News December 14, 2020

What is Interoperability?

If you own any smart devices like lights, door locks, cameras, or outlets, chances are those products each require their own app or network defined by their manufacturer in order to be used properly. For instance, some smart lighting devices may work directly with Bluetooth, while others may require the need for a Wi-Fi connection. What’s more is that in order to use these devices as intended, you probably need to install an app on your phone that’s tailored specifically to that particular device. This makes it quite tedious to run multiple commands at the same time. Let’s say you want to run a simple routine where all of your lights and outlets turn on when you arrive home from work. Under this current system you would have to program that routine for each and every device within multiple apps. But what if you could bypass that entirely? What if you could run a single command that would affect every single one of your smart devices regardless of their manufacturer or network requirements?

Interoperability is defined as “the ability of computer systems or software to exchange and make use of information”. In the IoT world, interoperability removes the silos and barriers put in place by device manufacturers to allow each IoT-capable device to seamlessly communicate with each other. In an industrial setting, interoperability unlocks an entirely new level of potential for IoT devices and big data collection. 

Stay tuned for more Minute Monday posts every week! You can also check out our other blogs to learn more about IoT in construction.