What is the Internet of Things?

By Alexander Landa

As we discuss the Building Tech Forum coming up next Thursday, 2/16, you've likely seen the term Internet of Things thrown around frequently. IoT as it's abbreviated means the interconnectedness between all of a person's technological devices and their immediate environment – or in the case of our event, an entire city.

What seemed like only science fiction has begun to become a reality. We're already seeing our phones control the lights in our homes, and a building's energy usage reporting directly to the city. Smart cars, smart devices, smart products, smart buildings – all becoming a reality already. These devices aren't even exclusive to the 1% or researchers only, as many of these products are readily available for the average person.

It's easy to be skeptical, as a major concern over smart products is that a person's privacy may be invaded, but that's far from the case. Yes, these devices talk to each other and even the city, but only specific facts are shared, such as energy usage or to only control certain other smart appliances from your phone.

What can the IoT do for a city? Well, Smart Cities are slow to start, but many groups are pushing for it now. Little things like MIT creating smart benches and smart signs are already transforming how individuals engage with the city. These changes won't happen overnight, but can easily happen one building or one apartment at a time.

We hope to see you at the Building Tech Forum next week where you can learn more about this emerging topic! Use the code BTF20 for 20% off any ticket type.