My Pen Can't Find the Wi-Fi!

Hello again from cyberspace!

This post is dedicated to the Internet of Things! The title of the post may sound weird, but that may be a concern in a few short years. The McKinsey Quarterly recently published this article on the subject, which we'll review in this post.


The Internet of Things refers to placing sensors in all manner of items which then utilize the Internet in some form or fashion. This can be wall outlets that can monitor their own energy usage, then let the power company know when it can be switched off, or even a smart refrigerator that can tell you when to buy milk, or suggest recipes based on what's inside. It sounds like something of a Sci-Fi movie, but these technologies are popping up everywhere.


Businesses are interested in this technology because it lets them to respond faster to consumer needs. According to the article, this can be in the form of billboards that change messages based on who is looking at it, or changing the price of an item at the point of sale based on other items being purchased. Unlike some of the other topics discussed in this blog, omnipresent 'big-brother' devices constantly connected to the Internet is still a ways off. It isn't necessarily cheap to mass-produce this technology, and debugging items can be difficult to do. Even so, thanks to the implications of the technology, it is already being discussed in certain circles.


But it isn't all doom and gloom. There is a new wave of self-awareness growing in popularity known as Quantified Self. Quantified Self is quantifying everything you do - how much you eat, how often you breath, how much you walk, how long you sit - just about anything. This is enabled by the Internet of things, mostly from wearable computing, like the combination of Nike and iPods. This is done through a device in certain Nike shoes that can communicate with your iPod, which will monitor your movements and allow you to manage your workouts. It will even pick the music you hear to keep you motivated through the run.


As with anything in life, there are benefits and problems to the idea of the Internet of Things. It may be a ways off, but you need to consider how you feel about your TV watching you back...