Edge computing and the Internet of Things (IoT) are two technologies that complement each other to enhance the performance and scalability of connected devices.
IoT refers to a network of physical devices—sensors, actuators, machines—that collect and exchange data via the internet.
Edge computing brings computation closer to where data is generated (the “edge” of the network), instead of relying on cloud servers.
Why combine IoT with edge computing?
- Lower latency
- Real-time processing is critical for applications like autonomous vehicles, smart factories, and surveillance systems.
- Bandwidth optimization
- Instead of sending raw data to the cloud, only relevant or summarized data is transmitted.
- Offline capabilities
- Devices can function without an active internet connection.
- Enhanced security
- Processing data locally reduces the attack surface and data exposure.
Use cases:
- Smart grid monitoring
- Industrial automation
- Healthcare monitoring systems
- Smart city infrastructure
Edge devices include Raspberry Pi, industrial gateways, and embedded microcontrollers running machine learning models or analytics.
The future of IoT lies in intelligent edge computing—offloading cloud resources, improving performance, and enabling the next generation of responsive, autonomous systems.