We’re talking about the ecosystem of connected devices known as the Internet of Things (IoT) — objects embedded with sensors, connectivity and often a little bit of intelligence. But the idea we’re exploring goes beyond just smart speakers or thermostats. It’s about smart chairs, smart shoes, smart trash bins, even smart infrastructure: every object in your environment sensing, communicating, adapting.
According to recent estimates, the number of connected IoT devices worldwide is expected to reach ~39 billion by 2030.That means many of the items you currently don’t even think of as “smart” could soon behave like they are.
When objects become smart, life can get smoother in many ways:
- Personalised environments: Your home adapts continuously. The lighting knows when you’re reading vs relaxing; the fridge suggests meals based on what’s inside and your health goals. Smart devices essentially become your assistants.
- Reduced friction: No more turning off lights manually, or forgetting your charger, or having to crawl under the couch for cables. Smart objects can anticipate your needs.
- Resource efficiency: Smart infrastructure means better energy use, less waste. Smart cities use data from “things” to optimise traffic flow, waste collection, water management.
- New business & lifestyle opportunities: Imagine renting smart furniture that monitors wear, or clothes that adapt to weather, or even household items that order their own replacements before breaking. The “everything smart” world opens fresh models.
Of course, having every object connected and intelligent brings serious caveats.
- Data & surveillance: With smart objects, you’re generating data everywhere. What happens to that data? Who owns it? How is it used? Objects that “know” a lot about you can also become tools of tracking.
- Security vulnerability: When many devices are online, each one is a potential entry point for hackers. IoT devices have historically been weak links.
- Loss of interface simplicity: A toaster with a 10-step menu might sound silly, but smart objects can become overly complex or require maintenance, updates, network, power.
- Dependency & failure modes: What if the smart system fails? If your “smart” fridge refuses to open because of a connectivity bug, that’s more than an annoyance.
- Equity & exclusion: Will everyone have access? Or will smart-everythings widen the digital divide?
Here’s how your day might unfold:
- 07:00 — Your smart bed detects you’ve tossed and turned, nudges the mattress to a softer setting and quietly wakes you five minutes earlier than your alarm to prevent grogginess.
- Breakfast — The smart coffee machine scans the light outside and presumes you’ll prefer a strong brew today; your fridge tells your phone you’re out of oat milk, and your kitchen shelf prompts a reminder to order more via voice.
- Commuting — Your car is connected to your schedule, says you’re running late; the road sensors ahead suggest a faster alternate route and your seat adjusts your posture for the longer drive.
- Office/home-office — Objects in your workspace adjust lighting to reduce strain; the chair senses posture and suggests micro-breaks; the printer pre-emptively orders ink because the sensor noticed low levels.
- Evening — At dinner your smart plate recognises portion size, logs it to your nutrition app, your smart wardrobe proposes clothes based on tomorrow’s weather, and your home hub dims lights and picks soft music automatically.
This scenario may sound futuristic but many of the building blocks are already in place. The difference is scale and ubiquity.
- Who controls the system? With every object able to “talk”, who sets the rules? Do you? The manufacturer? A service provider?
- Interoperability & standardisation: When all-things-smart means many different brands and platforms, will they all work together cleanly? Fragmentation could kill the promise.
- Privacy by design: How do we embed strong protection so that smart-objects don’t become surveillance devices?
- Ethics & autonomy: If the chair suggests you sit differently, is that helpful or intrusive? If the fridge decides what you eat, is that service or manipulation?
- Resilience: How does the system degrade gracefully when connectivity fails or a device malfunctions? Real-world “smart” systems must be robust.
When every object around you becomes smart, the world becomes responsive — it watches, learns, adapts. This can be empowering: more convenience, less effort, richer experiences. But it also demands that we pay attention: to how our data is used, to our dependence on systems, and to designing these “smart” objects in a way that preserves autonomy, choice and fairness.
In short: the future where “everything” is smart could be wonderful, if we build it thoughtfully. And if we let you remain the master, not the object.
