From controlling lighting to remotely turning on the washing machine, smart homes have widely been hailed as the future of living. For those of us who don't have a'smart home' - or perhaps can't afford one - an Amsterdam-based company has come to the rescue with a way to transform'dumb' technology into connected devices. The firm does this by designing little add-ons that turn physical experiences into digital ones, such as flicking the kettle on or turning on a record player. For those of us who don't have a'smart home' - or perhaps can't afford one - an Amsterdam-based company has come to the rescue with a way to transform'dumb' technology into connected devices. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a broad category that refers to devices or sensors that connect, communicate or transmit information over the web.