The idea of connected devices is nothing new, the University of Cambridge had a connected coffee pot, to save on trips down the corridor to see if it had finished brewing, as early as 1991.
But as more and more devices go online we've come up with the idea of the Internet of Things. This, apparently, is such a good idea that it also now has its own day on April 9.
To mark this year's Internet of Things Day, electronics supplier RS Components has produced an infographic looking at how the IoT has developed and what it means for our day-to-day lives.
By 2020 it's reckoned that there will be about 13 billion household Things like toasters, fridges, TVs and thermostats connected to the internet. To put that into perspective in 2016 there are around two billion mobile phones online.
There will also be around 3.5 billion Things in Cars online by 2020, 411 million wearables and 646 million Things in Hospital, like heart monitors and body implants. In addition 9.7 billion Things in the Street like traffic lights, parking meters and buildings will be online too.
You can see more detail in the full graphic below, but just remember, a connected Thing is for life not just April 9.
Image Credit: Ahmetov_Ruslan / Shutterstock
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