Definition and scope of IoT

Summary

The Internet of Things (IoT) describes physical objects embedded with sensors, processing capability, software, and other technologies that connect to and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet or other communication networks. The scope of IoT spans multiple engineering fields—especially electronics, communication, and computer science—and it is often enabled by advances in ubiquitous computing, sensors, embedded systems, and machine learning. Although the name “Internet of things” suggests public Internet connectivity, the content notes that most devices do not need to be connected directly to the public Internet; they mainly need to be connected to a network and be individually addressable. IoT’s practical scope includes both consumer uses (such as smart home products) and much larger business and industrial applications, where connected devices support monitoring, tracking, and automation across domains like healthcare, transportation, utilities, and manufacturing.

Key Points

• 1

  IoT is the interconnection of everyday physical objects equipped with sensors, computing, and software to collect and exchange data over networks.

• 2

  IoT’s scope covers consumer, business, and industrial applications, with major impact in asset tracking, industrial monitoring, smart metering, and connected healthcare.

• 3

  Most IoT devices may not require direct public Internet access; they primarily need network connectivity and unique addressing, making the term “Internet of things” somewhat of a misnomer.