The internet is full of things

It’s often the little things that make life easier. Think wearables, such as fitness trackers and smartwatches, or smart-home devices, such as lighting control systems, thermostats, robotic vacuum cleaners, and, of course, the voice-controlled, intelligent personal assistants that have already made their way into many living rooms. People may benefit from those and countless other devices every day, but few know exactly what’s behind them and how they work. This Quick Study pulls back the covers.
The internet of things (IoT) connects all small, intelligent systems that are already an integral part of many sectors in the global economy - from industry to agriculture. The IoT is the name of the network of physical objects equipped with sensors, software, or other technology that empowers them to exchange information with other objects. Such devices typically use microcontrollers for data processing to minimize cost and energy consumption. Most of them can even operate on...