From Internet to Internet of Things
Since the end of the last century, the rise of the “Internet”
has brought groundbreaking change to the life of people of
modern time. The connection of the networks forms an
enormous network system that links up information and
services around the world. In 2005, the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) introduced the concept of
“Internet of Things” (IoT) and pointed out that various devices
and objects can be integrated to the network system under
mature technology. Simply put, every object we use in our
daily life, even the accessories or the tools we carry, can be
turned into a “Computer” as long as they are linked to the
network system to shape the world of the “Internet of Things”.
Connection between objects
With the advancement of communication technology, objects
and devices can obtain and transmit huge amount of data
and information via the communication chips. The Internet of
Things not only connects various objects literally through the
network, but it also enables the data transmission between
objects and devices. The maturity of artificial intelligence
equips the objects and devices with the behavioral
capabilities of self-learning, processing, decision-making and
control. In the world of IoT, objects can transmit and receive
information among themselves while performing analysis and
giving instructions in real time basing on these data.
The architecture of IoT is generally divided into three layers,
namely, perception layer, network layer and application layer.
These three layers are also the principles and processes of
the operation of IoT. Objects and devices capture data
through the sensing technology such as distance, speed,
luminosity and humidity, etc. as well as the identification
technology such as text recognition, image recognition,
human motion recognition and radio frequency recognition,
etc. They will transmit the data to the cloud through the
network, and finally apply it to our daily life.
From IoT to Smart City
The integration of IoT and other technology such as 5G and
AI is critical to the development of a smart city. The IoT has a
wide range of application from commercial, industrial,
medical, government services and even all aspects of our
daily lives. In the past two years, the pandemic has ravaged
the world. When all walks of life are faced with such difficult
situations, what is the potential of IoT in making our life much
easier? Let’ take medical as an example, IoT provides a
smart model to help medical staff to observe and analyse the
patients. Different medical supplies and instruments such as
blood pressure machines, thermometers, ventilators and
laboratory equipment can exchange data via the IoT. The
data will be synthesized and analysed such that doctors are
able to have a clear picture of the condition of the patient
instantly which improves the overall efficiency in healthcare.
What is also worth mentioning is the concept of “Industrial
Internet”. The so-called “Industrial Internet” refers to the use
of IoT to connect people, data and machines in order to
gather real-time data with sensing technology and
identification technology, and to improve production and
management efficiency through big data analysis and remote
control technology. As early as 2011, the Ministry of Industry
and Information Technology issued the “Twelfth Five-Year
Development Plan for the Internet of Things” in which the
development of IoT in China and the world was mentioned
with the objective and direction for future development being
brought forward. In the latest “14th Five-Year Plan for
National Informatization”, it is further elaborated that the
country will focus on the development of IoT, incorporate the
industrial IoT into the construction plan of the public
infrastructure, and strengthen the integration and application
of 5G and IoT, such as Smart Port and the Energy Internet.
When faced with such a new trend, the Hong Kong
government has been advocating “Re-industrialization” in
recent years, with a view to promote the intelligentisation of
industrial production through innovative technologies such as
IoT and AI, and revolutionise the local traditional
manufacturing industry. To this end, the government has
placed abundant resources to establish the “SME
Development Fund (SDF)” and launch programmes such as
the “Hong Kong Industry 4.0 Interactive League
Platform” and takes the lead to encourage the application of
innovation technology in the local industries. rTag is a device
developed by ISL specifically designed for IoT with built-in
sensors to detect the weather, humidity and temperature, etc.
Data can be transmitted via the 4G routers to assist
enterprises in monitoring and managing their industrial
facilities and equipment, and therefore it helps to reduce cost
and enhance productivity.
On the other hand, IoT has also seamlessly integrated into
our daily lives. For instance, in the development of “Internet
of Vehicles (IoV)”, it requires the application of various
technologies such as IoT, 5G network and AI. The connection
between the vehicles, between vehicles and pedestrians and
even the connection between vehicles and the transportation
infrastructure rely on the linkage in IoT, coupled with the
analysis and instructions of AI, to ultimately enable safe
driving of the autopilot vehicles and improve traffic efficiency.
Even at home, smart lighting, smart air-conditioner, smart TV,
smart door lock, smart curtain and smart security system,
and even the interaction among these smart electrical
appliances are all realized in the world of IoT that greatly
facilitates our everyday life.
With the application and growth of popularity of IoT, smart
electrical appliances, smart cars and a variety of smart
devices and tools can all be brought into the world of IoT to
make “Smart Travel”, “Smart Life”, “Smart Environment”,
“Smart Citizens”, “Smart Government” and “Smart Economy”
possible. In the near future, objects around us will serve our
needs through our physical interaction or simple verbal
commands with the processing and analysis of IoT and AI.
