A massive increase in international co-operation and significant investment in awareness-building and training are essential if the concept of an Internet of Things (IoT) is to be turned into a meaningful reality, says a European Union-funded project in its final report, RFID and the Inclusive Model for the Internet of Things.
Partners in the Framework 7 CASAGRAS project also urge that European Centers for the IoT and automatic identification and data capture should be established to help business grasp the opportunities they offer. Delegates from 19 countries attended the project’s final conference in London where eight key recommendations were made. These, it was said, would help ensure an ordered development of the IoT on a global basis with maximum business and social benefits.
Ian G. Smith of AIM UK, coordinator of CASAGRAS, said, “Our project work has proved without doubt that there is the need and will for international co-operation. China, Japan, Korea and the USA are on board. Europe has taken the lead and now needs to drive the initiative as a truly global partnership.”
In addition, said Smith, it had also been shown that governments, industry and business lacked awareness of the IoT and of what it offered. “Awareness and education programmes are key requirements in creating a better understanding of the potential and benefits and these programmes should be especially directed at the SME community.”
Copies of the CASAGRAS Project Report are available free by downloading the .pdf at www.rfidglobal.eu.
