Internet of things: Toward smart networked systems and societies

We are witnessing another phase in the evolution in computing and communication. The Internet, which spans networks in a wide variety of domains, is having a significant impact on every aspect of our lives. The next generation of networks will extend beyond physically linked computers to include multimodal information from biological, cognitive, semantic, social, and sensor networks. This paradigm shift will involve symbiotic networks of people, intelligent devices, and mobile personal computing and communication devices (mPCDs), which will form net-centric societies or smart networked systems and societies (SNSS). mPCDs are already equipped with a myriad of sensors, with additional sensing capabilities added continually. Additionally, we are witnessing the emergence of “intelligent devices,” such as smart meters, smart cars, etc., with considerable sensing and networking capabilities. Hence, these devices – and the network -will be constantly sensing, monitoring, and interpreting the environment – this is sometimes referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT). The Internet of Things (IoT) is a term that is being used to denote a network – typically the Internet -of devices that constantly monitor the environment and can result in “intelligent actions.” These devices can range from simple sensors to complex systems such as automobiles and buildings. There are several views of IoT in vogue. For example, ITU (International Telecommunication Union) and IERC (IoTEuropean Research Cluster) define IoT as “a global network infrastructure with self-configuring capabilities based on standard and interoperable communication protocols where physical and virtual things have identities, physical attributes and virtual personalities, use intelligent interfaces and are seamlessly integrated into the information network” (Vermesan & Friess, 2014).