2  Author Note

About the Author

Dr. Charith Perera, PhD, MBA

Dr. Charith Perera is an internationally recognized researcher and educator specializing in Internet of Things (IoT), pervasive computing, and cyber-physical systems. With a unique combination of technical expertise (PhD) and business acumen (MBA), he brings both theoretical depth and practical industry insights to IoT education.

2.0.1 Academic Background

Dr. Perera’s research spans sensor networks, edge computing, data analytics, privacy-preserving IoT systems, and smart city applications. His work bridges the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world deployment, making him uniquely positioned to teach the next generation of IoT practitioners.

2.0.2 Teaching Philosophy

This textbook reflects Dr. Perera’s belief that IoT education must be: - Practical and hands-on - Real code examples and working prototypes - Interdisciplinary - Combining hardware, software, networking, and human factors - Industry-relevant - Addressing real-world challenges faced by IoT developers - Future-focused - Preparing students for emerging technologies and evolving standards

2.0.3 Why This Book?

The Internet of Things is transforming how we interact with the physical world, from smart homes to industrial automation, from healthcare to agriculture. Yet, comprehensive educational resources that cover the full IoT stack—from sensors to cloud, from protocols to privacy—remain scarce.

This textbook emerged from years of teaching IoT courses and witnessing students struggle to find cohesive learning materials. Traditional textbooks often focus on narrow aspects (e.g., just networking or just embedded systems), leaving students with fragmented knowledge. This book takes a holistic approach, covering:

  • Applications - Understanding real-world use cases and business models
  • Architecture - From sensor networks to cloud platforms
  • Sensing & Actuation - Hardware fundamentals and electronics
  • Networking - Comprehensive coverage of IoT protocols (Zigbee, LoRaWAN, MQTT, CoAP, and more)
  • Data Analytics - From edge processing to cloud-based machine learning
  • Security & Privacy - Critical considerations for connected devices
  • Human Factors - User experience and interaction design
  • Design Strategies - Practical prototyping and system optimization

2.0.4 Approach to Learning

Each chapter includes: - 📚 Conceptual foundations with clear explanations - 💻 Executable Python code examples for hands-on learning - 🔍 Real-world case studies from industry deployments - 🎯 Learning objectives to guide your study - 📊 Visual diagrams and illustrations to clarify complex concepts

2.0.5 Stay Connected

IoT is a rapidly evolving field. This book is a living resource that will continue to be updated with new protocols, emerging technologies, and evolving best practices.

Note: This digital edition provides an interactive learning experience with executable code examples. A PDF version for offline reading is planned for future release.