Internet of Things for Dummies

Nov. 6, 2015
Understanding the difference between IoT acronyms.

IoT, IoE, IIoT, Industry 4.0 — a confusing alphabet soup of sorts seems to be cropping up around the universe of “connected” things. The consensus term for this new world has settled on “The Internet of Things (IoT).” However, several other descriptors have emerged, some of which actually reference separate components of this connected ecosystem. To make matters even more confusing, people seem to incorrectly use these terms interchangeably. So let’s test your IoT vocabulary with some definitions to make sure you’re up on the latest lingo.  

For more details on how analysts believe the IoT will affect the electrical industry, read the following special reports (Spinning a New Web from the August 2015 issue and An Industrial Strength Web from the October 2015 issue.

Opening photo: cybrain/iStock/Thinkstock

About the Author

Tom Zind | Freelance Writer

Zind is a freelance writer based in Lee’s Summit, Mo. He can be reached at [email protected].

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