Internet of Things (IoT) at a Glance

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The world now is pulsing to the beat of eight billion connected devices. By 2031, this number is expected to reach over 200 billion devices, which is 25 times the world's population. The Internet of Things (IoT) is definitely here, but are CIOs(Chief information officers) prepared?

This isn't a frivolous question; preparation is crucial. “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail,” said Benjamin Franklin.

What is IoT?

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The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of physical objects (or "things") that are implanted with sensors, software, and other technologies to connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the internet. The functionality of these devices ranges from simple domestic items to sophisticated industrial instruments.

It's now possible to turn everything, from a pill to a jet, into a part of the Internet of Things, due to the advancement of super-cheap computer chips and the widespread availability of wireless networks. 

Connecting all of these diverse products and attaching sensors to them gives devices that would otherwise be dumb a level of digital intelligence, allowing them to convey real-time data without involving a person. The Internet of Things is bringing the digital and physical worlds together to make the world around us smarter and more responsive.

What is the significance of the Internet of Things (IoT)?

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In recent years, the Internet of Things has emerged as one of the most important technologies of the twenty-first century. Now that we can connect everyday objects to the internet via embedded devices, including kitchen appliances, vehicles, thermostats, and baby monitors, seamless communication between people, processes, and things is conceivable.

Physical things can share and collect data with minimal human interaction thanks to low-cost computers, the cloud, big data, analytics, and mobile technologies. Digital systems can record, monitor, and alter each interaction between connected things in today's hyper-connected environment. The physical and digital worlds collide, but they work together. 

Until it can be analyzed and transformed into information, data is just: data. That vast data trove remains unused without the ability to analyze it. Moreover, as we begin to mine the data, identify trends, and convert the data to information, a virtuous circle emerges. The organization can focus on areas where more data leads to improved insight and added value.

What are the benefits of the Internet of Things for business?

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The IoT's commercial benefits vary depending on how it's used; agility and efficiency are frequently high priorities. The notion is that businesses should have more data about their own products and internal systems, allowing them to make more adjustments as a result.

Sensors are being added to product components so that data about how they are performing may be transmitted back to the manufacturer. This can assist businesses in identifying when a component is likely to break and replacing it before it causes damage. Companies can also use the data provided by these sensors to improve the efficiency of their systems and supply chains because they will have much more accurate information about what is actually happening.

The Revolution has BEGUN

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As it stands today, IoT is primarily consumer-driven, with areas such as healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and construction showing promise. These are industries that consider how the Internet of Things may improve the services they deliver to their customers to revolutionize their customer engagement experience.

To take advantage of the IoT, however, all of these companies will need to acquire new skills - they will want partners who are experts in all of the technologies that will ultimately unlock the value of the data contained in all of these "things." Technologies such as:

• Converged and intelligent network platforms that can connect “things” and the systems that operate them, whether wired or remotely.

• Datacenter architecture that can scale to handle the influx of data, is agile enough to accept process changes, and powerful enough to analyze all of the data in the first place.

• Next-generation security gives the business the visibility and controls it needs to guarantee that the "things" do what they're supposed to do and don't create security flaws that can be exploited.

• Business analytics provides actionable insight and can visualize data in a way that the business can understand.

Important applications of the Internet of Things (IoT)

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1. Wearables

Virtual glasses, fitness bands that track things like calorie burn and heart rate, and GPS tracking belts are just a few examples of wearable technologies that we've been using for a while. The Internet of Things and its applications have been developed and integrated into our daily lives by companies such as Google, Apple, Samsung, and others.

These are small and energy-efficient devices, which are equipped with sensors, with the necessary hardware for measurements and readings, and with software to collect and organize data and information about users.

 

2. Smart Homes

Smart homes are one of the best and most practical IoT applications because they take both convenience and home security to the next level. Though IoT can be used at several levels for smart homes, the finest is the one that combines intelligent utility systems and entertainment.

Your electricity meter with an IoT device that gives you insights into your daily water usage, your set-top box that allows you to record shows from a distance, Automatic Illumination Systems, Advanced Locking Systems, and Connected Surveillance Systems are all examples of smart homes.

