The Internet of Things (IoT) is a cloud-centric concept, but sometimes you need a little good ol’ book learning to get you on track. This selection of books covers a variety of topics within IoT. Topics include: capitalizing on the growing technology, learning generally about the subject, and understanding the effects IoT is having on our world and what it bodes for the ever-connected future.
1. “The Internet of Things” by Samuel Greengard
Author: Samuel Greengard Website: Amazon “The Internet of Things” covers how IoT works in our current world, as well as the impact it will have in the long run on society. Author Samuel Greengard details the start of the IoT era and how it has evolved into the smart and life-changing technology it is today. However, he believes we are still in its early stages and there is much more to come. Whether in your home or in your banking, IoT is everywhere and it presents its own challenges and risks in a completely connected world. Greengard discusses privacy and security concerns as well as how the technology may evolve within the next decade.
2. “The Fourth Industrial Revolution” by Klaus Schwab
Author: Klaus Schwab Website: Amazon Each industrial revolution has had a profound effect on our world and revolutionized the technology of the day, sparking massive growth. Economist Klaus Schwab argues that we’re currently in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution, and one that will have the most significant impact on society than any point in human history. Artificial intelligence, IoT, and machine learning are already having profound effects even though these fields are still very new. In this book, Schwab discusses the technologies in use and how they impact the different parts of society like the government, healthcare, businesses, and personal lives. He theorizes about how we’ll co-exist in a digital future, as well as how we’ll best contribute to that future. Instead of echoing many pundit’s fears about AI and automation, Schwab instead explores scenarios where technology augments and enhances human tasks and transforms work rather than replacing humans.
3. “Getting started with Internet of Things” by Cuno Pfister
Author: Cuno Pfister Website: Amazon This book is great if you’re looking to get started with building your own IoT projects. Using basic programming skills and affordable sensors, Pfister teaches readers how to build small, fun devices that can perform simple IoT tasks. In this book, he teaches how to develop programs with inputs and outputs to collect data, build client programs to send the data to the cloud, and create server programs to process that data and control the device over the internet. The book uses .NET Micro Framework to program and be forewarned — you will need a couple of items to start building your projects. Requirements include a Netduino Plus, USB cable, sensors, and an ethernet connection to the internet.
4. “Learning Internet of Things” by Peter Waher
Author: Peter Waher Website: Amazon This is another book about getting started with IoT by way of creating your own products. However, instead of making little projects, the book goes over protocols and communications between devices. It features tutorials designed for the Raspberry Pi, which makes jumping into the projects affordable and accessible for anyone to follow along. The book also covers secure architectures as well as security issues and protecting user data within the IoT.
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5. “Precision: Principles, Practices and Solutions for the Internet of Things” by Timothy Chou
Author: Timothy Chou Website: Amazon In this book, Timothy Chou discusses the technology behind the smart objects we use every day and why it matters that devices be able to communicate. The book is divided up into two parts. The first part deals with practices, introducing readers to the framework behind the technology. Chou discusses the fundamental principles behind the framework and how they work. The second part focuses on “solutions,” taking the framework from the first part and putting it into practice. The book covers a variety of real-world solutions for IoT machines as well as case studies to see them in action across industries.
6. “The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies” by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee
Authors: Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee Website: Amazon This book discusses the second machine age, an age of technology similar to the technical revolutions of the past with regard to the effects it will have on our world. Authors Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee discuss how technology is changing how society operates, making things much easier, and also more difficult. As automation rises to make our lives easier, the technology also stokes fears about lost human jobs; the same fears were stoked from the first machine age of the industrial revolution. As critics point towards the job elimination aspects of automation and AI, “The Second Machine Age” focus on how to adapt to the technology. They theorize ways that we can overcome this adjustment, such as revamping education to better prepare younger generations with the right professional skills for an automated world.
7. “The Silent Intelligence” by Daniel Kellmereit and Daniel Obodovski
Authors: Daniel Kellmereit and Daniel Obodovski Website: Site | Amazon “The Silent Intelligence” discusses the fact that IoT has grown so much with relatively low public visibility. IoT is referred to as “silent’ because most of the developments have been subtle and looked over by mainstream reporting, even as connected devices become widely integrated. The book covers the history of how smart technology has worked and why, although the term “Internet of Things” is relatively new, the technology is not. Intended for entrepreneurs and investors, several chapters focus on how to best enter the IoT market. It’s a great introduction to the business side of IoT and features stories and insights from various industry veterans.
8. “Trillions” by Peter Lucas, Joe Ballay, and Mickey McManus
Authors: Peter Lucas, Joe Ballay, and Mickey McManus Website: Amazon “Trillions” is a look to the future, directly referencing how many devices will be connected to the internet in the time to come. There are already more devices in the world than people (some reports say 13 billion connected devices), and they’re talking to each other and collecting data every day. The book delves into the challenges of the technology, from its potential in connecting everything in our lives to the privacy and security risks we take in making our world more digital.
9. “Everyware: The Dawning Age of Ubiquitous Computing” by Adam Greenfield
Author: Adam Greenfield Website: Amazon Another book talking about the effects of digital connection on our lives, “Everyware” is a play on “everywhere” and “software,” highlighting just how integrated technology is with the world today. Adam Greenfield discusses the current state of smart technology and theorizes about how it may develop in the near future. As the world gets “smarter,” technologies are already shaping our lives and changing our relationships with technology and the world.