to the breadbox.  Instead I'm exploring how I can make it easier for things to talk to each other.

 

In later posts I'll continue this discussion with myself.  There's a lot of stuff out there that I can look at, and maybe someone or something has already solved my problem.  But I'm guessing not, since my toaster still doesn’t recognize me and toast things the way I want them to.

A Break from my Break

If you have been following this at all, you may notice that there is a bit of a gap between the last post and this one.  Three months, in fact.  Quite a bit of time when measured against the internet, but miniscule when compared to the age of the universe, so everything is relative.   

What have I been doing?  oh, quite a few things.  Taking a few classes in Windows Azure, mowing teh yard, getting people through college and licensing, playing music, and doing some recording, just to name a few.  I also took a nice long vacation and did some heavy self inspection.

Since the first I've also started getting back into the work swing of things.  Formatting my resume for the first time in ages, registering on various technical job boards, setting my criteria for what I wished to do, and contacting places, while politely telling the recruiters with their perfect opportunity in New Jersey that I wasn't willing to relocate, and that Houston is too much of a commute from where I live now.  Five calls yesterday, ten the day before, and an undetermined number before then.  I've been limiting my search to within a ten mile circle (which given my location on the edge of the DFW Metroplex, cuts out a lot of area) to cut down my commute, and primarily looking at senior developer and architect jobs.  Drawing that line cuts a lot of the positions from Dallas, Irving and Addison, but even so there are quite a few things up in the Plano, Frisco and Richardson area.  

We're still living off of savings, primarily from selling stocks purchased over the past fifteen years.  It is sort of like retirement, but different.  I have mentioned that watching expenses is an important thing that you will need to do on a sabbatical, and that is still ongoing.  We have had some backsliding, such as eating out a bit more, but I still enjoy cooking at home.  

We did take a vacation through most of June, though.  Orlando, Disneyworld, Universal, NASA, and the beach for an extended period of time.  while portions did cost a bit (You can't eat at Disney too cheaply) we did save quite a bit by using hotel points, airline miles, and car rental points from my previous travels to cover the really big stuff.  From there it was primarily food, admission, and souvenirs.  

I'll see what the next few weeks brings.  I've talking to a few people about open positions that they have, and am entertaining a few others here and there.  There isn't a dearth of positions, and I got time to be a bit choosy, so I'll choose whats best for me.