The Future of the Internet of Things

In April 2009, some of the leading figures in industry and academia gathered in Dresden, Germany for the International Research Forum. This gathering, sponsored by SAP Research, explored the future of the Internet of Things. The Internet of Things represents the frontier where the digital and physical worlds meet. It is network of interconnected devices that provide real-time information about the world. These technologies are now expanding outside the closed loops of factories and supply chains and extending into broader and more complex applications. This explosion of digital information will transform business processes along the entire product lifecycle: raw materials, manufacturing, logistics, retail, consumer, and even disposal and recycling. For two days, these thinkers at the IRF 2009 put their collective intelligence to work to explore this frontier and envision its future. They heard presentations from prescient observers, engaged in lively debate, and made bold predictions. The sessions explored four cornerstones of the Internet of Things: • End-to-end real-world awareness • Infrastructure of the Internet of Things • Potential killer applications • Future manufacturing These sessions produced many provocative questions-not all of which could be answered at the forum. The authors of this book conducted several months of follow up research to ascertain how the Internet of Things would unfold in key areas. Unlike most other conferences, the IRF2009 did not end with the final session but continued to generate insights long after the participants had gone home. The second half of this book illuminates how the Internet of Things will play out in domains such as: • Standards • Data management • Barriers to adoption • High-resolution management • New business models in diverse sectors such as manufacturing, supply chain management, retail, services, and energy.