The Internet of Things (IoT) has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, but what is a IoT device, and can mobile phones be included in that definition? This article will delve into the concept of IoT, the devices that make up the IoT, and the role of mobile phones in the IoT.
The term IoT was coined in 1999 by Kevin Ashton, a British technology expert, to refer to a network of objects that could communicate with each other without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. Today, the definition of IoT is more expansive, and encompasses any device that is connected to the internet and can send and receive data. This includes traditional computers, mobile phones, smart home appliances, wearable devices, and more.
Devices that are part of the IoT can be divided into two groups: sensors and actuators. Sensors are devices that are used for gathering information from the environment, while actuators are devices that are used to control the environment. Examples of sensors include temperature sensors, motion sensors, and pressure sensors, while examples of actuators are lights, motors, and valves.
So, is mobile a part of the IoT? The answer is yes, but there is more to it than that. Mobile phones are not usually considered to be part of the IoT because they are not capable of sending and receiving data without human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. However, mobile phones are capable of connecting to the internet and sending and receiving data, allowing them to be used to connect to and interact with IoT devices. This has been made possible by the development of mobile applications that allow users to control IoT devices from their phones.
In summary, mobile phones are not usually seen as part of the IoT, yet they can be used to connect to and interact with IoT devices. This has made it possible for mobile phones to become an integral part of the IoT ecosystem and for users to control their connected devices from anywhere.