It’s the idea that any physical object can connect to the internet and communicate with other objects to relay information to people.

In the future, many everyday objects will be connected to the internet. This big network of objects will mean many tasks and information exchanges can be automated.

It works mainly through radio frequency identification technology known as RFID. RFID chips are small and inexpensive. They use radio waves to send information to RFID readers that can be connected to the internet.

The Internet of Things also uses smartphones and sensors embedded in devices that allow machines to talk to each other.

RFID is commonly used in transit systems, automated payments and pets’ microchips.

Each minute of the day, thousands of machines (such as vending machines and parking meters) are exchanging data for all kinds of purposes.

In the house of the future, appliances and devices will talk to each other to make everyday tasks simpler.

Self-driving cars could become the norm, enabling us to catch up on emails and calls during journeys. Cars could track arrival time and send updates to work calendars.

Phone meetings could become a thing of the past. Instead of making a call, your phone will beam a hologram of the person you want to speak to.

Our kitchen appliances could order our groceries automatically and we might be able to pay and pick up groceries at drive- thru supermarkets.