Modern IoT systems go far beyond simply connecting devices to the internet. They create a continuous data pipeline between the physical world and cloud-based intelligence.

This lecture explores how connected systems are designed — from edge devices collecting sensor data to cloud platforms analyzing that data for real-time insight and predictive decision-making.

Through a narrative case study, we examine how an engineering team might prevent catastrophic inventory loss by monitoring industrial freezers using IoT devices. This story becomes a lens for understanding the architecture behind modern IoT systems: how devices communicate, how the cloud processes telemetry, and how organizations transform raw sensor data into operational intelligence.

By attending this workshop, participants will:

• Understand the architecture of modern IoT systems: Learn how physical devices, communication protocols, cloud services, and visualization tools fit together to create an end-to-end IoT pipeline.

• Recognize the role of lightweight communication protocols: Understand why MQTT is widely used in IoT environments and how publish–subscribe messaging enables reliable communication between thousands of devices.

• Explore how cloud platforms enable scalable IoT deployments: See how cloud infrastructure supports device fleets, real-time data processing, and integration with analytics and AI systems.

• Recognize responsible engineering practices in cloud environments: Understand the importance of resource lifecycle management, cost awareness, and maintaining clean cloud infrastructure.

• Understand the importance of edge computing: Discover why some processing happens directly on devices and how edge computing reduces latency and improves system reliability.