In the Node – What Makes a Device Part of the IoT Network:

A sensor node as small as a grain of dust can be responsible for connecting your everyday items into the IoT network.

Nodes are small and inexpensive, and are in charge of gathering and relaying data concerning a particular object. Their ability to sense the environment around them allows objects to become part of the Internet of Things, and connect to that network. Dr. John Barrett gives a great TED Talk shown below on how these sensory nodes can turn everyday items into “smart” devices:

As detailed in the video, nodes can be incorporated into virtually anything. For example, consider placing a node inside the cushion of a chair with the ability to sense pressure. From your phone, anywhere in the world, at any time, you can look at data from that chair and know if it’s occupied or not. You can learn about the last time it was occupied, who occupied it, and how long they stayed – and that barely touches the surface of what these powerful nodes can do.

While IoT can seem more conceptual than anything else, nodes are a tangible hardware component that physically connect all of these devices to the Internet and to each other. Understanding how they function allows us to apply this knowledge to almost any device and works to close the time gap between wanting something (knowledge, product, or service) and attaining it.

The growth of devices with smart capabilities is predicted to continue growing exponentially. If you’re looking to start incorporating these into your home, check out “Best Smart Home Devices of 2017.”