The Internet of Things Is Digitizing and Transforming Science

Over the past decade, cloud software has transformed numerous industries—from finance to logistics, marketing to manufacturing. The simplified aggregation of data, enabled by cloud computing, empowers individuals to glean insights and make data-driven decisions rapidly. In science, however, such a transformation has yet to emerge. The domain lacks centralized, machine-readable repositories of scientific data; this absence inhibits analytics and expedient decision-making. Recently, the Internet of Things (IoT) has served as a catalyst for digitizing and automating science. IoT enables the centralized collection and analysis of scientific data (e.g., instruments, sensors, and environments). Here, we discuss this new technology trend, its applications in laboratories and promise as a platform for improved efficiency, more innovative capabilities, and machine learning/artificial intelligence