Computer ga Net to deattara (When Computers Meet the Internet: The world where objects are interconnected)

This is No. 14 of the Kadokawa Course on the Internet, published by Kadokawa Gakugei Shuppan. It is a compilation of articles on the Internet of Things (IoT), which has recently been a topical subject concerning Information and Communications Technology, explained in an easy-to-understand manner. The authors are Ken Sakamura, Junichi Rekimoto, Akihiro Nakao, and Noboru Koshizuka (the author of this review), all professors of the University of Tokyo. The authors all teach at the Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies/Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, where the applied computer science course focuses on IoT as a core concept of research programs. Prof. Sakamura is the supervising editor.
 
This book addresses component technologies of IoT, notably embedded computing, the Internet, and user experience technologies. The articles cover historical development and the latest trends, followed by an attempt to define IoT and explain its various aspects, including component technologies, application, services, standardization of technology, and business applications.

The section on embedded computing technology is mainly written by Prof. Koshizuka, who describes the historical background and explains the TRON project (a project pursued by the authors, Profs. Sakamura and Koshizuka) in terms of the technology involved and the latest trends. The section on Internet technology is written by Prof. Nakao, who presents an overview of the technology and its history, followed by simple-yet-detailed accounts of the technologies important in the IoT era, such as Software Defined Networks (SDN). Prof. Rekimoto presents user experience technology, with historical accounts and a discussion on the trend of moving toward Human Computer Integration and human augmentation. IoT is described by Prof. Sakamura, who explains the main component technology of IoT, Ubiquitous ID Architecture. He also discusses the main theme of this series, the Internet, with regards to the way in which IoT integrates it into our real-world environment to dramatically transform various aspects of urban space, such as housing, transportation, and health care.
 
While written in simple language, the book is founded on academic studies, including many references to original source materials. Thus, it also caters to specialists in the ICT field, helping them fully to have an overhead view of IoT field as a whole.
 

(Written by KOSHIZUKA Noboru, Professor, Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies / 2017)