5 Greatest TED Talks on IoT

We've gathered five of our favorite TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) talks highlighting various aspects of the Internet of Things. The speakers below cover a wide range of topics including how to design clothing and architecture for IoT, exploring IoT's potential applications while addressing security threats, and providing insight into the exponential advancement of technology and what we can expect from the future of the Internet.

You may also like: DZone's Guide to IoT: Applications, Protocols, and Best Practices

Dr. John Barrett: The Internet of Things

Both the Head of Academic Studies at the Nimbus Centre for Embedded Systems Research at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and Group Director of the Centre's Smart Systems Integration Research Group, Dr. John Barrett's research is focused on integrating smart systems in the physical world. With nearly 30 years of knowledge in packaging and systems integration, plus over 100 publications in topics related to his field, he gives the definitive, all-inclusive TED Talk on the Internet of Things.

Ashkan Fardost: Internet of Things — Beyond Our Current Imagination

After a rather long-winded, but seriously entertaining personal anecdote about how he broke into the music industry through manipulating Napster users, Ashkan Fardost explains the exponential growth of technology from the birth of agriculture to IBM's Watson. He proceeds to talk about the amazing potential of the Internet of Things, exciting and blowing the minds of everyone in the room. It's very entertaining!

Rodolphe el-Khoury: Designing for the Internet of Things

Director of Urban Design at the University of Toronto's Daniels Faculty and partner in the design firm Khoury Levit Fong, el-Khoury is renowned worldwide for his design work. As co-director of RAD Lab, el-Khoury's research is focused on architectural applications for information technology with enhanced responsiveness and sustainability in infrastructure. In this talk, he specifically highlights the human desire to simplify and beautify technology by organically hiding it within the fabric of our day-to-day lives. 

Marco Annunziata: Welcome to the Age of the Industrial Internet

Economist Marco Annunziata speaks about how technology is transforming the industrial sector, creating machines able to operate far more efficiently than ever before. With the ability to both sense and react, IoT devices are built to be smarter and more capable than their disconnected counterparts. Imagine airplane parts that send alerts when they need to be serviced or wind turbines able to coordinate together to generate more electricity. The significance IoT will have on the future industry is astounding.

Lorna Goulden: The Internet of Things

Founder of Creative Innovation Works and another designer with interesting ideas involving IoT, Lorna Goulden proposes various user/design applications that will be made possible through connecting clothing and devices within our world. She presents a number of examples of IoT in fashion (including an interactive t-shirt designed by CuteCircuit) and touches on "the quantified self-movement" as an Internet of Things phenomenon.

Clearly, the Internet of Things is projected to redefine our current expectations of technology, offering a wide variety of exciting applications and uses.

We hope you enjoyed!

Further Reading

[DZone Refcard] IoT Security Best Practices

7 Common IoT Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

DZone's Guide to IoT: Applications, Protocols, and Best Practices