The Internet of Things (IoT)

BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS COLUMN, THE HOLIDAY SEASON WILL LONG BE OVER. But as I write, I am still searching for perfect gifts for my tech-savvy family and friends. You can imagine my excitement when I found Liz Gannes' article (2012), LeWeb's 'Internet of Things' Makes for a Shopping List Full of Smart Gadgets. It's a terrific source for great gift ideas. Gannes describes stocking stuffers showcased at LeWeb conference in Paris in early December, theme of Things. Here are just a few of smart gadgets she describes. * For those young children or grandchildren, purchase a magical stuffed animal powered by your iPhone or iPod (www.ubooly.com). It will talk child, tell jokes, and provide branching stories and games. You can get a subscription for monthly updates. * Perhaps one of your relatives could use InteraXon Muse, a brainwave-monitoring headband that includes apps for healthy brain training. It uses Bluetooth technology to transmit Look for video about thought control computing that allows a person to control physical objects (http://interaxon.ca/blog/2010/12/ ariel-garten-speaks-at-leweb-2010/). * For colleagues who must attend faculty meetings, consider purchasing Double (www.doublerobotics.com). These wheels for iPads are targeted to those who want to teleconference in time and have mobility. * For those making New Year's resolutions to be healthier and control their weight, Withings wireless bathroom scale (www.withings.com), which communicates an app on your smartphone. The company also has a smart blood pressure monitor and a baby monitor. A product called FitBit (www.fitbit.com) will help you eat better (log your food through your mobile app, follow your caloric intake), get active (track your steps and distance), manage your weight (the AriaTM smart scale interacts apps), and sleep better (measure how long and how well you sleep). These potential stocking stuffers are fun, but why should educators and health care professionals care about Internet of Things (IoT)? After all, term lot has been around since 1999 (Ashton, 2009), and 2012 education edition of Horizon Report (Johnson, Adams, they are small, easy to attach and unobtrusive, contain a unique identifier and data or information, and can connect an external device on demand (e.g., your smartphone or tablet). Accordingly, these smart objects have capability to digitally manage, monitor, and track physical objects in addition to providing accessible information such as descriptions, instructions, and tutorials. …