Embedded and wearable computing will usher in next revolution in digital tech: Report

pewsymbolA new report by Pew Research Internet Project has said a vast majority of the global technology experts and engaged Internet users who had responded to its “canvassing” (soliciting of views) had agreed that the Internet/Cloud of Things and embedded and wearable computing will have widespread and beneficial effects by 2025.

Many experts also opined that the rise of embedded and wearable computing would bring the next revolution in digital technology.

This report is the latest research in a sustained effort throughout this year by the Pew Research Center Internet Project to mark the 25th anniversary of the creation of the World Wide Web by Sir Tim Berners-Lee (The Web at 25).

The latest in these rounds of reports was an analysis of opinions about the likely expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT), a “catchall phrase” for the array of devices, appliances, vehicles, wearable material, and sensor-laden parts of the environment that connect to each other and feed data back and forth.

The research covered over 1,600 responses that were offered specifically to a question on where the IoT would stand by 2025. This specific report was a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of Prof. Janna Anderson, Director, Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center, Lee Rainie, Director, Internet Project and Maeve Duggan, Research Assistant, Internet Project.

The research team said 1,606 experts responded to the following question:

The evolution of embedded devices and the Internet/Cloud of Things—As billions of devices, artifacts, and accessories are networked, will the Internet of Things have widespread and beneficial effects on the everyday lives of the public by 2025?

Eighty-three percent of the experts had responded in a “yes” and 17 percent in a “no” to the poser. They were asked to elaborate on their answer, and this is what they had to say:

These experts concured that infrastructure and adoption of the IoT “would substantially progress in the next decade.” Many also believed there would be clear advantages as that happened. Some experts were of the view, said Pew, that this would happen, but disagreed that the benefits would outweigh the problems. A modest minority flatly disagreed, while many saw a mixed picture, where the technology advances that add to life also created problems. Even most of those who were worried about the trend towards the IoT did not challenge the notion that more objects, appliances, cars, and other parts of the environment will be connected, said the report.

Chief Scientist for Salesforce.com J P Rangaswami was particularly pointed in describing the benefits that will emerge in this new environment: “The proliferation of sensors and actuators will continue. ‘Everything’ will become nodes on a network. The quality of real-time information that becomes available will take the guesswork out of much of capacity planning and decision-making.”

Image Credit: Pew Research

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