We hear a lot about IoT and How it going to be the next big thing. Recently, leaders in technology are putting their money on IoT as the future of device communication. Amazon, Intel, Google, and Apple are already in the IoT market with whopping billion dollar investments.
What exactly is IoT? Is it worth your time to read News about IoT?
IoT or Internet of things is simply the inter-network of devices (also referred to as “connected devices” and “smart devices”), buildings, and other items — embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect and exchange data.
These correlated devices can be accessed anywhere in the world due to the connection with cloud network. A classical example of IoT are the network of cars communicating each other to make decisions to helps the driver.
The role of IoT in the future is immense and it is expecting a 50 billions of connected devices in 2020.The application of IoT in daily life can be varied from an automatically vending coffee machine to water tank which never run out.
The advancement in technology did increases the computation power and raspberry pie that fits in your pocket is possible. Due to these cheap and small computers, Smart home device become a possibility.
But the requirements of flashy and ugly UI interface made it difficult for the development of smart home appliances. To solve this issue Amazon developed a smart speaker named Amazon echo which convert your voice into the instructions that can communicate to your home appliances.
Amazon Echo Dot
Amazon Echo is the most bought Amazon product and Amazon Alexa is the company’s attempt to become an operating system (OS) for the so-called Internet of Things (IoT), just as Google Android and Apple iOS have done with mobile.
Amazon allows developers to create and publish skills for Alexa. Alexa Skills are 3rd party capability that can be added to echo device. There are smart home skills which can control your smart home devices and Custom skills like booking a taxi using UBER-API.
Amazon are creating an open source ecosystem consist of Amazon Web service and Alexa skill set which can provide the software support for the Billions of connected devices in the future. With over 11 million echo devices sold Alexa ecosystem is growing fastly and miles ahead of their competitors. You can even create your own echo device with a raspberry pie computer and Alexa Voice Service.
The best alexa compatible smart home gadgets are Philips hue white LED, Lutron caseta in wall smart lighting and scout home security system. Alexa is also compatible with smart home solutions like AMIE which I had the chances to work.
AMIE is a smart home solutions which is completely controlled by voice and with in a affordable price range.
Regardless of whether Amazon can push Alexa to become the next Android , The Potential of IoT device is not to be overlooked.