If you follow what's trending in technology, you will by now know that the Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to create new possibilities for connected technologies, along with IT resource churn, as companies struggle to securely connect a deluge of devices, sensors and objects to the corporate network. According to IDC, there will be more than 212 billion devices connected to the web by 2020, including over 30 billion connected autonomous things.

The IoT hype focuses on how Internet-connected cars, homes, offices, appliances and gadgets will transform how we work, play and live; sensors in water bottles, web-enabled tennis rackets and every kind of conceivable wearable will capture the spotlight.

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The idea of connected devices means far more than wireless webcams and televisions that are connected to the internet. The Internet of Things is a buzzword, but it’s also a real, tangible thing. Consumers and businesses alike are looking to the ways in which connected devices can help to make life easier, more efficient, and more profitable. In many ways, this is Internet 2.0 -- we've had Web 2.0, now the Internet is being taken to the next level -- as the benefits of getting ever more devices not only online, but also communicating with each other, are realized. But just as with the web, the IoT needs protocols to ensure compatibility between devices, and this is what HyperCat hopes to bring about.

A collaboration between dozens of UK technology firms, HyperCat is… well… let's allow it to introduce itself. "HyperCat is a media type for the web allowing servers to list catalogs of resources. It is designed to make discovery of IoT services and assets easier". It's a protocol, a specification, a standard. It's an attempt to define the semantics of the Internet of Things, helping to level the playing field and start everyone off on an even footing. As we saw with the VHS and Betamax battle, and the Blu-ray vs HD-DVD format wars, there are just no winners when there are two or more competing formats. It makes perfect sense to pin down how the IoT should work as early as possible, and this is precisely what HyperCat aims to do.

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The Internet of Things is just the latest buzzword that is being used to push all manner of products. Let's cut to the chase -- it's just about "stuff" (other than obvious things like computers and phones) connecting to the internet. Nothing more than that. But this dismissive-sounding definition is not meant to undermine the importance or the significance of the IoT. We've spent the last 20 years or so getting used to the idea of accessing the web, harnessing what it has to offer, exploiting it in various ways and finding all manner of methods of using it to make life easier, more entertaining, and more profitable. The evolution of the Internet of Things sees this taken to the next level.

We are on the cusp of a new industrial revolution. Many would say that the wheels are already in motion. The tired -- very, very tired -- example of what the Internet of Things is about, is the prospect of owning a fridge that will be aware of when you run out of milk, and then either alert you or place an order on your behalf. This is a very simplistic view of things, but it is the communication between devices that will be the hallmark of things to come. Inter-device communication, or machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity. Devices that can be left to their own devices (ahem) are approaching in ever-growing numbers, and there are advantages to be gained.

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A remake of the 1987 sci-fi classic RoboCop has just come out on DVD. In the new version, the huge, faceless corporation known as OmniCorp dominates the futuristic world of 2028. OmniCorp controls a huge fleet of robots to keep the peace overseas, and also the eponymous 'RoboCop', Alex Murphy. This re-launch is pretty timely. Although the original film was made over 25 years ago, it ties in perfectly to a topic close to my heart in 2014: the Internet of Things.

As I enjoyed the film, I couldn't help but wonder about the workday of OmniCorp's fictional network manager, and how his day might not be so very different to the network managers of today. What headaches might he or she have, running a fleet of robots controlled through OmniCorp's network connection?

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The so-called Internet of Things (IoT) came to the British public's fullest attention earlier this month, following national media coverage about two household name retailers announcing their proposed £3.4 billion merger. Dixon's and Carphone Warehouse positioned their desire to marry consumer electrical goods, such as fridges and TVs, with smartphone devices, as part of their preparation for IoT. In so doing, they would appear to want their slice of the multi-billion treasure trove tech industry giants such as Cisco and GE have been forecasting in the next five years.

Of course, the definition of IoT is not new. In fact it's been around for over a decade. What has changed is the public's awareness that the technology we use on a daily basis has caught up with the vision of an always-on, always-connected world. If you look into the details of what comprises the IoT, then you'll see that it includes everything from cloud computing, big data analytics, Internet-enabled devices, applications, network and storage.

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