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The Internet of Things and Humans

Posted by Soulskill on from the humans-are-communications-channels-for-our-gadgets dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Speculating the future of human computer interaction, Tim O'Reilly contemplates how humans and things cooperate differently when things get smarter. He says, '[S]o many of the most interesting applications of the Internet of Things involve new ways of thinking about how humans and things cooperate differently when the things get smarter. It really ought to be called the Internet of Things and Humans ... is Uber an #IoT application? Most people would say it is not; it’s just a pair of smartphone apps connecting a passenger and driver. But imagine for a moment the consumer end of the Uber app as it is today, and on the other end, a self-driving car. You would immediately see that as #IoT. ... Long before we get to fully autonomous devices, there are many “halfway house” applications that are really Internet of Things applications in waiting, which use humans for one or more parts of the entire system. When you understand that the general pattern of #IoTH applications is not just sensor + network + actuator but various combinations of human + network + actuator or sensor + network, you will broaden the possibilities for interfaces and business models."

6 of 55 comments (clear)

  1. In Montreal by 50000BTU_barbecue · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think it would be a good idea for every pothole to have its own IP address so we can track how big it's getting, for example.

    --
    Mostly random stuff.
  2. Dumbest trend ever by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The Internet of things is probably the worst thing that is being pushed right now, even worse than the cloud.

  3. Internet of things by LookIntoTheFuture · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There was a time in my life when I would have thought the "Internet of Things" was really cool. Now, things like this are a huge turnoff to me because of constant surveillance by governments and corporations. The fun is over.

    --
    Brave Sir Robin ran away. ("No!") Bravely ran away away. ("I didn't!")
  4. "Web 2.0" is a decade old now by hsmith · · Score: 4, Insightful

    And websites can't even communicate with one another efficiently or at all.

    Yet, IoT advocates imagine within a few short years this magical IoT will create a system of intercommunicating hardware that will somehow work perfectly.

    Yeah ok.

    1. Re:"Web 2.0" is a decade old now by ctheme · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Really? Because from what Ghostery tells me, web services communicate with one another just fine.
      The problem is that it's not in my best interest for them to do so.

  5. Re:There will be an inevitable reaction against th by alen · · Score: 4, Funny

    yeah, but imagine your fridge linked to Fresh Direct or the Amazon grocery delivery service and automatically ordering food for you whether you want it to or not. Epicness

    or you can put your bread into the toaster at night and then use your phone to toast it the next morning before you get out of the shower so you don't have to do it manually