83 lines
3.2 KiB
Markdown
83 lines
3.2 KiB
Markdown
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# 🌐 The Internet of Things (IoT)
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## 📡 What Is IoT?
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The **Internet of Things (IoT)** refers to a network of **interconnected devices** that collect, exchange, and act on data via the Internet. These "things" can include sensors, smart appliances, wearables, and industrial machines — essentially any physical object embedded with electronics and network connectivity.
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IoT enables real-time monitoring, automation, and control across various sectors, such as:
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- Smart homes (e.g. smart thermostats, lighting)
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- Industrial automation (IIoT)
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- Agriculture (smart irrigation)
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- Healthcare (wearable health monitors)
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- Environmental sensing
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---
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## ⚙️ How Devices Fit Into the IoT Ecosystem
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### 🧠 Microcontrollers (MCUs)
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Microcontrollers are **small, energy-efficient computers on a chip**. They are typically used to:
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- **Read sensor data**
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- **Control actuators** (like motors, relays, LEDs)
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- **Execute simple, real-time tasks**
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- **Communicate wirelessly** (if supported)
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#### Common IoT Microcontrollers:
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| Device | Key Role in IoT |
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|-----------------|-------------------------------------------|
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| **Arduino Uno/Nano** | Basic sensors, automation, beginners |
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| **ESP32** | Advanced wireless control with Wi-Fi/BLE |
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| **Arduino Nano** | Compact, breadboard-friendly microcontroller |
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These devices often run standalone, programmed with simple C/C++ code, and interact directly with the physical world.
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---
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### 💻 Single Board Computers (SBCs)
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SBCs are **full-featured mini computers** capable of running operating systems like **Linux**. In IoT systems, they typically serve as **gateways**, **data processors**, or **user interfaces**.
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#### Popular SBC:
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| Device | Role in IoT |
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|-------------------|-------------------------------------------|
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| **Raspberry Pi** | Local servers, edge computing, dashboards |
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The **Raspberry Pi** is commonly used to:
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- Act as a **hub** or **gateway** for a network of microcontrollers
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- Host local databases and dashboards
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- Communicate with cloud services (e.g., AWS IoT, Azure IoT)
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- Handle complex processing or image recognition tasks
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---
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## 🔁 SBC + Microcontroller Collaboration
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In many IoT applications, SBCs and microcontrollers **work together**:
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### Example Setup:
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- 🧭 **Arduino or ESP32** collects sensor data and controls devices
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- 💬 Sends data to **Raspberry Pi** via serial, MQTT, or Wi-Fi
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- 📊 **Raspberry Pi** logs the data, analyzes it, and uploads it to the cloud
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This hybrid approach combines:
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- **Real-time, low-power responsiveness** of microcontrollers
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- With the **computational power and network versatility** of SBCs
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---
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## 🧠 Summary
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| Component | Purpose in IoT |
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|--------------------|------------------------------------------|
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| **Microcontroller**| Simple, real-time control and sensing |
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| **SBC (e.g., Pi)** | Processing, cloud communication, UI |
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| **Together** | Full-stack edge IoT systems |
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---
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The IoT thrives on collaboration between simple embedded devices and smarter processing units — a perfect example of **hardware synergy** in the modern world. 🌍📶💡
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