For the Nest thermostat to operate effectively, it must have
access to users’ real-time locations. In effect, the thermostat
tracks a home’s residents. And the more information the
thermostat gathers about residents, such as their daily
schedules, locations within the home, and temperature
preferences, the more effective it will be. Nest has also created
Nest Protect, which also syncs with residents’ smartphones,
alerting them to smoke, fire, or unsafe levels of carbon
monoxide in their homes. In 2014 Google bought Nest for
$3.2 billion.
Nest and other companies have created additional smart
appliances; commentators have labeled this network of digitally
connected devices the Internet of Things. With the Internet of
Things, your refrigerator can monitor what’s in it and remind you
via smartphone that you’re out of eggs. Your toothbrush can
monitor how effectively you’re brushing your teeth. Your athletic
shoes can track the miles you’ve run and send the data to your
smartphone.
Online One-Liners
The fact that Google has purchased Nest sets off alarm bells among
those who worry about Google’s massive amount of data collection.
Technology writer James Gleick, who bought a Nest thermostat
for his home, jokes, “Now Google not only knows what books I’m
reading, but they also know whether I’m shivering while I’m reading
them.” Another tech writer tweeted, “If your house is burning down,
you’ll now get gmail ads for fire extinguishers.”
Key components of the Internet of Things are electronic
sensors that recognize and respond to physical stimuli, such as
heat, pressure, light, sound, and motion. Many businesses and
industries use sensors and the Internet of Things. For instance,
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