Computer vision is fundamental for a broad set of Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Household monitoring systems use cameras to provide family members with a view of what’s going on at home. Robots and drones use vision processing to map their environment and avoid obstacles in flight. Augmented reality glasses use computer vision to overlay important information on the user’s view, and cars stitch images from multiple cameras mounted in the vehicle to provide drivers with a surround or “bird’s eye” view which helps prevent collisions. The list goes on.

Over the years, exponential improvements in device capabilities including computing power, memory capacity, power consumption, image sensor resolution, and optics have improved the performance and cost-effectiveness of computer vision in IoT applications. This has been accompanied by the development and refinement of sophisticated software algorithms for tasks such as face detection and recognition, object detection and classification, and simultaneous localization and mapping.

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While many of today’s always-connected tech devices take advantage of cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT) manufacturers and application developers are starting to discover the benefits of doing more compute and analytics on the devices themselves.

This on-device approach helps reduce latency for critical applications, lower dependence on the cloud, and better manage the massive deluge of data being generated by the IoT. An example of this trend is the recently announced Nest Cam IQ indoor security camera, which uses on-device vision processing to watch for motion, distinguish family members, and send alerts only if someone is not recognized or doesn’t fit pre-defined parameters. By performing computer vision tasks within the camera, Nest reduces the amount of bandwidth, cloud processing, and cloud storage used versus the alternative of sending raw streams of video over the network. In addition, on-device processing improves the speed of alerts while reducing chances of annoying, recurrent false alarms.

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It’s beyond debate that the smartphone is profoundly transforming many industries and creating new opportunities such as the Internet of Things (IoT). The impact of mobile technologies goes beyond consumer segments such as wearables, virtual reality or connected cameras. A new breed of industrial devices is now built on smartphone innovations. Whether we’re discussing health care or smart energy, advancements in many mobile technologies are leading to the design of a new class of enterprise IoT applications – and fundamentally transforming industrial handheld computing.

Nearly as old as the mobile phone, industrial handhelds have been common tools of large commercial enterprises for logistics and warehousing workflows for some 20 years. Made possible by advances in computing power, industrial handhelds have advanced in capabilities along a trajectory that has tracked advances in mobile computing generally. But it is the revolution of the smartphone – the handheld computer that untethered the internet – that is enabling development of new industrial handhelds that will make those used today seem like the calculator you used in high school. The leading suppliers of industrial handhelds are keenly aware of this and are actively leveraging smartphone features into their products.

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The Internet has entered a new chapter called the Internet of Things (IoT). It follows the fixed-Internet era characterized by connected PCs and laptops through the 1990s, and builds on the mobile-Internet era spearheaded by the proliferation of smartphones during the first two decades of this century. This new chapter has a new set of challenges and opportunities because it involves a broader diversity of devices — ranging from connected light bulbs, smart gas meters and smart speakers, to IP monitoring cameras, smart watches, drones, and robots. And while the connectivity and compute requirements of these IoT devices vary widely, they all have a common need: strong security.

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Disclosure: I am employed by Qualcomm Technologies.

Ten years from now, when we read about technology history, 2017 will be seen as a turning point in the evolution of wearables — when fashion met technology. Luxury brands used to think about novel fabrics, materials and designs when discussing technology advancements for their watches, glasses, hand bags and clothing. Now the minds behind the latest fashions consider the richness and responsiveness of their devices as well as the software user experience.

Smartwatches are taking center stage in this convergence of style and technology. The arrival of fashion smartwatches began in 2015 with launches from such brands as Fossil, Michael Kors and Tag Heuer. This year, in the days leading up to Baselworld — the premier event for the world’s watch and jewelry industry, celebrating its 100th anniversary — we saw a plethora of smart timepiece announcements. At the show, there were smartwatch introductions from Diesel, Emporio Armani, Fossil, GC, Guess, Hugo Boss, Michael Kors, Misfit, Montblanc, Movado, Tag Heuer and Tommy Hilfiger.

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The Internet of Things (IoT) is an incredibly diverse space, encompassing a large variety of hardware form factors and software ecosystems unlike anything we have seen in technology. Smartwatches, connected cameras, drones, thermostats, voice-enabled speakers, smart appliances and more—they all live together within the IoT.

But the diversity and innovation that excites many IoT fans is a big challenge not just for manufacturers and developers, but also (and most importantly) consumers. Which technology options should be used when designing or deploying IoT devices? How do they keep up with updated or new operating systems? What about new software and connectivity technologies coming up? Those are just some of today’s challenges.

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By now, the term Internet of Things or IoT has become a part of the tech world’s everyday vernacular, and it broadly describes the concept of an interconnected network of physical objects, including machines, wearables, buildings, automobiles and a plethora of other types of devices. And these connected “things” are being designed to bring new services and deliver new levels of efficiency and safety all around us—in homes, businesses, cities, and across industries.

Now in 2017, despite billions of already-connected devices, we are only at the dawn of the IoT era. It is estimated that there will be more than 20 billion connected devices by the year 2020. This expansion will be fueled by the rapid growth of exciting new IoT use cases and opportunities all around the world.

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Cameras used to be more about the lenses and the aperture, but today’s security and sportscams are building in technology to make them “conscious,” using edge computing and on-chip processing to get past challenges around massive data generation and poor image quality and bringing exciting new capabilities, such as facial and object recognition, in the camera itself.

Take the example of Silk Labs, a company using intelligent real-time video to alert people when a package has been delivered at the home door or alert them about a stranger at the door. Or consider Knit, a camera that can see how well your baby is sleeping, inform parents about her sleep trends and monitor breathing for peace of mind during the night—all without any devices attached to the child. And more will come. 

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