Internet of Things (IoT) is quite a vast concept, but we can summarize it as an ecosystem that consists of smart objects with networks, sensors and processing technologies. It integrates and works together to create an environment providing smart services to end-users. IoT is an emerging technology platform that enables various devices around us to communicate with each other through sensors, connected via the internet to make our lives easier.
Impact of IoT in Our Daily Lives
This emerging spectrum of IoT cloud applications has its presence in multiple sectors. Currently, the applications of IoT cover adverse areas including manufacturing or the industrial sector, agriculture, health sector, smart cities, security, and emergency services among many others.
IoT enables the development and deployment of smart devices to solve real-world challenges and issues. Hence, most of us today are surrounded by various 'smart devices' like smart homes, smart cars, smart televisions, smartwatches, etc. that are helping us make our lives easier and smoother.
Another example of achievement in IoT is the Smart Health Sensing system (SHSS). It is a compact intelligent device that monitors our health. This device is predominantly used within the healthcare industry in hospitals and especially in trauma centers to monitor the critical health conditions of patients.
It goes without any doubt that this combination of internet and smart devices has entered into our routine lives and has been positively impacting it.
How does the Future of IoT Technology Look Like?
Digital transformation, faster connectivity, and developments in machine learning and artificial intelligence have helped IoT applications to set their deep roots in our lives as well as industries in the future. As of now, IoT technology is at its golden age. A Microsoft report of 2019 had estimated that more than 94% of organizations be using IoT by 2021. While according to Statista, in 2017, the technology reached USD 100 billion in market revenue for the first time and it is expected to rise to about 1.6 trillion by 2025.
IoT applications have become an important aspect of our lives and industry functions, however, there are many challenges and scope for this spectrum. With huge data creation and the exchange of large data on daily basis, security has become a crucial matter nowadays. Data security and privacy issues are the most important parameters to develop confidence in IoT Systems. Hence, the IoT industry is expected to concentrate on security to meet the complicated challenges in the coming years. In the coming years, the industry is expecting an increase in security-centric smart gadgets and automatic capacity to scan networks for IoT gadgets. The amazing combination of Artificial Intelligence and IoT with the enhanced role of data analytics will undoubtedly deliver amazing and more impactful solutions.
6 Use-Cases of Where IoT is Currently Being Applied
As already established, IoT technology is one of the most prominent technologies trends to have emerged in the past few years. Through the years, IoT has been shaping many business activities, technological functions, and consumer trends. The global Covid-19 pandemic was a big roadblock for many industries and IoT was a major driving force during this time.
1. Productive Work From Home with IoT
With the use of Siri, Alexa, Google Home, and other household IoT-enabled applications, IoT has become one of the most important aspects of our daily routine. Moreover, these devices have become a part of our new normal work culture i.e., Work from Home. The features like automated scheduling and intelligent advance calendar tools in these devices, it has helped to manage all the work-related activities without compromising on personal time. Plus, your overall productivity during Work from Home has been enhanced with the interactive video conferencing and virtual meeting rooms.
2. IoT in Healthcare
The global pandemic has created a huge need for advanced healthcare facilities. Today, the healthcare sector is fully utilizing the benefits of IoT technology and efficiently working with it. The output to the business reflects in the form of customer satisfaction, quality service, 24*7 availability, off-clinic patient monitoring. and various other benefits.
3. IoT in Retail
With the help of smart gadgets and connected devices we are expecting safer and more efficient stores and supermarkets. Additionally, retailers can not only create innovative use cases to enhance customer experiences but also reduce operational costs. They can gain an advantage in their business with:
Better supply-chain management with GPS sensors and RFID tags.
Smart inventory management based on customer-buying behavior to avoid overstocking, stockouts, and shrinkage.
Retailers can automate inventory visibility with IoT and also develop procurement planning.
Automate and even personalize checkouts for customers.
4. More Smart Cities with IoT
In the coming years, with the emerging usage of technology and smart devices, we can expect more smart cities initiatives globally. A smart city is largely dependent of flow of information and actionable insights from the real-time city data. Here is where IoT technology can help with numerous city functions such as:
Intelligent monitoring of traffic on the road to avoid roadblocks and easy commute.
Scheduling of public transports can be improved with smart GPS.
Sensors and RFIDs can help with better management of civic amenities like recycling centers and segregation of waste.
5. IoT in Automotive
One sector that has a large scope for IoT is the automotive industry. Internet of things application can be utilized in the process of achieving V2X technology i.e., Vehicle to everything technology. Other uses can include:
Predictive maintenance of the automobile to reduce the risk of malfunctioning of the vehicle; wear and tear of the parts.
In-car infotainment powered by 4G/5G wifi for hands-free navigation and access to Google assistance or Siri.
Compliance to environmental and traffic rules for safety.
6. IoT for Agriculture and Environmental Issues
The Internet of Things application has strong capabilities to improve and strengthen the current agriculture sector. As per a report by Statista, the use of IoT in agriculture is set to grow worldwide. Reports suggest that the IoT market size for the agriculture sector in 2018 was at 14.79 billion USD, but it is projected to reach 30 billion USD by 2030. Here are a few IoT use cases in agricultural processes:
Agricultural Drones for imaging, mapping, and surveying the farms.
IoT sensors can help farmers get accurate information on greenhouse conditions like temperature, humidity, lighting, etc.
Just as in crop monitoring, these IoT sensors can also perform real-time cattle monitoring.
The Future is IoT Technology
The advancements in IoT are propelling us farther than ever thought possible. Therefore, it is needed valuable to invest more in this technology and advanced tech projects. There is a need for a comprehensive IoT framework, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and embedded systems to improve our business activities and function in today’s interconnected world. By taking the most advantage of this powerful technology we can reap the advantages of smart functionality, features, and productivity from the connected IoT ecosystems.
