Bringing the digital magic of the Internet economy to the machines that run the world is the heady vision of the industrial Internet, or the industrial Internet of Things.
Industrial gear like jet engines, power turbines and rail locomotives will sense and predict when they need a tuneup, before any breakdowns, and automatically adjust to changes in the weather and market demand. Factories, cities and even national economies will become more efficient, more productive and cleaner, the thinking goes.
Enthusiasm is fueling a global spending spree, and all the major industrial and technology corporations are jumping in.
