The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing rapidly.  Some people are even saying that 2014 is going to be the year for the Internet of Things.  So, what is the Internet of Things?

The Internet, simply put, is a network of computer machines (servers, desktops, tablets, etc) communicating with one another in a way that allows people to share data.  The Internet of Things, simply put, is a network of EVERYTHING communicating with one another in a way that allows EVERYTHING to share data.

With the improvement of wireless communications and sensors, especially in the area of RFID, Bluetooth, Wi-fi, and other technologies, we can now allow virtually any object, living or not, to communicate over the Internet.  For example, we can enable light bulbs to notify us when they go out, which may not seem that helpful in a small house, but imagine a large office complex where there are thousands of light bulbs.

With the Internet of Things you’re going to be able to track  your workouts better (which you can already do), know when your pet is in the house or outside, how much food your pet has left, set your rice cooker to cook when you’re on your way home, and have wearable devices transmit your life to others (such as Google Glass does).

I’m sure like all technologies we’ll see people go a bit overboard with connecting things to the Internet, but like usual, reality will set in as to what the market really wants.