MrSeb writes "When we think of computer networks, we think of
routers and servers and fiber optic cables and laptops and
smartphones — we think of the internet. In actuality, though,
the visible internet is just the tip of the iceberg. There are
secret military networks, and ad hoc wireless networks, and
utility companies have sprawling, cellular networks that track
everything from the health of oil pipelines and uranium
enrichment machines through to the remaining capacity of septic
tanks — and much, much more. What if we connected all of these
networks to the internet, to form an internet of things? What if
we then put a massive computer at the middle of this internet of
things and used this wealth of data to power smart cars, smart
homes, smart supermarkets, and smart cities? Unsurprisingly, IBM
and Cisco are already working on such smart cities. For nearly
two years, Rio de Janeiro's utilities, traffic systems, and
emergency services has been managed by a single 'Ops Center,' a
huge hub of technologies pr