Web of Things
Encyclopedia
The Web of Things is a vision inspired from the Internet of Things
where everyday devices and objects, i.e. objects that contain an embedded device or computer, are connected by fully integrating them to the Web
. Examples of smart devices and objects are Wireless Sensor Networks, Ambient devices
, household appliances, RFID tagged objects, etc.
Unlike in the many systems that exist for the Internet of things
, the Web of Things is about re-using the Web standards to connect the quickly expending eco-system of Embedded devices built into everyday smart objects. Well-accepted and understood standards and blueprints (such as URI
, HTTP, REST
, Atom
, etc.) are used to access the functionality of the smart objects.
These characteristics ensure the loose-coupling of services provided by the smart objects, furthermore they offer a uniform interface to access and build on the functionality of smart objects.
Nimbits, is an open source data historian server built on cloud computing architecture that provides connectivity between devices using data points.
Internet of Things
The Internet of Things refers to uniquely identifiable objects and their virtual representations in an Internet-like structure. The term Internet of Things was first used by Kevin Ashton in 1999. The concept of the Internet of Things first became popular through the Auto-ID Center and related...
where everyday devices and objects, i.e. objects that contain an embedded device or computer, are connected by fully integrating them to the Web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
. Examples of smart devices and objects are Wireless Sensor Networks, Ambient devices
Ambient devices
Ambient devices are a new genre of consumer electronics characterized by their ability to be perceived at-a-glance . Ambient devices utilize pre-attentive processing to display information: the ability for the brain to perceive information without any apparent cognitive load.The New York Times...
, household appliances, RFID tagged objects, etc.
Unlike in the many systems that exist for the Internet of things
Internet of Things
The Internet of Things refers to uniquely identifiable objects and their virtual representations in an Internet-like structure. The term Internet of Things was first used by Kevin Ashton in 1999. The concept of the Internet of Things first became popular through the Auto-ID Center and related...
, the Web of Things is about re-using the Web standards to connect the quickly expending eco-system of Embedded devices built into everyday smart objects. Well-accepted and understood standards and blueprints (such as URI
Úri
Úriis a village and commune in the comitatus of Pest in Hungary....
, HTTP, REST
Rest
Rest may refer to:* Leisure* Human relaxation* SleepRest may also refer to:* Rest , a pause in a piece of music* Rest , the relation between two observers* Rest , a 2008 album by Gregor Samsa...
, Atom
Atom (standard)
The name Atom applies to a pair of related standards. The Atom Syndication Format is an XML language used for web feeds, while the Atom Publishing Protocol is a simple HTTP-based protocol for creating and updating web resources.Web feeds allow software programs to check for updates published on a...
, etc.) are used to access the functionality of the smart objects.
Technical characteristics
The properties of a Web of Things can be summarized as follow:- Uses HTTP as an application protocol rather than as a transport protocol as done in the world of WS-* Web Services
- Exposes the synchronous functionality of smart objects through a RESTRestRest may refer to:* Leisure* Human relaxation* SleepRest may also refer to:* Rest , a pause in a piece of music* Rest , the relation between two observers* Rest , a 2008 album by Gregor Samsa...
interface (also known as RESTful API) and more generally respects the blueprints of Resource Oriented Architectures .
- Exposes the asynchronous functionality (i.e. events) of smart objects through the use of largely accepted Web syndication standards such as AtomAtom (standard)The name Atom applies to a pair of related standards. The Atom Syndication Format is an XML language used for web feeds, while the Atom Publishing Protocol is a simple HTTP-based protocol for creating and updating web resources.Web feeds allow software programs to check for updates published on a...
or server-push Web mechanisms such as CometComet (programming)Comet is a web application model in which a long-held HTTP request allows a web server to push data to a browser, without the browser explicitly requesting it. Comet is an umbrella term, encompassing multiple techniques for achieving this interaction. All these methods rely on features included by...
.
These characteristics ensure the loose-coupling of services provided by the smart objects, furthermore they offer a uniform interface to access and build on the functionality of smart objects.
Application examples
One of the early prototypes of the Web of Things is the "Energie Visible" project in which sensors capable of monitoring and controlling the energy consumption of household appliances offer a RESTful API to their functionality. This API is then used to create a physical Mashup .Nimbits, is an open source data historian server built on cloud computing architecture that provides connectivity between devices using data points.