3. Health

Doctors can monitor a patient's status outside of the hospital and in real-time by using wearables or sensors attached to them. The Internet of Things aids in the improvement of patient care and the prevention of lethal occurrences in high-risk patients by continually monitoring particular metrics and providing automatic alerts on their vital signs. Another application is the incorporation of IoT technology into hospital beds, resulting in smart beds with sensors that monitor vital signs, blood pressure, oximeter, and body temperature, among other things.

4. Self-driven Cars

There has been a lot of talk about self-driving automobiles. Google experimented with it, as did Tesla, and Uber even developed a self-driving car that was ultimately shelved. Because we're dealing with human lives on the roadways, we need to make sure that the technology has all it needs to improve passenger and road safety.

Automobiles use a variety of sensors and embedded technologies that are connected to the Cloud and the internet to continuously generate data and send it to the Cloud for Machine Learning-based decision-making. Though it will take a few more years for the technology to mature fully and governments to adjust their laws and policies, we are currently experiencing one of the best IoT applications.

5. IoT Retail Shops

You should see the video of Amazon Go — the eCommerce giant's concept store – right away if you haven't already. Perhaps the best application of technology for bridging the gap between an online store and a physical store is this. By deducting money from your Amazon Wallet, the retail outlet allows you to go cashless. When you select items from the shelves, it also adds them to your cart in real-time.

If you change your mind and choose another item, the prior one is removed from your cart and replaced with the new one. The concept store's best feature is that there is no cashier to bill your purchases. You don't have to wait in line; simply walk out after picking up your items from the shelves.

6. Agriculture

Smart farms are a reality. The Internet of Things gives farmers access to specific knowledge and useful information on their soil conditions, which is critical for producing decent harvests. A substantial amount of data on the state and phases of the soil may be gathered through the use of IoT sensors.

Soil moisture, acidity, the presence of particular nutrients, temperature, and a variety of other chemical properties aid farmers in controlling irrigation, maximizing water efficiency, determining the ideal times to sow, and even detecting the presence of illnesses in plants and soil.

7. Management of maintenance

Maintenance management is one of the areas where IoT technology is being used most extensively. A versatile tool is created by combining sensors and software specialized in CMMS/EAM maintenance management. Its use can be applied to a variety of disciplines and activities, to prolong the usable life of physical assets while ensuring asset dependability and availability.

When the features of the software in charge of processing and arranging the data obtained by the sensors are specially developed to satisfy the maintenance management demands of physical assets, their application is nearly limitless.

Real-time monitoring of physical assets enables detecting when a measurement is out of range and condition-based maintenance (CBM) is required, as well as using Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods like Machine Learning or Deep Learning to forecast failure before it occurs.

References

1. INTERNET OF THINGS: THE REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN by Richard Alexander,

https://cxounplugged.com/2016/02/internet-of-things-revolution-begun/

 

2. WANT TO BENEFIT FROM THE INTERNET OF THINGS? BE PREPARED… by Lucas Pinz,

https://cxounplugged.com/2016/12/benefit-from-the-internet-of-things/

 

3. What Is the Internet of Things (IoT)? by ORACLE,

https://www.oracle.com/in/internet-of-things/what-is-iot/

 

4. What is the IoT? Everything you need to know about the Internet of Things right now by ZDNet,

https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-is-the-internet-of-things-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-iot-right-now/

 

5. 10 Major Applications of IoT You Should Know by Jyotsna Vadakkanmarveettil,

https://www.jigsawacademy.com/top-uses-of-iot/

 

6. The 9 most important applications of the Internet of Things (IoT) by Fracttal,

https://www.fracttal.com/en/blog/the-9-most-important-applications-of-the-internet-of-things

By AJEET SINGH,

I am Ajeet Singh possessing a year of experience in developing content for various blogs and websites. Leveraged passion for keeping up-to-date with developments in the digital and social media landscape helped me crave my path for coming up with better content. However, I am pursuing my Engineering in Computer Science. Also, I do have my own website(MYBOOKFLEX) where I put reviews of different kinds of books.