The Revolutionary Discovery: Who Invented the Internet of Things?
The Internet of Things (IoT) has rapidly become one of the most transformative technologies ever developed. IoT refers to the network of everyday objects and devices that are connected to the internet, enabling them to collect and share data with each other and with us. This technology has revolutionized the way we live and work, and has the potential to further transform our lives in ways we may not yet even imagine.
But who exactly can we attribute the invention and breakthrough of IoT to? While no single individual or company can be credited with the entire development, it is a combination of various innovations in technology that led up to the modern-day IoT.
The Early Days of IoT
In the early days of IoT, the technology was simply referred to as “embedded internet.” It can be traced back to work done by computer science researcher, Kevin Ashton, in the late 1990s. Ashton had the idea of using sensors and RFID (radio-frequency identification) to track inventory in supply chain management, which eventually led to the development of IoT as we know it today.
Also during the 90s, computer engineer Mark Weiser and his colleagues at Xerox PARC were working on their own concept of a “ubiquitous computing” environment. This environment ran on an always-connected network of devices and was designed to make computing seamless and completely integrated into everyday objects.
Key Innovators in IoT
In the early 2000s, Ericsson became one of the first companies to actively research IoT technology. They released a white paper in 2002 titled “The Concept of the Internet of Things,” which sparked interest among other companies and researchers.
In the same year, RFID tags started to gain widespread use in the retail industry. This was a major milestone in IoT development because it allowed objects to be identified and tracked remotely, without the need for human intervention.
Another key figure in the development of IoT was Arlen Moulton, a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Moulton led development of the “Telesymphony,” which was essentially a network of wearable devices that could be used to create music in real time.
The Rise of Smart Devices
The widespread use of smartphones and the increasing availability of high-speed internet brought IoT to the forefront, and a number of companies started to release smart devices that could connect to the internet. One of the first widely-released smart devices was the Nest Thermostat, which was developed by Tony Fadell.
In 2014, Google purchased Nest Labs for $3.2 billion, signaling the increasing importance of IoT technology. Since then, a number of other companies have developed smart devices that are capable of collecting and sharing data, including Amazon, Samsung, and Apple.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the idea of IoT has been around for a few decades, it is a combination of various innovations and technological advances that led to the development of the modern-day IoT. Kevin Ashton, Mark Weiser, and Ericsson were all important figures in the early days of IoT, while the widespread use of smartphones and availability of high-speed internet brought IoT to the forefront. Today, IoT has become an essential and rapidly growing technology that has revolutionized the way we live and work.
