How Is the Federal Government Using the Internet of Things? By Daniel Castro, Joshua New & Alan McQuinn. July 25, 2016: “The Internet of Things (IoT)—a term used to describe the set of physical objects embedded with sensors or actuators and connected to a network—offers numerous opportunities for the federal government to cut costs and improve citizen services. Moreover, because the Internet of Things generates positive network externalities, widespread adoption by the government will spur commercial adoption. While early adopters in the federal government have already demonstrated the potential of this technology with projects that improve public safety, reduce energy use, enhance military capabilities, and improve worker health, overall adoption across federal agencies is still very low. The federal government faces a number of challenges that have slowed the adoption of the Internet of Things in the public sector. First, there is a lack of strategic leadership at the federal level about how to make use of the Internet of Things. Second, federal agencies do not always have workers with the necessary technical skills to effectively use data generated by the Internet of Things. Third, federal agencies do not have sufficient funding to modernize their IT infrastructure and begin implementing IoT pilot projects. Fourth, even when funding exists, federal procurement policies often make it difficult for agencies to quickly and easily adopt the technology. Finally, risks and uncertainty—about privacy, security, interoperability, and return on investment—delay federal adoption as potential federal users wait for the technology to mature and others to adopt first…”