Next year, the number of devices connected to the Internet worldwide will surpass the number of people in the world by a factor of two, according to industry analysts.

By 2020, analysts predict there will be at least 50 billion connected things on our planet. We’re in the midst of a sea change in the number of devices, and the kinds of devices, that connect to the Internet. It’s what’s known in the tech world as the Internet of Things revolution, an industry that will be worth more than $7 trillion by 2020, according to a report by Framingham-based market research firm IDC.

There is no limit to what can be connected to the Internet. According to Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project, researchers predict that roadways, buildings, bridges, dams, paper towel dispensers, trash cans, alarm clocks andeven milk cartons can and will be connected to the Internet.

At the forefront of this revolution are several companies that are either headquartered in Massachusetts or have a significant presence in the Greater Boston area. For example, Boston-based seed-stage fund and hardware startup accelerator program Bolt is home to 12 hardware startups — 11 of which are related to the Internet of Things industry.

Though the slide show to the right isn’t comprehensive, here are 10 Internet of Things-related companies in Massachusetts that are making waves in the Internet of Things industry, an industry that will only get bigger as time goes on.

The author (bizjournals.com)

Sara Castellanos
Technology Reporter
Boston Business Journal