I’ve been reading a bit on the concept of “the internet of things” defined in this ReadWriteWeb article as “the coming future when there are more “things” on the Internet (sensors especially) than there are people.” This month’s McKinsey Quarterly has a high-level article on the topic as well. Excerpt:

But the predictable pathways of information are changing: the physical world itself is becoming a type of information system. In what’s called the Internet of Things, sensors and actuators embedded in physical objects—from roadways to pacemakers—are linked through wired and wireless networks, often using the same Internet Protocol (IP) that connects the Internet. These networks churn out huge volumes of data that flow to computers for analysis. When objects can both sense the environment and communicate, they become tools for understanding complexity and responding to it swiftly.

via The Internet of Things – McKinsey Quarterly – High Tech – Hardware.

What it means: I’m fascinated by this technological evolution. I like the analogy of a “central nervous system” in this video. When everything becomes real-time structured local “information”, what does it mean for local media? I don’t have the answer but it’s certainly the next big thing in “local”. Thinking out loud, maybe that’s the solution to current lack of hyperlocal content?