What is IoT?
IoT stands for Internet of Things. It means ordinary things that can sense the world, make a decision, do something, and share what happened over the internet.
A smart thing works a lot like your body:
| Your body | A smart device | Example: smart plant pot |
|---|---|---|
| Senses (eyes, skin, nose) | Sensors | Feels that the soil is dry |
| Brain | Microcontroller board | Decides "the plant needs water" |
| Hands and voice | Actuators | Turns on a tiny water pump |
| Talking to friends | Internet | Sends "I watered the plant!" to your phone |
That's the whole idea: sense, think, act, share. Every IoT project in the world follows these four steps.
Every smart device repeats four steps: sense, think, act, share
- 1. SenseSensor noticessoil is dry
- 2. ThinkBrain decidesplant needs water
- 3. ActActuator workspump turns on
- 4. ShareInternet tellsyour phone
then it starts again, all day long
The smart plant pot goes around this loop every few minutes, all by itself.
Smart things you may have seen
- Street lights that switch on by themselves when it gets dark.
- Doors in malls that open when you walk up.
- Smart speakers that turn on lights when you ask.
- Fitness bands that count your steps.
- Water tanks that beep when they are full.