Why The Internet Of Things Is Such A Booming Industry

 

When the movie "Minority Report" came out they did a terrific thing with predicting the way that our surroundings will be reacting to our presence, although they may have taken it a few steps too far to explain how it happens when the solutions are actually much simpler.

The industry behind the Internet Of Things or the IoT is something everyone is buzzing about. Science fiction has people getting eye replacements, or being "chipped" like we do with pets now when all we need is a smartphone or a watch. With as often as phones break down and need to be replaced the idea of having a device inserted isn't into my neck or forearm isn't very appealing. Can you imagine having to wait at the Apple store so their surgical team can replace your chip ? Maybe I'm old fashioned but if we have more processing power in our phone than all of the mission to the moon computers I think they can probably handle turning on our lights or shopping at the grocery store.

Dick Tracy cartoons came out in 1931, talk about ahead of their time. Eat your heart out Stanley Kubrick ! Many friends have adopted "watch tech" to do everything from read emails to start their cars. It's certainly cleaner and less burdensome than the smartphone but the interface doesn't appeal to everyone. That being said "early adapters" are always willing to try out the latest tech, even if it goes the way of the Betamax.

So what's the benefit to the masses? Any products that come out or industries that are disruptive satisfy a need. Steve Jobs liked to try and satisfy needs that we didn't even know we had. So what needs aren't being met ? Perhaps efficiency in how we lead our everyday lives. If we are really using our smartphones to make sure that our house isn't running too much energy while we're gone, or our refrigerator is making our grocery list for us, or even ordering it, it certainly takes some of the "thinking" out of the equation. Where does the level of need start and or stop ? Do we need a razor that lets us know when it needs to be changed and orders other razors for us ?

Do we need an eyeball hanging from our ceiling like HAL or Justine (voiced by Kaley Cuoco in the movie Why Him) or has Alexa already fulfilled that need ? The life alert button was popular 30 years ago, can Alexa, or an Alexa-like product someday see that your heartbeat has stopped and call an ambulance for you ? That would be a practical application, as long as she didn't do it when you take off your watch in the shower.

Appliances are the rage in the IoT at the moment, as are cars that are self driving and connected to your refrigerator, but are we ready to have Watson as our best friend ? Maybe not for everyone but in a generation or two it may be the norm.

Do you have an IoT product that you're developing? Go to Gimelson.com to contact me.