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A new radio system developed in Australia is transforming the vehicles on the street into nodes on a network. The technology, designed by scientists at the University of Southern Australia's Institute for Telecommunications Research, is an application called "Dedicated Short Range Communications" (DSRC). Using a combination of GPS and Wi-Fi, cars can communicate their location data to a central office, but it also enables them to communicate with each other.

The "internet of things" is a concept that describes a wireless network between objects. In a way, it parallels the current network of addressable web pages (aka the "world wide web"), except "the internet of things" would include addressable inanimate objects that could be anything from your home's refrigerator to the shoes on your feet. Although this world of web-connected things has been much discussed for years, we've seen little movement pushing the concept forward. At least, until now.

Imagine you're at a concert where your favorite band is playing for the last time. Or you're watching President Obama get sworn into office. Or maybe you're just sitting around with your family under the Christmas tree watching your children open gifts. What are you doing in all those scenarios? If you're like most people today, you're probably recording it with some sort of technological gadgetry, be it a smartphone, digital camera, or camcorder. You might also be sharing the moment with others across the web via Twitter, Facebook, or FriendFeed.