Time and time again, mankind has proven the boundlessness of technology. When stone tools were invented nearly two million years ago, no man would have known that the world today would evolve and everyone would have wireless, talking phones in their pockets. 

Wherever you are in the world, it is almost impossible to live without a little help from machines–that is why they are made smarter and more advanced through the power of the internet.

What is the ‘Internet of Things’? 

The Internet of Things, or “IOT”, are a variety of objects embedded with software for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the Internet.

These devices are designed in such way that they collect and utilize every bit of data people share or use in their everyday lives. 

How do they make life easier? 

The IOT has made life easier. For instance, one person could connect his or her home appliances to the internet. The ‘Smart Home’ promises that no homeowner would ever have a hard time cleaning through an automated vacuum cleaner and washing machine. 

The house can also be kept safe as the Smart Home gives you the power to lock and unlock the doors without having to physically do it. 

The IOT is not only helpful at home, there are wearable IOTs like smart watches that can monitor a person’s fitness and health activities. 

Left your keys in the car? You no longer have to worry about that with the IOT around. Today, large auto-makers like BMW and Tesla are revolutionizing in-car experiences through the help of IOT. Now that’s one step up the ladder!

So what else can the IOT do? 

If you think the IOT can only help people in their houses or vehicles, you might be underestimating its power.

IOT can manage big cities as well. Think about smart surveillance, automated transportation, a more secured urban security, and whatnot. As of this post, the Philippines is trying to make use of IOT in Clark, Pampanga. 

According to the Philippine News Agency, the government is working with private partners to develop the “New Clark City,” a smart city that will provide a modern, livable space for more than one million people, easing pressure in Manila.

“The New Clark City will span nearly 10,000 hectares. It is designed to be the first smart, environmentally sustainable, and climate-resilient city in the Philippines,” the report said. 

What are the disadvantages?

Like many innovative ideas, the IOT also poses a lot of issues. Some of the main concerns that accompany the IOT are people’s over-reliance on technology, the threat of invasion of privacy, and the loss of many jobs. 

The path to innovation is not that simple. That is why society must maintain the balance between making life easier and taking things slowly, but with more accuracy.