Mike, I too grew with the internet, starting out on punched paper tape, relishing the venerable BBC Micro, and watching computing evolve from an isolated home PC to a globally connected device you hold in your hand. I look back fondly on the days when a microcontroller datasheet was a single document you could read in an evening, and when the entire codebase had been lovingly sculpted by your own hand. Today you buy a system, open a stock application and a whole raft of libraries, and tinker round the edges to make your own application.


The IoT is forcing the melding of 'big technologies' like TCP/IP, Bluetooth, USB and crypto security with the grass roots electronics of embedded low power devices. Unfortunately the skills set isn't keeping pace.


It would be great to see the IET help the UK become an IoT leader, if it has the vision and resources to do so. We will see.

Mike, I too grew with the internet, starting out on punched paper tape, relishing the venerable BBC Micro, and watching computing evolve from an isolated home PC to a globally connected device you hold in your hand. I look back fondly on the days when a microcontroller datasheet was a single document you could read in an evening, and when the entire codebase had been lovingly sculpted by your own hand. Today you buy a system, open a stock application and a whole raft of libraries, and tinker round the edges to make your own application.


The IoT is forcing the melding of 'big technologies' like TCP/IP, Bluetooth, USB and crypto security with the grass roots electronics of embedded low power devices. Unfortunately the skills set isn't keeping pace.


It would be great to see the IET help the UK become an IoT leader, if it has the vision and resources to do so. We will see.