The internet of things may hold great benefits for left-behind children, one of China's most vulnerable groups.

If you haven't caught up with the concept yet, the internet of things refers to physical objects - devices, vehicles, buildings and other items - embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity that enables the collection and exchange of data. Objects can be sensed and controlled remotely, for example.

But what has that got to do with left-behind children in China?