Internet of Things and Robotics

Robotics and IoT are two terms each covering a myriad of technologies and concepts. The added value of the crossover of both technology domains is significant. IoT focuses on supporting information services for pervasive sensing, tracking and monitoring; Robotics focuses on producing action, interaction and autonomous behaviour. The creation of an internet of robotic things (IoRT) combining the results from the two communities will bring a strong added value.

The IoT is a network of things that are connected to the internet, including IoT devices and IoT-enabled physical assets ranging from consumer devices to sensor-equipped connected technology.

The concept of the Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT),  is where intelligent devices can monitor events, fuse sensor data from a variety of sources, use local and distributed intelligence to determine a best course of action, and then act to control or manipulate objects in the physical world via robots. By connecting robots through the Internet of Things (IoRT), it is possible to move towards predictive maintenance and entirely new set of services.

Technologies in IoT will benefit the robotics domain with the advent of  Cloud  Robotics  and  its  role  in  aiding robot  functions  like  sensing,  manipulation,  and  mobility.  Robots can extend the capabilities of existing IoT infrastructure by acting as a special class of edge device

Both IoT devices and robots depend on sensors to understand the environment around them, quickly process data and determine how to respond. Robots are able to handle anticipated situations, while most IoT applications can only handle well-defined tasks.

IoT will play a defining role in allowing robot operators to exert more control over their equipment, such as by manipulating the machines from a distance using an app.