Sometimes I think the Internet of Things (IoT) is yesterday's story. It's been around too long. The real action is now in robotics, artificial intelligence, augmented reality.
Those things are coming. But IoT will be the glue that sticks them together.
And IoT can do much more. We all know the social, economic and environmental benefits. We've talked about them long enough. Now is the time to turn theory into action.
Our Next Moves
That is what TechUK's IoT Council will do in the coming year. A great start has been made: The UK Government is leading the way in showing its commitment to IoT. Next year we will see the start of two large scale pilots in Health and in Smart Cities. Brussels is doing the same.
But more could be done. We need to work with Government and industry to get ready for the connected car. We need to inspire a range of service and infrastructure providers with a vision for how IoT can help create better services, whether they run buses, or manage our aging water pipes. We need to give our cities and regions the confidence to invest in IoT technology. We need to alert SMEs (small and midsize enterprises) to the potential IoT holds to help them reduce costs and serve their customers more effectively. We need to tell Parliament how IoT can boost productivity, improve the environment and improve delivery of healthcare.
Indeed, 2016 is the year the IoT Council intends to go for it.
Stephen Pattison is chair of TechUK's IoT Council. This blog is courtesy of TechUK. Read the organization's contributions here.
