Cloud of Things

AI-generated summary

Cloud services have evolved from centralized Cloud Computing in specialized data centers to more distributed models like Fog and Edge Computing, aiming to optimize cost, security, and response times by bringing computing and storage closer to users. This evolution supports the concept of the “Cloud of Things,” where connected devices (“things”) possess increasing autonomy and processing power, enabling enhanced decision-making at the edge of the network.

Several factors drive the growth of the Cloud of Things. The proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) connects millions of devices across smart homes, cities, autonomous vehicles, and personal assistants, necessitating integrated solutions that combine IoT with big data and artificial intelligence, often supported by Edge Computing platforms like AWS IoT Greengrass. The advent of 5G technology further accelerates this trend by providing faster speeds and lower latency, enabling advanced applications such as remote surgeries and autonomous driving. Additionally, mature IoT orchestration solutions unify diverse devices and systems into cohesive management platforms, exemplified by offerings like AXONIZE. Experts note that the processing power of IoT devices, especially in connected vehicles like Tesla’s Full Self-Driving computer, rivals top-tier chips, suggesting potential for leveraging this distributed capacity as part of a vast, coordinated computing cloud.

What is the Cloud of Things? Learn about this service between Cloud Computing and the Internet of Things.

Starting from Cloud Computing, cloud services have evolved towards Fog Computing and Edge Computing. While Cloud Computing offers centralized services from specialized data centers, it is evolving to take these services where the cost/security/response times equation is optimal.

This move to provide computing and storage capacity closer and closer to the “customer” is called Cloud Of Things. “Things” connected to the cloud, with more and more autonomy and more capacity for processing and decision-making.

What are the factors that have driven the Cloud of Things?

  • IoT. The Internet of Things is increasingly present in our lives: from smart homes to smart cities, from autonomous vehicles to personal assistants, the number of applications is multiplying as well as the number of connected devices. The coordination of millions of devices, as well as the integration with big data and artificial intelligence solutions, means that Cloud IoT solutions, with Edge Computing capabilities, are becoming more popular. For example, Amazon has developed the Edge Computing solution specifically developed for IoT solutions, called AWS IoT Greengrass. Similar cases can be found in the offers of both Microsoft and Google. If you want to learn more about what the Internet of Things is and how it really works, you can consult the analysis of the trend of our think tank, Future Trends Forum, by clickinghere.
  • 5G. 5G technology, due to its improvements in speed and latency compared to 4G, presents a qualitative and quantitative leap in applications such as autonomous cars or remote surgical operations with robots. According to a recent study by Juniper Research, the total revenues billed by operators of 5G connections in the Internet of Things will reach 8 billion dollars by 2024, which represents an increase of more than 1,400% in the next 5 years.
  • Maturation of IoT Orchestration solutions: An orchestration solution integrates software, sensors, and IT systems into a single control and management platform, breaking down existing silos. An example of this type of solution is the one developed by AXONIZE.

For our Future Trends Forum expert, Peter Coffee, “a growing percentage of the world’s computing is done by iOS devices (in mobiles, in cars, in homes, in industry) and will probably continue to increase.”

The processing power and storage capabilities of IoT devices are already on par with the best chips on the market, especially in the world of connected vehicles. In April of last year, Tesla announced its Full Self-Driving (FSD) computer, which they said was “objectively the best chip in the world.”

A complete deployment of the Cloud Of Things concept would mean that the processing and storage capabilities of computers such as Tesla’s could be used at off-peak hours for other tasks, forming part of a gigantic computing cloud, with different orchestrators coordinated with each other.

If you want to delve into the current state of Cloud Computing and Edge Computing, you can consult the analysis of the trend of our think tank, Future Trends Forum, by clicking here.