IoT is one of the next big thing in technology. I’ve read about it in many different sources, it was presented in several big conferences I attended, and now - after quite a while - I’ll be making my first steps.

Devices that can measure and control stuff are nothing new. I’ve discarded the topic because of this until now. For example a thermometer is something that exists since computers. Controlling the heating is also doable with a simple PC. And it is doable for quite some time. So why is the fuss about it now?

There are many pieces of technology that reached a certain maturity level to support IoT. PCs are bulky, infeasible, and expensive to use as a smart thermometer. But now you can by a full featured Raspberry PI for $5, or a cheap Arduino for a little more. They can control the heating with a few servos attached too.

Advances in connectivity also plays a major part. A few years back, always-on internet was something we only dreamed of. Long cables were also needed to connect stuff. Today with WiFi, a simple chip costing a few bucks is enough. Even for more remote areas, you can send data via mobile net. Only a prepaid SIM card is needed.

As a first step, I’ll be building a thermometer that reports the measures to the cloud. I already chose the hardware, and am eagerly waiting for the package to arrive. Then I will begin to count the pins, solder, and cross my fingers that I don’t short circuit anything.

IoT, here I come!