The Internet of Things -- machine-to-machine communication built on cloud computing and networks of data-gathering sensors -- can transform Savannah’s business operations. That’s what two Georgia Tech researchers with expertise in technology and business told nearly 30 business and community leaders at Georgia Tech-Savannah’s Learners & Leaders series on Thursday.

“The timing is right for the Internet of Things due to tiny, inexpensive sensors and improved wireless capabilities,” said Bill Eason, research scientist at Georgia Tech’s Institute for People and Technology. “As a result, companies can sell a service, not just a device.”

Both Eason and Russ Clark, co-director of the Georgia Tech Research Network Operations Center, discussed the incredibly rich, real-time customer and business operations data business professionals can gather, as well as the fundamentals of IoT that organizations must think through. By 2020, there will be 34 billion connected devices and $6 trillion spent over the next five years. Clark also led a discussion on smart cities, an initiative that leverages technology to address problems and improve quality of life.

“Smart Cities reflect a large-scale deployment of the Internet of Things,” Clark said. “They foster economic development by attracting new businesses and growing existing ones; improve sustainability by reducing energy use; engage citizens, businesses and community groups to create and deliver cutting-edge services; and use innovation.”

The Georgia Tech-Savannah Learners and Leaders Series is an initiative launched in an effort to help companies in the coastal region stay up-to-speed on new technology, leadership issues and more. To learn more about upcoming programs, go to pe.gatech.edu/Sav-Learners or email [email protected] for details.