Navigating the Convergence of IoT and Big Data Analytics

The Internet of Things (IoT), much like Big Data, has evolved from a conceptual buzzword into a transformative technology that profoundly reshapes modern life. Today, billions of interconnected sensors continuously generate vast amounts of heterogeneous data, enabling intelligent sensing and context-aware decision-making across domains such as smart cities, healthcare, transportation, and environmental monitoring. In this talk, I will trace the historical development and technological evolution of IoT, highlighting key milestones that have driven its integration with advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence. I will also discuss the essential enabling techniques that underpin this convergence. Finally, I will reflect on the major challenges that remain, including scalability, interoperability, and trust, and outline promising future directions toward a more adaptive, intelligent, and human-centered IoT ecosystem.