Source: Intro to the Internet of Things
Definition
IoT (Internet of Things) = network of physical devices, equipment, and smart objects that collect, send, and/or receive data via the internet/cloud.
Enables: near real-time data → automation, tight feedback loops, informed decisions without human intervention.
IoT Examples
Consumer IoT
- Home Security: sensors, cameras, alarms controlled from smartphone
- Smart Home: automated lighting, heating, voice assistants
- Wearables: smartwatches, fitness trackers (heart rate, blood pressure)
- Appliances: smart fridges tracking food/expiry, smart plugs measuring power
Industrial IoT (IIoT)
Main value added happens in industrial applications:
- Equipment Maintenance: Rolls-Royce predictive maintenance for jet engines
- Farming: John Deere autonomous self-driving tractors/sprayers with sensors
- Heavy Machinery: Rio Tinto remote command center for mining equipment
- Renewable Energy: Iberdrola/Siemens IoT for offshore wind farm optimization
- Facilities Management: energy efficiency, space utilization, supply monitoring
5 High-Level Components of an IoT System
| # | Component | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sensors | Collect data from environment (temperature, GPS, velocity, etc.) |
| 2 | IoT Devices | Computing devices — connect securely to cloud, send/receive data |
| 3 | Cloud Gateway / Hub | Ingests data, sends commands, manages device provisioning |
| 4 | Data Processing | Validates data, checks thresholds, triggers alerts, stores data |
| 5 | User Interface | Visualizes data, triggers actions, configures automation |
IoT Cloud Service Providers
Three main providers:
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Microsoft Azure ← used in this course
- Google Cloud
Others: IBM Cloud IoT, Oracle IoT
See Also
- IoT System Architecture topic
- MQTT and IoT Protocols topic