When MIT guru, Kevin Ashton, coined the phrase “The Internet of Things” I wonder if he would’ve forseen all that is happening in 2012. This phrase refers to the notion that things can communicate to us and other things via the Internet.
Just imagine if your car told you about a fuse about to blow; your furnace called a service person about a malfunction; or your garage door told you it was open in the middle of the day.
We’re seeing more smart applications like this and getting involved in helping manufacturers connect their “things” to local dealers and consumers using the Internet. Here are some recent articles that illustrate what smart companies are doing in this space:
1) Control my home thermostat via mobile and desktop browser. I saw this last week from Nest Labs at the AHR (Air Conditioning / Heating / Refrigeration) show in Chicago last week. Very cool.
2) Alert me and my dealer about a part failure on my farm equipment, or if my equipment might be stolen. John Deere FarmSight is the service offering that helps keep our farmers at peak productivity.
3) Did I forget to close my garage door or turn the lights off? The LiftMaster MyQ service provides online access to control — and ultimately peace of mind.
We’re excited about the possibility of a world where we have control of our things — and we give them permission to alert us and our trusted service professionals to potential trouble ahead. It’s one more logical extension of Web technology to connect your local dealer and consumers. One more opportunity to create customer loyalty, provide great service and sell more.