Objects’ skill to communicate is the future direction in technology and for developing this, the University of Tartu (UT) and communication company Telia Eesti have opened Estonia’s first internet of things lab.
A unique laboratory in Estonia and the Baltic states, it is furnished as a smart home and smart office that can be controlled centrally over the network.
The internet of things is becoming an increasingly popular in the world: for example, while driving home from work, your car can inform the heating system that you will be home soon and the heating turns on, or the refrigerator recognises a missing food product and adds it to the shopping list – these are only some examples of how objects will be communicating in the future and making people’s lives more comfortable.
The lab uses a network of devices that include electronics, software, sensors and a network connection. The devices gather and exchange information, which enables a situation where devices are able to act in certain situations on their own – in other words, be smart.
The technology in the lab will be operated by researchers of the UT mobile and cloud computing laboratory. In addition, students of the Institute of Computer Science will have the opportunity to test and create new solutions in the field of internet of things, in order to develop the future directions of high technology and new business ideas in this field. The internet of things also includes developing smart environmental protection, smart health care and smart agriculture.
The UT vice rector for research, Erik Puura, said via statement that the lab improves the university’s studies and research work, makes studies more practical and enables to test new ideas for start-up enterprises.
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Cover: internet of things icon
