The internet of things and the “connected home” is the next frontier for Big Data. With ever more sophisticated devices and faster broadband, the day may not be far away. Our lives will change thanks to the analytical firepower from the internet of things.
We’ll see connected home security, energy, chores, entertainment and health monitoring. These will integrate with our daily lives, whether we like it, or not. A vast network of interconnected “smart” devices will share information in the background. Your smartwatch will inform your partner of your estimated arrival time. Your bath will start running at exactly the right moment. Your smart plate will calculate exactly what food is on it. And, how many calories you will be consuming. You get the idea…
The internet of things will change your home
There are some serious issues with privacy here. It’s disconcerting that companies track your every move on the internet. So, imagine the consequences of your home life being open to this too. If the bathroom scales tip over a certain point, you could get a call from the local weight watchers. Current employers could track your sleeping habits, so no more late night box set binges. The things that would be detrimental to your performance and deemed irresponsible. Even more sinister note, what if organised crime got into “home hacking.” How easy would it be to turn all these devices against you?
When something happens at the click of a button, there’s always a minute danger of malfunction. At least, when you lock your door behind you, you know that there is a physical barrier to entry. If people can hack the Pentagon (it happened), then what is stopping someone from hacking your home?
All these questions are deeply disturbing. They will certainly make people pause before adopting this technology en masse. The home is your personal space where you can escape the worries of the outside world. But the internet of things could change this. If you let the outside world in, where then is your psychological refuge?
Will this change be for the better…?
How do you think a more analytical approach could benefit your home life. What would your gadgets say if they could “talk”? How could they make your lives more fulfilling? These sorts of questions will come into public space sooner than we realise.
When the benefits outweigh the risks, the adoption curve will speed up. I would argue that the tech isn’t quite up to the task at the moment, but in a few years time, the “connected home” is inevitable…
