The internet of things: a way small firms can use it

New Bedford, Mass. — Fred Dabney couldn’t sleep at night. The owner of Quansett Nurseries in South Dartmouth, Mass., didn’t know how much water was left in the wells he depends on to irrigate the 10 acres he farms. If his wells ran dry, Mr. Dabney would be out of business.

“Now, I just hit a button on the computer in my office. I can see exactly how much water I have in each well, and it’s tested every few hours,” says the tanned farmer with a trimmed white beard. “Much to my surprise and delight, I discovered I had a heck of a lot more water than I thought I did, which made me breathe a lot easier.”