Several years ago now, I bought a Nazbatag:tag. You know, the internet-connected rabbit? It looks all anime and flashes colors and reads you RSS feeds. It has been relaunched in a third iteration as Karotz. Ever since that rabbit has sat on my desk, announcing the time or occasionally making an appearance at a talk or presentation I give on education technology, I can’t help but think he was a little ahead of his time. People still hadn’t grasped what it meant to have computers in things that didn’t have screens. But, with the launch of Ubi on Kickstarter the other day I sense people are starting to understand the Internet of Things.

I’m addicted to the whole concept of the Internet of Things, and it is having an impact on my bank balance. From the novelty of a computerized ball that I control with my smart phones (Sphero), through to the Pebble Watch or the Makey Makey UI system, the ability to make things other than computers and phoness a part of the network is increasing.

What excites me is that I don’t have to be fully immersed in the Arduino/Maker culture to be able to shape and play with devices connected to the network. I’m looking forward to playing with senors and devices like Twine and Ninja Blocks to see how I can shape and change the way my world works when heat senors and moisture and light sensors are introduced into my world and able to send me messages. Indeed, I look at the Raspberry Pi folks and the Makers with their 3D printers and Arduinos with envy and awe. My hands are best used for writing words and I shape the world in a different way, but I'm quietly wishing I could wrap my brain around logic and soldering irons the way they do.

What I find exciting is that these things, like all other technology, have potential uses that we have not yet figured out. You can’t identify them until they become a ubiquitous part of the network. A good example is how Twitter has become a tool for citizen journalism and reportage, when the initial sell was as a tool to keep family and friends updated. I’m interested in how the Internet of Things could transform classrooms and businesses and the operation of your own house. Sure, it is still a while away from Eureka’s S.A.R.A.H., but we have to begin somewhere.

I am loving the emergence and adoption of the Internet of Things as a Dad. I love introducing this technology to my children and listening to their perspectives, their acceptance that this is a real thing, and commentary on how they might use it in their lives. As a GeekDad, I believe I have a role supporting my children to explore, engage, and help shape the future through technology.

Of course, a part of this is the wide-eyed approach to anything new and “shiny-shiny”, but I’ll embrace that approach whole-heartedly. If it is the new that drives my interests and passion – so be it. And, at the moment that new is the Internet of Things; the network creeping outside the screen into fridges and drawers and watches and sensors that only need two AA batteries. I want a future where the transport network is part of the Internet, so all the self-driven vehicles tell each other where they are on the road and track and provide the most efficient routes around a city. I want my hallstand to print photos, and turn the digital back to analogue and be something tangible I can hold in my hands like the folks at Supermechanical are playing with. I want to be able to plug and play these devices, so the programmers have put in the hard yards to give me an interface that allows me to create intuitively and not spend hours with the instruction manual.

The Tableau from Supermechanical

And, this may all lead to a world controlled by Cylons, possibly. But maybe it won’t; maybe we will heed the messages of our science fiction soothsayers. In the meantime, let us keep exploring and experimenting with our kids in a world of things and wires and devices that let us exploit the connections and the network even more.