Internet of Things

In the introduction to the Integration section we discussed how we live in a world of connected applications. That's of course a valid statement, but when we take a look at how technology has evolved in recent years we can easily see that common internet access has created another integration domain. We live in a world of connected devices. Smartphones, which we use on a daily basis, send usage data to software vendors. Printers are connected to the internet and automatically order new cartridges when the ink level is low. Coffee machines can be programmed using smartphones, and, similar to printers, they can also automatically order supplies. The automotive sector heavily invests in car telemetry, which involves cars constantly sending data using the mobile network.

The manufacturing industry is focused on the optimizing of production lines. Unplanned maintenance due to overused parts causes serious problems and leads to production delays and unsatisfied...