UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 10
When the alarm of your smartphone rings in the morning, you wake up and tap it to stop the alarm which causes your geyser to be switched on automatically. The smart mirror in your bathroom shows the day's weather and also indicates the level of water in your overhead tank. After you take some groceries from your refrigerator for making breakfast, it recognises the shortage of stock in it and places an order for the supply of fresh grocery items. When you step out of your house and lock the door, all lights, fans, geysers and AC machines get switched off automatically. On your way to office, your car warns you about traffic congestion ahead and suggests an alternative route, and if you are late for a meeting, it sends a message to your office accordingly.
In the context of emerging communication technologies, which one of the following terms best applies to the above scenario ?
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Correct Option: B
Explanation: The Internet of Things (IoT) connects appliances, sensors, vehicles and services so they exchange data and automate actions, as in the alarm, geyser, refrigerator and car scenario.
Option-wise Analysis:
A: Incorrect - BGP exchanges routes between internet networks; it does not denote interconnected smart devices.
B: Correct - Correct-networked objects sensing conditions and acting automatically are IoT.
C: Incorrect - Internet Protocol is a communications rule used by systems, not the umbrella smart-device concept.
D: Incorrect - A VPN provides secure network tunnelling rather than the described sensor-driven automation.