Forecasts differ between 20 billion and 50 billion connected devices by 2020. Despite the disparity, the numbers indicate that we are on the cusp of a smart revolution. But who will lead the revolution and become the outright victor of the IoT? CBR runs down the 5 biggest companies vying for the top spot. Intel: Since 1968, the company has been engineering computers, smartphones and now wearables with its chips. The firm is now working on next generation devices to improve efficiency and battery life of connected products.

Cisco Systems is tightening its relationship with Sensity Systems, a Silicon Valley startup that wants buildings and cities now adopting LED lighting to embrace the Internet of Things. Sensity makes sensors and computers designed to be integrated with LED lights that can go into existing outdoor light fixtures. With Sensity’s gear, the fixtures can do more than light up the streets and parking lots where they’re installed. Its cameras, thermometers and other sensors can tell a lot of stories about what’s going on under the lights. Parking, security and pedestrian traffic are key applications.

Most residents at Episcopal Senior Communities’ six continuing care facilities roam the grounds wearing a pendant that connects them with a tap of a button to the staff via a Wi-Fi network. The pendants can also track the residents as they move about the property, enter and exit their rooms and request care. Other connected sensors can track staff, ensure that medicines are stored at the proper temperatures and prevent residents from wandering off the property by locking doors.

Enterprises are being 'deliberate' in implementing Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, with just 12% of organisations currently in the process of rolling out an IoT solution. 43% of enterprises suggest that the IoT is immediately important to their business, while 46% are currently working with IoT in exploring, experimenting and prototyping the technologies. The findings, from a Red Hat survey, reveal that 65% are making operations enhancements to start projects, while 51% are working on process optimisation. 86% of respondents said that open source will have a role in their IoT projects.

The Internet of Things  – or IoT if you will – is much more than just a buzzword. It’s also much more than ‘the next big thing'; it could be fundamental to the future of technology and how we interact with it. When we talk about the Internet of Things, we tend to do so in reference to the home and business –but there is more to it than that. There’s a lot to consider when it comes to working with data gathered by various sensors built into smart devices, and the most recent game-changer has been unveiled by the Wi-Fi Alliance. …

IBM and National Instruments are among the newest companies to join the Open Interconnect Consortium, one of several industry groups working on open frameworks for the Internet of things. The two companies were among eight new members announced by the Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC) July 20, bringing the membership total to more than six dozen. It's also the latest indication of the crossover occurring in memberships among the various Internet of things (IoT) standards groups, which could mean reduced worries about the fragmentation of efforts in the area.

The Internet of Things has, so far, been generally geared toward the individual and the home, however, its applications go far beyond that into the public realm. Among those applications is public lighting, with a startup called Sensity Systems, which creates smart lighting networks, having announced that it has attracted partnerships and funding from a number of major businesses, including the likes of General Electric, Cisco and Simon Property Group, a leading mall developer.

HTC has announced that it will be delaying the release of its Grip wearable technology following the results of its consumer testing, as it is considering making alterations to the device so that it will serve a new purpose. The fitness band from HTC called the HTC Grip was supposed to become available later in 2015. However, it now looks as though the wearable technology from that company won’t be released until next spring. The company explained that “After extensive wear testing and user feedback, we have decided to align Grip with the entire product portfolio for health and fitness launching later …

KT has joined forces with Nokia Networks to set up what it describes as Korea's first Internet of Things (IoT) lab in a bid to help the South Korea-based operator fulfil its goal of becoming "the number one player in Korea's IoT market". The lab will provide IoT-related technical expertise and knowledge to small and medium-sized partner companies to help foster a connected digital ecosystem. This initiative is based on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by both companies during this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC). KT and Nokia Networks also agreed to implement the world's first LTE-M field trial …

Google wants to get moving with its network including Internet of Things. The firm plans to provide a grant of $500,000 to assist Carnegie Mellon University to research and develop multiple physical products for the network. It also plans to offer researchers and students at the university access to Google’s technology for Internet of Things. The project's main target is to allow the campus to easily gather data and make efficient use of it. This is only possible if vast wireless sensors are utilized in order to gather data from various portions within and outside the campus.