Emerging synergies between Internet of Things and social technologies

This essay discusses the phenomena of amalgamation of two prominent technologies: Internet of Things (IoT) and Social technologies. IoT devices are primarily used for connectivity between physical objects while Social technologies are responsible for collaboration and social interaction. The domain of Social Internet of Things (SIoTs) points toward social interactions of IoT devices. This phenomenon will further enhance the collaboration capabilities of IoTs to deliver huge amounts of human-computer interactions with very limited interventions from humans. Thus, high degrees of human-computer interfaces can be created among physical objects by enabling them with human-like capabilities and social interactions. In this context, we discuss relevant research developments, contextually analyze the drivers and challenges of SIoTs, and describe some interesting business use cases along with suitable recommendations going forward.