Google Hopes To Rule The Internet Of Things With New Operating System Brillo
Google Brillo will connect low power devices such as washing machines or vacuum cleaners running the operating system and will then connect with other Google technologies. Brillo is a way for Google to expand on the Android mobile OS which is used on over half of smartphones around the world, and an expansion on Nest which was recently acquired by the company. Nest is a smart device company that currently sells a smoke alarm and learning thermostat.
The Brillo operating system will allow for simple connections between devices thanks to the basic system. Google will be able to use this system as a leap pad into the connected device market, providing a system for them to run on and maybe more Google branded smart home products too. Weave is a new standard set to compete with the Apple HomeKit which can allow smart home devices to talk to each other, working independently of Brillo.
Google senior vice-president Sundar Pichal has said that Weave is available cross-platform and can work together will Brillo or on its own. Google are also working on a voice interface that will allow you to talk your home gadgets and control them with speech.
The internet of things is an environment in which low powered or non-electronic devices will be connected and able to share information, creating an ecosystem from objects that wouldn’t be able to monitor important information about your routines on their own. This means that a bin, toaster or lamp would be able to connect to other objects and offer monitoring plus automatic control.
In this way, rubbish bins will be able to tell the council when they need collecting, helping the council to set their schedules more efficiently rather than choosing a day and arriving at the same time each week. Lamps could monitor occupants of a house and turn on when they’re on their way home, turning off as they leave again too.
The research company Garner has recently called the Internet of Things the most over-hyped technology still in development. The idea for these connected devices was dreamt up years ago, but it may be more years still before the IoT is up and running in our houses or on our streets. Interoperable standards are one of the biggest challenges for the connected home and, while Google is getting ever closer to making the idea a reality, it is not the only company interested in the Internet of Things.
Samsung recently bought the firm Smart Things which focuses on intelligent living. Following this, Samsung recently announced that it is aiming to make every product it produces ready for the IoT and connected to the internet in under five years. With the array of products currently made by Samsung, from smartphones to fridges and washing machines, it may be one of the biggest companies to get its foot in the door of IoT connectivity. Samsung currently makes smart TVs but these have apps and connect to smartphones to share content, rather than monitoring your habits or turning on as you arrive home. However, newer models come with a One Connect Box that allows the TV to be future ready using the Smart Evolution Kit. This enables the TV to be re engineered and renewed to the latest technology without having to replace it and buy a new model.
The problem with developing the Internet of Things is that products from one company may not be able to connect with products from other companies because they’re using different software. For example, your Indesit fridge may not talk to your Hotpoint tumble dryer because they’re both using different connections and platforms. While Samsung has assured customers that its devices will be able to connect to other non-Samsung devices, making this work may not be so easy.
Google may be able to offer Brillo to smart device companies big and small to make sure all of them can connect and share information about the way they’re used, how often and at what time of the day or week. A Google-created Internet of Things ecosystem may be taking up residence in our homes soon, offering connectivity along with other features.
