Imagine a world where your washing machine gets into a strop because of all the quality time you’ve been spending with your dishwasher lately. This is the kind of strange world which is made possible by the Internet of Things (IoT).
It’s a term used to describe the way that more and more of the everyday objects are getting smarter. We are now seeing technology being integrated into everything from our kitchen appliances to our clothing.
And that means that all of these devices can now start communicating with each other - sharing data via Bluetooth or WiFi. So the Internet of Things looks at the different ways this idea can be used to improve our lives.
So here’s a look at some of the niftiest examples:
Knock Knock…
You know the hassle of deliveries - how you’re always out when the delivery person arrives? Well, here’s a really smart IoT style solution. It’s called Ring and it’s a doorbell device that’s fitted with a camera.
When somebody rings the bell, you can see who’s outside via a smartphone app. And you can use your phone to talk to them - you can tell delivery person where to leave your package.
Warm Welcome
This was one of the first IoT devices to really take off. It’s a slick looking thermostat with a touchscreen which links up to your home’s heating and hot water system.
It works by learning exactly how you want your place to be heated. Each time you make an adjustment to the temperature, it uses the info to help create a personalised heat schedule.
You can also control everything via an app and use it to help reduce your energy bills by making sure you’re only heating the bits of the house you’re using.
Sleep Tight
This is either a great example of how technology can help us lead healthier lives or a nightmare vision of the future, where we’re bossed around by naggy gadgets. It’s a wristband which monitors lots of different stuff - your exercise, diet and even your sleep patterns.
It’s connected to a smartphone app which acts like a personal lifestyle coach. It encourages and advise you on the best exercise routines, sets goals and works out the ideal time for you to go to bed and get up.
Sweet Talking
If you’ve ever seen one of those sci-fi movies where somebody swishes into a room and starts giving commands to a robot voice - that’s basically what Amazon Echo is. It’s a microphone, in the shape of a cylinder, which you communicate with via voice commands.
It’s hooked up to the Internet so you can ask it just about any question and it’ll dig out the information. But it’s also designed to be connected up to all the other gadgets in your home, letting you command your entire fiefdom while slouched on the sofa.
Smart Racket
One area that IoT is likely to make a big impression is sporting equipment. A good example is the Babolat Play range of tennis rackets which include a sensor to track a load of different performance stats.
All the clever stuff is in the handle which tracks everything from the power of shots to the exact area of the racket used. It can store up to 150 hours of tennis activity with all the data being sent to an app via Bluetooth.
These same kind of monitors are likely to start appearing in lots of different sports equipment, such as football boots, skis and snooker cues.
