the internet oF things
In the first decade of the 2000s, former Apple engineer Tony
Fadell took time off to build a vacation home. In the process, he
observed that many home appliances incorporated little or no
Internet technology. They didn’t seem to do much beyond their
assigned tasks of heating or cooling food, washing clothes, and
checking for smoke and fire. Fadell also thought the appliances
were bland and unattractive. These ideas inspired him to found a
company called Nest, to create home appliances that connected
to the Internet.
Nest’s first product was a thermostat. To replace the
commonly used programmable box that turns home heating and
air-conditioning systems on and off and makes a room warmer
or cooler, Nest created an interactive “smart thermostat.” The
smart thermostat connects with residents’ smartphones to
record their home heating preferences. The thermostat then
adapts, lowering temperatures in the house when residents are
not home, for instance. This system can result in lower energy
use and lower energy bills.
This Nest thermostat links to residents’
smartphones. The ever-expanding
network of digitally connected devices
is called the Internet of Things.
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