ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a new use of the Internet that began in the twenty-first century that involves devices connected to the Internet that do not have a human operator. It explains how communication takes place, and provides background for cloud computing. Gradually a change occurred in which a new type of device was connected directly to the Internet. Instead of requiring a human operator, the devices operate independently and interact with their surroundings. The devices interact in two ways: sensors and actuators. Industry has adopted the term Internet of Things (IoT) to refer to devices that use embedded systems to communicate over the Internet. In the twentieth century, the Internet connected conventional desktop and laptop computers. Most IoT gadgets use wireless network connections. Smaller, battery-powered IoT devices often use Bluetooth, and rely on an app running on an intermediate system to forward data to its final destination.
