Introduction to the Internet of Things and Embedded Systems

University of California, Irvine via Coursera

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Provider

Coursera
Pricing

Free Online Course (Audit)
Languages

English
Certificate

Paid Certificate Available
Duration & workload

11 hours 58 minutes
Sessions

On-Demand
Subtitles

Arabic, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Russian, English, Spanish, Thai, Indonesian, Kazakh, Hindi, Swedish, Korean, Greek, Chinese, Ukrainian, Japanese, Polish, Dutch, Turkish, Hungarian, Bengali, Pashto, Urdu, Azerbaijani, Farsi

Found in

Part of

An Introduction to Programming the Internet of Things (IOT)

5.0

Overview

Class Central Tips

The explosive growth of the “Internet of Things” is changing our world and the rapid drop in price for typical IoT components is allowing people to innovate new designs and products at home. In this first class in the specialization you will learn the importance of IoT in society, the current components of typical IoT devices and trends for the future. IoT design considerations, constraints and interfacing between the physical world and your device will also be covered. You will also learn how to make design trade-offs between hardware and software. We'll also cover key components of networking to ensure that students understand how to connect their device to the Internet. Please note that this course does not include discussion forums. Upon completing this course, you will be able to: 1. Define the term “Internet of Things” 2. State the technological trends which have led to IoT 3. Describe the impact of IoT on society 4. Define what an embedded system is in terms of its interface 5. Enumerate and describe the components of an embedded system 6. Describe the interactions of embedded systems with the physical world 7. Name the core hardware components most commonly used in IoT devices 8. Describe the interaction between software and hardware in an IoT device 9. Describe the role of an operating system to support software in an IoT device 10. Explain the use of networking and basic networking hardware 11. Describe the structure of the Internet 12. Describe the meaning of a “network protocol” 13. Explain MANETs and their relation to IoT

Syllabus

What Is the Internet of Things (IoT)?

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a popular buzzword right now, but unlike many fads which have come and gone, the Internet of Things describes an important trend which is having lasting effects on society at large. The term itself, “Internet of Things”, is used to mean a variety of ideas, depending on the motivation and background of the speaker. This course will start by providing a definition of the term. We will talk about how various trends have enabled the Internet of Things, and how it changes the way design is performed. We will also discuss some of the ramifications that IoT is having on society today.

Embedded Systems

In Module 1, we introduced the concept of the Internet of Things at a high level, defining the term and outlining its implications. In this module we explore some of the details involved in the design and implementation of IoT devices. Unlike traditional computer-based systems, IoT devices are “embedded” within other devices in order to provide enhanced functionality without exposing the user to the complexities of a computer. The users interact with the device in a natural way, similar to their interactions with any other objects in the world. In this way, an embedded system has an interface that conforms to the expectations and needs of the users. Establishing a natural interface requires that the embedded system interface with the physical world directly through sensors, which read the state of the world, and actuators, which change the state of the world. In this module we will discuss the structure of embedded systems and describe these interactions with the physical world.

Hardware and Software

IoT devices are implemented using both hardware and software components. Dedicated hardware components are used to implement the interface with the physical world, and to perform tasks which are more computationally complex. Microcontrollers are used to execute software that interprets inputs and controls the system. This module discusses the roles of both the hardware and software components in the system. The functions of common hardware components are described and the interface between the software and hardware through the microcontroller is explained. IoT devices often use an operating system to support the interaction between the software and the microcontroller. We will define the role of an operating system in an IoT device and how an IoT operating system differs from a standard one.

Networking and the Internet

An important aspect of the Internet of Things is that devices are networked in some way, and often connected to the Internet. Networking enables devices to communicate with other IoT devices and larger cloud-based servers. IoT devices can often be thought of as small parts of a much larger collective system which includes large servers based in the cloud. This module will introduce the basics of networking and the Internet protocol in particular. Eventually, most IoT devices are connected to the Internet, so understanding the protocols associated with the Internet is important to the design of IoT devices. We will also introduce the concept of a Mobile Ad Hoc Network, or MANET, which describes small, local networks of IoT devices.

Taught by

Ian Harris

Reviews

3.9 rating, based on 12 Class Central reviews

4.7 rating at Coursera based on 13198 ratings

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Neville A. Cross

The topic selection is good. Dr Harris has a good pace for talking. I am a geek and have played a bit with Arduino and Raspberry Pi. The ideas proposed are good, some of these I already knew. But putting all together help me draw new conclusions. I…

The topic selection is good. Dr Harris has a good pace for talking. I am a geek and have played a bit with Arduino and Raspberry Pi. The ideas proposed are good, some of these I already knew. But putting all together help me draw new conclusions. I feel that sometimes the examples are a bit improvised, and that he can provide better examples that are more fit for the topic. For instance, some examples are more related with computer and internet, than IoT. But then, the fact that I can appreciate that, shows that I am thinking on the concepts at hand.

This course do not have discussion. Some courses makes obligatory to write and comment, which to me is a waste of time. But on a other courses with free discussion board, looking at the questions from other students, I have gain insight on some topics. Obviously, also I have got help from peers. This introduction is about concept and ideas, which I felt at some point commenting. Perhaps for others this is something good, as you only focus on the material and pass the quiz and exams, no need to wander on different post that do not count toward grades. But, I am in for the learning.

Apart for those minor details, I have found the course good, interesting, and the examples are up to date. Great so far.
Ellie Ireland

Great course. I think it's targeted towards beginners with little to no knowledge of Internet of Things. It isn't the most in depth, but it's great if you're looking for something focused on recreation and not profession.
Anonymous

This is a nice course about IoT and I am happy that I am taking this course because it is increasing my knowledge leaps and bounds
Alex Ivanov
Ali Taheri
Virat Amar
Panagiotis Bouklis
Omar Adel Maaly
Fawad Khalil
Colin Khein
Tom Kosters
Sherif Hesham Abdel-hamid