Building the Internet of Things Is Risky -- and a Great Opportunity

[Commentary] Although most of us have come to anticipate boundless gains in cost, energy and human efficiency from the Internet of Things, there is one major hitch: it’s not here yet. The Internet of Things (IoT)’s disruptive potential has been deathly slow to realize, in large part because the commercial landscape is not ready for it. Much of the delay resides in linking the vast islands of digital data from sensors and applications to an information highway, primarily wireless technologies.

Those of us involved with intelligent industrial products working toward integration for Internet of Things opportunities repeatedly face what we term “last” challenges. At Emerson, for example, we work on “last mile” deployments to extend cellular infrastructure, the “last hundred meters” to connect sites, “last rooms” referring to wireless dead spots and even the “last square mile” when investigating satellite coverage of oceans and deserts. In each case, the world lacks ready solutions to make that last link.