WiFi Toilets? - The Internet Of Things. It's TRULY, the next BIG thing.
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Staten Island, NY Posted: 9/30/2014 1:00:00 AM
The Internet Of Things is Coming... are you ready?
Another big revolution in technology is just taking shape. To say this is the next BIG thing is an understatement. Today's technology is just building blocks for things to come. It's that BIG.
What is the "Internet of Things"?
Take a dozen ordinary objects in your room, then imagine what they would be like if they were somehow connected to the Internet. That's the Internet of Things.
Why the heck should all my stuff be on the Interwebs?
Good question. My answer... WHY NOT?
The longer answer... because it takes good things, and makes them great.
Here's a quick history. Some of you may be familiar with the way devices currently connect to the Internet, using an "IP Address". When the Internet was first conceived, there were about 4 billion possible IP addresses, which at the time seemed quite ambitious. Today there are more people online than that, so more often than not, people share an IP address with other people.
Recently a new standard was created that not only gives us enough IP addresses for every man, woman and child on the face of the Earth, but enough IP addresses for every single grain of sand too... and still have more to spare.
Okay...unlimited number of IPs... Yada... yada... what's that good for?
With this new pool of virtually unlimited IP addresses, it is now possible to connect not just people, but stuff... lots of stuff to the Internet.
So, your coffee machine, your thermostat, your alarm, your toys, your appliances and even your bathroom mirror, sinks and toilets WILL be on the Internet some day.
Now, before you say "Joe, you're a jackass" (Some may have already said it)... Trust me on this one. Your bathroom will be just one of the many critical places that the Internet will improve, and it might just save your life one day. I'm not exaggerating.
Most of you never dreamed of even buying a computer until the Internet came along, and now you can't imagine life before the Internet. For the same reason, the next wave of Internet connected "Things" will become so common in the next decade that when these new "Things" enter your home, you won't remember what life was like before it.
Why would anyone want their bathroom sinks, and toilets on the Internet?
Communication is the key to an advanced society. Even when "things" communicate with us, and with other "things", they improve.
Consider this. Some day, in the very near future, your sinks and toilet will have health sensors that can read your blood sugar, cholesterol and even detect certain types of colon cancer. Really. There are already working prototypes.
I'm not saying your toilet, or your sinks are going to replace your doctor... they will just monitor your health and let them know if something is out of the ordinary
There's no substitute for a real doctor, so think of these devices as health monitors... like in a hospital, but they can send the results to you or your doctor over long distances, in real time.
What other "Things" will be put on the Internet?
That's the cool thing. Almost anything... and It's just starting. Among other things that are already showing up in mainstream stores are:
Thermostats
Refrigerators
Alarms
Security Cameras / Baby Monitors
Watches
Printers / Scanners
Cameras
Toys
Lightbulbs
Coffee Machines
DVRs / Home Theater / Sound Systems
Hey Inventors... here's your chance to get in on the ground floor!
There are so many products that can and will be improved by connecting them to the Internet. The trick is realizing which devices can benefit most. If you read yesterday's Idea Of The Day, about combining existing items... this is your chance. Take an object, then see how connecting it can improve it.
Here are some simple ideas to start you thinking.
1. Garbage cans. There are as many as 50 small trash cans on just one floor of a typical office building. A small sensor on each can sent a signal to the building maintenance staff could let them instantly know when they need to be emptied.
2. Pet collars. If your dog or cat has ever wandered off, this could send you an alert the moment he or she wanders out of the house.
3. Treadmills / Gym equipment. Instead of a crude LED with the number of steps, Internet connected gym equipment would know you the moment you stepped on the device, and automatically adjust the workout based upon your current weight and fitness goals, then you could download your activity, so you and your doctor can review your progress over time.
4. Contact lenses / eyewear. Many of us have heard of Google Glass. That's just a prototype. Some of the core features in the works will actually fit inside a contact lens.
5. Headsets. In addition to playing music, an Internet based headset can actually act as a universal translator, allowing you to have a conversation with somebody in another language.
6. Clothing / shoes. Technology already exists to embed microscopic sensors that can monitor your health into fabric and shoes makers are already available that track your activity.
7. Walls. With the advent of Organic LEDs, flexible screens can be rolled out onto just about anything, including your walls or windows. Eventually, instead of simply hanging your TV on a wall, the wall itself can be not only a display, but a fully connected system that you can interact with... or you can just use it to download new wallpaper.
Joe Crescenzi, Founder
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