Taking baby steps towards the Internet of Things revolution

Many of the most remarkable technological advances that shaped our modern business lives were delivered seemingly overnight; televisions became much wider and thinner, telephones went mobile, Wi-Fi made everything so much easier to connect.
The Internet of Things is a grand concept that is being introduced to commerce and enterprise more gradually. One day it is likely that every electronic device we use will have the capability to communicate and interact with lots of other relevant devices.  
While we are on the cusp of new technology that will one day become ubiquitous, we are only just starting to understand the potential opportunities that will be available in the future.
At Brother, our technology includes many devices that already chime with the dictionary definition of the Internet of Things (IOT): ‘the interconnection via the internet of computing devices embedded in everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data.’ 

MPS and Brother Web Connect
Devices that are incorporated into our Managed Print Services (MPS) monitor their own ink or toner and level of service, ordering components and consumables which can be delivered to the customer as and when they are required and with minimal inconvenience. Similarly, devices enabled with Brother Web Connect capabilities can interact with 3rd party services to automatically store  documents and/or print documents directly from the control panel of the Brother device.

Beyond the office
This is only the beginning, however, and in examining the potential for the Internet of Things, it’s worth looking at the possibilities that are emerging elsewhere and beyond the office. 
At home, wirelessly connected devices are already monitoring and controlling the environment, shaping our lighting and heating requirements. Such devices are intelligent enough to learn and react to patterns in human behaviour, setting temperatures to suit our needs at different times of day and introducing new efficiencies to the way we use energy.
The future of the office 
These developments herald a bright new future for the office environment. Indeed, we could soon begin to question the entire concept of the office as we know it as technology adapts to the increasingly fractured patterns of the traditional working day. 
In shaping the future office, the Internet of Things will be as big as our imaginations allow it to be. At Brother, our Japanese research and development continues to think big to continually innovate in the print and scanning spheres and adopt pioneering approaches in the IOT.