By Irving Wladawsky-Berger – The Internet of Things has been a long time coming. Ubiquitous or pervasive computing, which is computing happening anytime and anywhere, dates to the 1990s, when devices and wireless networks were nowhere near where they are today.

The transformation brought by connected devices is about to go into overdrive, the Economist says in a recent issue: “One forecast is that by 2035 the world will have a trillion connected computers, built into everything from food packaging to bridges and clothes.”

IoT promises to bring many benefits, including a new generation of smart, connected products. In addition to mechanical and electrical components, these products use digital components such as microprocessors, sensors, data storage, software, and connectivity in a variety of ways.

As the world’s digital and physical infrastructures converge, digital technologies are being designed into all kinds of consumer and industrial products. Internet-connected smart doorbells, for example, include motion sensors and video cameras that notify a homeowner when someone arrives at the door. Using a smartphone app, the homeowner can watch and talk to the visitor, while a video of their interaction is saved for an added level of security. Read On: