5G, Smart Cities, and Edge: The IOT in Our Lives

The very phrase “Internet of Things” conjures up visions of everyday items becoming chock full of semiconductors, and what once was science fiction is today’s reality. A degree of digital wizardry can be found in many consumer products such as clothing, shoes, furniture, tools, lighting, appliances, toothbrushes, mirrors, drones, the list is too big to include everything here.

Suffice it to say that the things we see, touch, and use every day are all being “digitized.” We are surrounded by sensors of all kinds – cameras, microphones, radiation badges, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, accelerometers, NFC readers, occupancy sensors, the list is endlessly being expanded with each passing moment. Whether the data coming from these devices is riding on BACnet, ModBus, SCADA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or Ethernet, sooner or later it all winds up passing through or residing on the internet.

Smart Cities around the globe are relying on an ever expanding deployment of IoT devices coupled with forthcoming 5G wireless infrastructure and edge computing to bring new levels of service and information to their citizenry.

In this industry brief, Server Technology discusses the IoT, its relationship to Smart Cities and 5G wireless, and how IoT, Smart Cities, and 5G will require remotely managed intelligent power to deliver on the promises of better information and control, resulting in improved lifestyles and greater efficiency.