The Internet of Things (IoT) is here. Whether applied to industrial automation, wearables, connected transportation and logistics, drones or smart cities, IoT is poised to disrupt how we work, live and relate to each other, delivering great benefits along with new challenges. Improved revenue, costs, quality of life and convenience benefits are often confounded by concerns such as privacy, security, and social disruption, with location info playing no small role on both sides. So, what exactly is this digital thing - IoT?

This talk provides a framework for understanding and navigating the IoT space, fleshed out with architecture and technologies involved, applications in several verticals, and the impacts of IoT. A special spotlight is cast on the interplay between the IoT and geospatial realms, exposing the role of IoT in generating geospatial data, and how geospatial data enables IoT applications. The talk also offers perspectives on the state of IoT in Canada, including some of the key players and IoT related innovation initiatives.