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“As the Internet of things advances, the very notion of a clear dividing line between reality and virtual reality becomes blurred, sometimes in creative ways.” – Geoff Mulgan

What is IoT and what is it doing in our homes?

IoT stands for “Internet of Things” and is most likely in your house or a friend’s house. “Internet of Things” is any type of device that can be interconnected with other IoT devices through Internet and bluetooth. This qualifies as smart home devices such as: smart appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers, etc.), smart home security (alarm systems, monitors, etc.), and smart home energy equipment (smart thermostats and smart lightenings). Companies like Google and Amazon have had major success in producing their IoT smart devices like the Google Home and Amazon Echo.

These devices function for the sole purpose of assisting individuals in their day to day tasks and chores– which is why they are so popular. Now you can have the ability to shop just by speaking, have a device play you white noise as you go to sleep, and heat up you house while you are on your way back to work.

What’s the big deal?

Although most people have already heard of IoT start home devices such as the Google Home and Amazon Echo, this This technology is shows how much technology has grown and will continue to grow. This can even be shown through pop/entertainment culture- such as Disney Channel’s Smart House (1999) . Made two decades ago in 1999, Smart House was about a futuristic home (named Pat) that provided all the necessities for the Cooper family through voice commands (such as turning on lights, acting as an intercom system, and completing other voice activated tasks) and even learned more about the owners through these requests. What seemed as a futuristic type of technology then is now widely accessible and affordable in 2018.

Privacy, Safety Concerns, and other Problems.

Spoiler Alert: At the end of Smart House (1999) Pat (the name of the smart house assistant) takes control of the house but is ultimately shut down by the the son of the house. IoT smart home technology doesn’t take over your home (hopefully!) but there are some safety and conerns that come along with it. The limiting processing capabilities of Smart Home devices make them vulnerable to well-known security and privacy threats. It also can lead to an increase in the amount of data so to the amount and activities of these IoT smart devices.

Positives.

Smart devices also have positives to it. The ability to control the temperature and the lightening of a house while being at work, on the road, or anywhere else aids in saving energy.  The most obvious positive result from these devices is how convenient it is to do activities: getting answers to questions, shopping, relaxing, listening to music, and much more. You can even see celebrities supporting and appearing on advertisements for smart devices (especially during this year’s Super Bowl LII Commercials   .)

Smart devices are going so well and have become so popular that there have been proposals to make “smart cities” through this technology. “Smart Cities” are intended to “reduce waste and improve efficiency for things such as energy use; this helping us understand and improve how we work and live” (Morgan, Jacob) .click here for article.

 

 

Thanks for reading!

Fin,

Jasmine Smith