Connect This With That: What Is Next?

I wonder – what will connect tomorrow? What is going to connect next?

Thinking about the countless ways that different people, process, data and things will connect over upcoming years on the Internet of Everything can be almost overwhelming. As I mentioned in my last blog post, not a moment goes by in the day when I am not thinking of how different objects can work together to improve our world. Some of those connections are realistic; others are more visionary, difficult to grasp outside the context of IoE.

Cisco is already telling the story of these connections. You can explore the potentialities of the future for yourself through Connect This With That, an interactive experience that demonstrates the “how” behind the connections of today and tomorrow. On IoE, it’s possible for any two seemingly unconnected items to work together, creating a new reality for our world’s inhabitants. Imagine, as you pull in for a football game, the stadium automatically sends information to your car about where the best parking is located. As you enter the game, your wallet then talks to the admissions booth, so no tickets are required. What else is possible? For example, what are the technologies and products, current and future, that make it possible for an air quality index to talk to a school desk? Can a health organization connect with your bike, measuring average exercise patterns?

What’s more, though, is that the story doesn’t end there. The next big thing isn’t just one thing, after all; it’s lots of little things. When a doctor’s office connects to you wallet for health insurance information at your next appointment, imagine the wallet then talking to your financial planner, automatically putting aside funds for an upcoming procedure. As your office building checks the traffic reports and alerts you of longer commute times, can it then sync with your calendar and reschedule your early morning meetings? It is these third, fourth and fifth iterations of these connected conversations that enthrall me the most. I am excited for how this will evolve.

Let me know what you think. What would you like to see connected next?

Join the discussion: #IoE #InternetofEverything