* How would you explain “Internet Of Things” to a layman?
The rapid pace of technology innovation has made it possible, both economically and physically, to embed internet-connected computers in everyday objects. This stuff is only getting cheaper, smaller, and easier to use with every passing day.
The Internet of Things is a broad term that describes the markets and industries that this phenomenon is opening up and enabling. If every object, environment, and physical space was wired up and able to be searched, queried, and discovered in real-time by anyone in an open way, everything involved with how people live, work, communicate, and
play will be affected. This is the next evolution of the Internet.
* How does Pachube help bridge physical and virtual worlds for the IoT?
Pachube is an infrastructure that allows data from the types of devices we've described to be monitored, shared, and queried in real-time. We also provide mechanisms for controlling these devices and for users to interact with visualizations and applications that work on top of the data.
* How is data streaming on Pachube/IoT different from other data available on internet?
Pachube is focused on real-time data that represent the changing attributes of environments and physical things that exist in those environments. The data is unique in the fact that by itself it is not typically very interesting, but when it is opened up and available to a community of empowered individuals, it becomes a driver for all kinds of awesome innovations, like crowd-sourcing movements and new interactions within urban infrastructures.
* How far in the future would we be able to see any real effects of The Internet of Things in our lives?
Aside from the more obvious efficiency improvements that businesses and public infrastructures are already seeing from IoT-type technology, the really cool stuff is already starting to bubble up. Some examples can be found here: blog.pachube.com/search/labels/pioneers
* What implications does the idea hold for a common man?
A deeper engagement with their environment, city, and home. The ability to interact with that environment and people who share it in new ways. It's like a new 6th sense, this digital connection with the physical world.
* Are there any risks involved for a person when he puts up personal data in a public domain?
Maybe. That's why we have generated new innovations around security structures for this specific kind of data. See here: http://blog.pachube.com/2011/03/breakthrough-new-security-model-for.html