INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT)
The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the network of physical objects or "things" that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the internet. These devices range from ordinary household objects like, smoke detectors, internet controlled door locks, security cameras, water leak detectors to sophisticated weapons like guided missiles. With more than 7 billion connected IoT devices today, experts are expecting this number to grow to 10 billion by 2020 and 22 billion by 2025.
Technologies associated with IoT
While the idea of IoT has been in existence for a long time, a collection of recent advances in a number of different technologies has made it affordable and practical.
1. Access to low-cost, low-power sensor technology. Affordable and reliable sensors are making IoT technology possible for more manufacturers.
2. Connectivity. A host of network protocols for the internet has made it easy to connect sensors to the cloud and to other "things" for efficient data transfer.
3. Cloud computing platforms. The increase in the availability of cloud platforms enables both businesses and consumers to access the infrastructure they need to scale up without actually having to manage it all.
4. Machine learning and analytics. With advances in machine learning and analytics, along with access to varied and vast amounts of data stored in the cloud, businesses can gather insights faster and more easily. The emergence of these allied technologies continues to push the boundaries of IoT and the data produced by IoT also feeds these technologies.
5. Conversational artificial intelligence (AI). Advances in neural networks have brought natural- language processing (NLP) to IoT devices (such as digital personal assistants Alexa, Cortana, and Siri) and made them appealing, affordable, and viable for home use.
Industrial loT (IIoT): Industrial IoT (IoT) refers to the application of loT technology in industrial settings, especially with respect to instrumentation and control of sensors and devices that engage cloud technologies. Recently, industries have used machine-to-machine communication (M2M) to achieve wireless automation and control. But with the emergence of cloud and allied technologies (such as analytics and machine learning), industries can achieve a new automation layer and with it create new revenue and business models. IloT is sometimes called the fourth wave of the industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0.
Applications of IoT
Organizations best suited for IoT are those that would benefit from using sensor devices in their business processes.
1. Manufacturing: Manufacturers can gain a competitive advantage by using production-line monitoring to enable proactive maintenance on equipment when sensors detect an impending failure, Sensors can actually measure when production output is compromised. With the help of sensor alerts, manufacturers can quickly check equipment for accuracy or remove it from production until it is repaired. This allows companies to reduce operating costs, get better uptime, and improve asset performance management.
2. Automotive: The automotive industry stands to realize significant advantages from the use of IoT applications. In addition to the benefits of applying IoT to production lines, sensors can detect impending equipment failure in vehicles already on the road and can alert the driver with details and recommendations. Thanks to aggregated information gathered by loT-based applications, automotive manufacturers and suppliers can learn more about how to keep cars running and car owners informed.
3. Transportation and Logistics: Transportation and logistical systems benefit from a variety of IoT applications. Fleets of cars, trucks, ships, and trains that carry inventory can be rerouted based on weather conditions, vehicle availability, or driver availability, etc. The food and beverage, flower, and pharmaceutical industries often carry temperature-sensitive inventory that would benefit greatly from IoT monitoring applications that send alerts when temperatures rise or fall to a level that threatens the product.
4. Retail: IoT applications allow retail companies to manage inventory, improve customer experience, optimize supply chain, and reduce operational costs. For example, smart shelves fitted with weight sensors can collect RFID-based information and send the data to the loT platform to automatically monitor inventory and trigger alerts if items are running low.
5. Public Sector: The benefits of loT in the public sector and other service-related environments are similarly wide-ranging. For example, government-owned utilities can use IoT-based applications to notify their users of mass outages and even of smaller interruptions of water, power, or sewer services. IoT applications can collect data concerning the scope of an outage and deploy resources to help utilities recover from outages with greater speed.
6. Healthcare: IoT asset monitoring provides multiple benefits to the healthcare industry. Doctors, nurses, and orderlies often need to know the exact location of patient-assistance assets such as wheelchairs. When a hospital's wheelchairs are equipped with IoT sensors, they can be tracked from the IoT asset- monitoring application so that anyone looking for one can quickly find the nearest available wheelchair. Many hospital assets can be tracked this way to ensure proper usage as well as financial accounting for the physical assets in each department.
7. General Safety Across All Industries: In addition to tracking physical assets, IoT can be used to improve worker safety. Employees in hazardous environments such as mines, oil and gas fields, and chemical and power plants. Not only do these types of applications help people better understand their own health, they also permit physicians to monitor patients remotely.
8. Connected cars: There are many ways vehicles, such as cars, can be connected to the internet. It can be through smart dashcams, infotainment systems, or even the vehicle's connected gateway. They collect data from the accelerator, brakes, speedometer, odometer, wheels and fuel tanks to monitor both driver performance and vehicle health. Connected cars have a range of uses:
1. Monitoring rental car fleets to increase fuel efficiency and reduce costs.
2. Helping parents track the driving behavior of their children.
3. Notifying friends and family automatically in case of a car crash.
4. Predicting and preventing vehicle maintenance needs.
9. Connected homes: Smart home devices are mainly focused on improving the efficiency and safety of the house, as well as improving home networking. Devices like smart outlets monitor electricity usage and smart thermostats provide better temperature control. Hydroponic systems can use IoT sensors to manage the garden while IoT smoke detectors can detect tobacco smoke. Home security systems like door locks, security cameras, and water leak detectors can detect and prevent threats, and send alerts to homeowners. Connected devices for the home can be used for:
(i) Automatically turning off devices not being used.
(ii) Rental property management and maintenance.
(iii) Finding misplaced items like keys or wallets.
(iv) Automating daily tasks like vacuuming, making coffee, etc.
10. Smart cities: IoT applications have made urban planning and infrastructure maintenance more efficient. Governments are using IoT applications to tackle problems in infrastructure, health, and the environment. IoT applications can be used for:
11. Measuring air quality and radiation levels: Reducing energy bills with smart lighting systems.
(i) Detecting maintenance needs for critical infrastructures such as streets, bridges, and pipelines.
(ii) Increasing profits through efficient parking management.
12. Smart buildings: Buildings such as college campuses and commercial buildings use IoT applications to drive greater operational efficiencies. IoT devices can be use in smart buildings for:
(i) Reducing energy consumption.
(ii) Lowering maintenance costs.
(iii) Utilizing work spaces more efficiently.
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