A very nice podcast on the Internet of Things can be found at IT conversations: http://www.itconversations.com/shows/detail717.html

Sterling contrasts waking up in a Internet of Things in 30 years with todays world which is still struggling to find the right labels for “the internet of things”. Very inspiring! Also you should have a look at “Shaping things” by Bruce Sterling.

Some ideas from his talk:

Are words constraining our imagination and search for the best we could make out of machines? AI went wrong because of those writing words about it. Internet of things is not about Intelligence it is about a new relationship towards objects in the real world. This happes in six components:

1. TAGS (Barcode, RFID),
2. POSITIONING SYSTEMS (GEO-LOCATION and tracking systems),
3. SEARCH Engines,
4. Transparent Production, Cradle2Cradle,
5. 3D virtual models for design,
6. rapid prototyping objects

this will lead to different objects and people will interact differently with, SPIMES (physical instantiations of virtual objects).

BUT WHY SHOULD DO THAT?

it will feel good; external inventarization of my things in a ubiquitous machinery offering me a search engine;

“google my shoes in the morning!”