By 2020, tens of billions of data transmission devices will be connected to the Internet. They are already changing the way we live and work.
But I think there are some technical barriers between us and this beautiful new world.
Firstly, there is the issue of security. Security has always been a major concern. One IT expert recently demonstrated how he could easily hack into a radio frequency-controlled insulin pump and remotely administer a lethal dose to a diabetic patient. Other experts claim that hackers could use the software on smart cars to control their speed, brakes and steering if they were motivated to do so.
But the technical challenges, as daunting as they are, are more worrying to insiders than to legal, social and regulatory authorities. Because these sensor-embedded machines will dramatically increase the amount of information we can find out about each other, they could lead to a so-called "boss" and "little brother" problem.
Firstly, who owns the data? Does the personal information collected by your fitness tracker belong to you or to the manufacturer? Will law enforcement officials be able to access vehicle data in criminal investigations? Will car owners want their cars to automatically alert authorities and insurance companies after every crash?
New cisco-made sensors can detect life-threatening gases when worn by miners. Others can sense if a worker (let's say, in an oil field or on a large construction site) is moving or still likely to be injured. But they can also help employers determine exactly when and where their employees are working.
Even in the face of such tricky problems, these smart machines are already transforming fields as diverse as healthcare and manufacturing, urban planning, transport and power generation, agriculture and household management. The devices themselves may be miniature, but they are making a huge difference in the way we live and work.
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