Things are getting complicated.  The term “internet of things” refers to the phenomenon that through technological developments of the internet, including Wi-Fi, we can connect to each other and to countless objects through electronic devices.   So “things” in this context includes “people.”

As an example, if you use a smart phone, that phone enables you to talk to others, text them messages, send them an email, see what each other is doing through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media.  It also enables you to connect to appliances, equipment, and machines, including for example your home security system, your coffee machine or washing machine, headphones, TVs.  It enables you to adjust the thermostat in your home when you’re away from home, or to monitor your usage of electricity at any time of the day through smart energy grids.  It enables you to monitor your physical activity at any given time.

On a larger scale, it allows for “smart cities” where the internet can monitor and control traffic flows and infrastructure.

There has been an explosion of this internet of things as a result of the technological developments making electronic devices cheaper, and more and more possibilities for connecting devices over the internet.

Some further ideas to explore on Internet of Things:

How many people or “friends” are you connected to through the internet and its many social media platforms?  How many of these connections are duplicates, i.e., the same person connected by different means.

How much time do you spend each day using the internet to connect to other people?  To other electroninc devices or appliances or things?

How many friends do you talk to by phone more than 15 minutes each day?  How many friends do you talk to in person each day?

Have you ever been hacked and had private data stolen through this internet of things?

Sources:

Jacob Morgan, “A Simple Explanation of ‘The Internet of Things’,” Forbes (13 May 2014). bit.ly/2rSx5oN

Daniel Burrus, “The Internet of Things Is Far Bigger Than Anyone Realizes,” Wired. bit.ly/2cRyy6O

Nicole Kobie, “What is the internet of things?” The Guardian (6 May 2015). bit.ly/2dMa4sg