Use cases for edge computing
Edge computing offers the ability to bring processing closer to the sources of data. We have explored several traditional use cases so far in this book, but new uses of edge computing have emerged recently. Ambient computing offers the concept of natural computing that blends into an environment, while synthetic sensing offers the ability to aggregate edge-level sensors into a broad environmentally aware system.
Within this book, we have studied different types of sensors that are used on the far edge. Devices like MEMs sensors, thermal sensors, and PIR motion sensors are designed to measure specific traits of the environment like pressure, temperature, or motion. These sensors alone don't have the ability to understand more complex actions within an environment, for example, a stove burner left on or if the coffee has completed brewing. While these tasks can be accomplished simply by adding sensors directly to each appliance, synthetic...