The Internet of Things (IoT) is seen as a set of vertical application domains that share a limited number of common basic functionalities. In this view, consumer-centric solutions, platforms, data management, and business models have to be developed and consolidated in order to deploy effective solutions in the specific fields. The availability of low-cost general-purpose processing and storage systems with sensing/actuation capabilities coupled with communication capabilities are broadening the possibilities of IoT, leading to open systems that will be highly programmable and virtualized, and will support large numbers of application programming interfaces (APIs). IoT emerges as a set of integrated technologies — new exciting solutions and services that are set to change the way people live and produce goods. IoT is viewed by many as a fruitful technological sector in order to generate revenues. IoT covers a large wealth of consumer-centric technologies, and it is applicable to an even larger set of application domains. Innovation will be nurtured and driven by the possibilities offered by the combination of increased technological capabilities, new business models, and the rise of new ecosystems. The articles in this special section focus on several promising approaches to sensors, actuators, and new consumer devices. New communication capabilities (from short-range to LPWAN to 4G and 5G networks, with NB-IoT).
Verikoukis et al. (2017) studied this question.