How the Internet of Things Will Take Shape in Your Life

Do you use your phone to control your A/C? You're already embracing the Internet of Things, says Pew Research Center expert Lee Rainie. 

The next digital evolution is the rise of the internet of things—sometimes now called the “internet on things.” This refers to the growing phenomenon of building connectivity into vehicles, wearable devices, appliances and other household items such as thermostats, as well as goods moving through business supply chains. It also covers the rapid spread of data-emitting or tracking sensors in the physical environment that give readouts on everything from crop conditions to pollution levels to where there are open parking spaces to babies’ breathing rates in their cribs. 

The internet of things will have literally life-changing impact on innovation and the application of knowledge in the coming years. Read more about the four major developments to anticipate in the Trend magazine article “The Internet of Things Is the Next Digital Evolution—What Will It Mean?”