Crash Course in What It Takes to Become an IoT Engineer/Technologist T1/10

IoT_Me is a channel geared towards Students, IoT Enthusiasts and experimenters looking to get a head start in the exciting industry of IoT.

In this tutorial we will briefly look at the subjects you will need to cover to get a head start in becoming an IoT engineer or Technologist, I hope you will find this useful and join me as we explore the different building blocks of IoT.

All you will need is a Computer, Internet connection and eagerness to learn. All content is available online and because the information is freely available you can decide when you ready to buy your first parts to make your IoT project come alive. Episodes will be made available weekly, and step by step instructions listed here along side new videos

To better understand what skills are required we first need to make sure we all understand what IoT is, how to break it down, and what part of the IoT Ecosystem you have the most interest in. Attached is a graph of the ABC's of IoT.

First lets look at the definition according to Wikipedia

“The Internet of things describes physical objects with sensors, processing ability, software and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet or other communications networks.” Wikipedia

Then a more practical version of the same definition that might give you a better Idea of what IoT is.

“The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the practice of connecting physical objects to the internet in a cost-effective and practical manner to drive maximum value by giving inanimate objects a voice previously thought unfeasible.” J van Niekerk

Now lets consider the following example. following from Left to right, lets assume a device measures a temperature, this information is sent via the means of a communication, wireless or wired to a backend server where data is processed to be stored and made available for applications to request the information from, most likely via an API

(Application Programming Interface)

Extra Tip

It is important to note that the entire ABC's can be deployed over 1000's of Kilometers as the information is travelling over the internet network which is why the name " Internet of Things" was so applicable.

Industry Jargon Applied

In addition to clear up some of the confusion, I have added some of the popular service used in IoT under each ABC's for you to get a clearer picture where these tools are used. It is true that some tools cover multiple sections of the ABC's but in general that is where these technologies or names was implemented.

Next we look at the different fields of study that applies or could apply to the different ABCs of IoT, Don't worry at this stage about having any pre existing knowledge in any of these area's, we are just covering what IoT it and where each field of stud is applicable to help give you a better understanding of how many areas of knowledge is required to become effective in this industry.

I hope you have found this information useful and easier to understand, My approach is to help you first understand where IoT is used and what fields of study are required, so you can decide if this is a Career or Industry you wish to persue.

Still Interested?

The video listed above provided some more practical explanations of the topics covered in this first tutorial and should be viewed in conjunction with the content provided above.

Next Steps?

1) Research any of the topics you have seen that you may not be familiar with.

2) See if you can find out what each of the career paths listed has todo with the individual ABC's.

3) Think of an IoT item that if you had all the skills in the work you would like to connect to the internet and why.

Next Tutorials

T2, T3, T4, T5 We will be breaking down each ABC and discussing the role of each career or profession has on that section.

Questions ? Comments ?

Drop a comment below and let me know what you found useful or what other items you may want to see covered in this manner.

Always keen to help where I can.

Tip of the Day. " You don't need a degree to become an effective IoT engineer, only guts, patients and right attitude"