This was a talk delivered to MA students of Cultural Policy and Management at City University in November 2011 - essentially an introductory summary of the phenomenon of 'internet of things'.

1. Connecting our world: Thoughts on
the internet of things
A talk delivered to MA Cultural Policy & Management students at City
University, November 2011
Anjali Ramachandran

2. “....everything from tires to
toothbrushes will be in
communications range, heralding the
dawn of a new era, one in which
today's Internet (of data and
people) gives way to tomorrow's
Internet of Things.”
- International Telecommunications Union,
2005

3. “I am a critic of those who say that
the internet has become a sentient
and living being. But while the
internet is not conscious like an
organism, it exhibits some lifelike
qualities.”
- Kevin Kelly, 2011

4. “...the most profound
technologies are those that
disappear…they weave
themselves into the fabric of
everyday life until they are
indistinguishable from it.”
- Mark Weiser
Chief Scientist, Xerox PARC,
1991

5. Why IoT?
Metcalfe’s Law
>>Networks
>>Data

16. Digital
Analog

18. “The project will offer a new way for people to
place more value on their own objects in an
increasingly disposable economy. As more
importance is placed on the objects that are
already parts of people’s lives it is hoped that
family or friends may find new uses for old objects
and encourage people to think twice before
throwing something away.”
- talesofthings.com

21. “....each and every citizen of this metropolis can
lift his or her wristwatch/TV and call up images
from any camera in town. Here, a late-evening
stroller checks to make sure no one lurks beyond
the corner she is about to turn....
....Over by the mall, a teenage shoplifter is taken
into custody gingerly, with minute attention to
ritual and rights, because the arresting officer
knows the entire process is being scrutinized by
untold numbers who watch intently, lest his
neutral professionalism lapse”.
- David Brin, science fiction author

22. “The Internet of Things can ultimately be used for
the benefit or detriment of individuals and society
as a whole. Although business will argue a whole
raft of benefits that include increasing efficiency,
safety and health, these need to be balanced by
safeguards and controls.
The ethics of mass connectivity have yet to be
developed.”
- David Glance, Director, Centre for Software Practice, University of Western
Australia

23. References
Arnall, Timo, Designing for an internet of things (Slideshare presentation),
2009
Cookson, Clive, The internet of things is set to come (article in the Financial
Times), 2011
Davies, Russell, Practical Magic (article in Google’s Think Quarterly), 2011
Deschamps-Sonsino, Alexandra, A robotic world (Slideshare presentation),
2011
Deschamps-Sonsino, Alexandra, New Work (Slideshare presentation), 2011
Glance, David, The internet of things – this is where we’re going (article in
The Conversation), 2011
GSMA’s Connected Life project, 2011
International Telecommunication Union, ITU Internet Reports 2005: The
internet of things – Executive Summary, Geneva: ITU, 2005
Kelly, Kevin, What Technology Wants, New York: Viking Publishers, 2010
Kelly, Kevin, My optimism is off the charts (interview with The European
Magazine), 2011 Malik, Om, The internet of things will have 24 billion
connected devices by 2020 (blog post), 2011
Meloan, Steve, Towards a Global Internet of Things, 2003
Simeonov, Simeon, Metcalfe’s Law: More misunderstood than wrong? (blog
post), 2006
Tinker London, Homesense Research Book (Slideshare presentation), 2011
Van Kranenburg, Rob, The internet of things: A critique of ambient
technology and the all-seeing network of RFID, Amsterdam: Institute of
Network Cultures, 2008

24. Thank You!
Anjali Ramachandran
@anjali28
anjalir.wordpress.com