IOT and 5G

Many communications technologies can be used to connect different things to the internet, but various forms of wireless links will dominate this quickly evolving space, especially in the 5G environment

The billions of electronic devices that will comprise the Internet of Things (IoT) universe may one day tell us at a glance all we need to know. Such devices will feed data from equipment in homes, offices, warehouses, and vehicles to the internet for fast and easy access from a mobile device. While some communications systems operate with physical cables, such as landline telephone networks, cable-television (CATV) systems, and power utilities, most IoT devices and IoT networks will rely on wireless technology. The choice of wireless technology will have a great deal to do with the success of these IoT networks.

IoT technology is projected to be the basis for such phenomena as “smart cities,” “smart factories,” and “smart homes,” where lights and appliances can be remotely programmed and controlled via their connections to the internet (see figure). In these IoT networks, multiple sensors provide data on temperature, humidity, open doors, unlocked cars, and even when lights are on or off. Adding intelligence in the form of a microprocessor to each IoT sensor will allow for interaction with data from other sensors and a certain amount of decision-making.