The Internet of Things
Companies like IBM are building “Smart Cities” based on distributed sensors in roads, pipe, etc, providing feedback to control systems. This is part of a general emerging market called the Internet of Things (IoT) where heretofore inanimate, mute objects are becoming part of an intelligent, active, behind-the-scenes conversation. So what about “Smart Schools”, where the all of the tools, resources, furniture and infrastructure of a school get involved in the learning conversation?
Opportunity Statement
While relatively few physical objects might seem like immediate candidates to be given a useful IoT voice, currently wired systems including learning software and hardware are waiting to be heard. Enabling and collecting those voices, and organizing the conversation, presents a set of opportunities in classroom management, school management, security, etc.
Prediction Source(s)
Gartner – The Internet of Things
Posted in: Emerging Markets Poll
Patrick Pichette 9:41 am on September 6, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
There are a few interesting technologies related to IoT that could become quite popular in the consumer markets but I’m not sure that they are entirely ready for the education market. I feel as though we are at least 5 years away from most of this technology but in the next 5 to 10 years there should be some benefits that become more apparent. In particular, NFC will likely revolutionize the way we purchase products as we begin purchasing items without the need for a cashier. We’ll likely begin seeing more ‘Costco-like’ approaches where someone verifies your payment to confirm that all items were paid for. There are also some interesting developments in object identification that look to be on the verge of making their way into the marketplace through cell phones, tablets and/or eyewear. This technology has strong potential in the education market but I don’t think it is developed enough to take full advantage of it. In short, it would involve looking at the screen of your phone and pointing the camera at various locations in the area. The phone would then detect where you are and pull up information regarding that particular building, street, or object. So if you point the phone at a hotel, the phone would show a description of the hotel, give you contact info, reservation options, current vacancy availability simply by pointing at the building.
Jonathan 12:31 am on September 8, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I feel we aren’t that far off of it being in our hands and it being practical. It will take longer to implement in our school systems though. NFC has become a reality. I was down in San Francisco and I was able to pay for my coffee using this technology. I had to go in a few times just to experience the benefit of it. But it was neat and a bit frightening at the same time.
How about this one? Using our iPhone to scan items out ourselves:
http://www.tuaw.com/2012/09/03/iphone-powered-scan-and-go-checkout-system-at-walmart-being-test/
This stuff is around, but implementation will take longer for sure.
Patrick Pichette 5:27 am on September 10, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
NFC is ready for consumer technology but I don’t think it’s going to be ready for education for another 5 years. The same holds for the other technologies I mentioned. I see great potential for it in the future and so it would be a very interesting topic to discuss as part of future emerging markets but they likely won’t have much impact on education in the short term. Then again, that’s just my opinion based on how our school is supposedly considered a leader in technology integration in the area but we are roughly equivalent to the technology used in corporate work world that I experienced in 2000-2005.
teacherben 6:02 pm on September 10, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I just bought a class set of Arduino microcontroller kits for a new unit about physical computing that I am introducing in my grade 10 Technology class. This is certainly an area of professional interest to me.