Originally posted on FedScoop by Greg Otto.

The Internet of Things is so much more than a Google-backed thermostat or a refrigerator that connects to Facebook.

The expansive possibilities of IT were on display Wednesday at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, as the first-ever SmartAmerica Expo showcased 24 projects from more than 100 different public agencies, private companies and academic institutions. The expo was part of the SmartAmerica Challenge, which launched in December as a call to action to show how the Internet of Things, or cyber-physical systems, can have serious socio-economic benefits for the country.

"This isn't gee-whiz technology for the sake of technology,"  said White House Chief Technology Officer Todd Park during a keynote session. "As you listen to presentations and watch demonstrations, think about the potential massive societal benefits of the technology involved."

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