It’s predicted that by the year 2020, 50 to 100 billion things will be electronically connected in the Internet of Things (IoT), fueling technological innovation by creating the means for machines to communicate many different types of information with one another.
The IoT is a future where people and objects communicate in unprecedented ways. It used to be that your phone, the fridge, and TV were each distinct devices, manufactured in very different environments. Not any more. With so many things capable of being connected throughout the world, the success of IoT will strongly depend on standardization.
The IEEE SA recognizes the value of the IoT and the benefits it brings to the public. So, at the SXSW 2013 Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas, USA, IEEE SA hosted the “Digital Telepathy: When Every Thing Connects” panel.
The standing-room only event featured a panel of speakers from some of the leading names in technology, including Broadcom, STMicroelectronics, Synopsys, and Telx. The panel explored the dynamics of the interconnection and the convergence of electronics devices while addressing the need for a more coordinated approach to design, engineering, development, communication and privacy.
“Get ready! The Internet of Things is about to meet the Internet of People in which pervasive connectivity and embedded intelligence will enable the environment to learn about us and better cater to our needs and habits to ensure our comfort while maximizing energy efficiency,” Oleg Logvinov, panel member and Director Market Development Industrial & Power Conversion Division, STMicroelectronics, said. “These are the Smart Homes and Smart Cities you’ve been hearing about for years. We are also looking at application-level convergence to bring together entertainment, Internet of Energy, and electric vehicles,” he added.
“From machine to machine to medical to energy, there are a number of exciting IoT application vertices emerging that will impact how we work, live and play,” said panelist Wael William Diab, Senior Technical Director in the Office of the CTO at Broadcom. “IEEE SA standards will play a key role in enabling the IoT ecosystem.”
“Continuing price/performance improvements in processing and networking are accelerating ubiquitous connectivity among things and people,” according to Joe Weinman, Senior VP at Telx and the author of Cloudonomics. “Software, standards, and interconnection together enable these raw capabilities to be employed to address today’s complex global challenges,” he added.
“The Internet of Things could change our lives in dramatic ways, and the IEEE Standards Association is working to ensure that those changes work to benefit us all,” said Mary Lynne Nielsen, Director of IEEE SA’s Corporate and Emerging Technologies Programs. “Through the many different types of coordinated activities it is preparing, the IEEE will assist in this creation of an interconnected, dynamic world.”
“We think of standards as the ‘connective tissue’ that enables everything to communicate and interoperate,” said Karen Bartleson, Sr. Director of Community Marketing at Synopsys and President of the IEEE Standards Association. “Standards are making the Internet of Things come alive.”
IEEE SA’s focus on the Internet of Things isn’t stopping with SXSW. On 12 April 2013, IEEE SA will host an Internet of Things Workshop in Shenzhen, China. For more information, visit the IEEE SA IoT Workshop Web page.
UPDATED:
2014 Internet of Things Workshop, visit the IEEE SA IoT Website.
2013 and past Internet of Things Workshops, visit the IEEE SA IoT Web Page.
