You Ask We Answer 10. What is an IoT platform?

The Internet-of-Things universe is growing more diverse with each new type of smart device. It’s a world where not all devices speak the same language — different hardware and software communication protocols set them apart, but they can still interact with each other through an IoT platform.

An IoT ecosystem is complex, integrating sensors, data and device management, all pouring information into a dashboard that allows visualizing collected data and deploying firmware updates to smart devices. The entire ensemble is what defines an IoT platform at a high level.

As a user, you see the automated result, which you can influence via settings available via a companion application. But the information that enables you or the IoT device to take a decision needs to be analyzed and processed so that it becomes actionable. Typically, this happens in the cloud.

IoT sensors collect data from the environment in the form of electrical signals, where the voltage determines the value of property (moisture, light, pressure, speed, temperature) they record. This data is sent up the chain to be assessed and correlated with other data points to provide the actionable information that leads to automation.

An irrigation system, for instance, uses its sensor to measure the moisture in the soil. After analysis, the system knows whether to turn on or off, and how much water to release. The app you use to control it also shows the data in a way you can understand – you see the moisture level, and it may include weather forecast information.

All this is the product of the IoT platform that binds everything together: multiple access points and data networks, the control application for the IoT device. This allows automating tasks for your particular environment.