The Internet of Things – IoT. Serving man and machine.
By BlueWater Tech.
A measure of tech advancement
Driving the 21st century, IoT has set benchmarks in services and ease of living that can only get better as we move ahead beyond 2022. This tech ecosystem exhibits the extent of the collective advances we have made in the digital field.
IoT makes an impactful difference in terms of utility, efficiency, cost-effectiveness and possibilities in segments spanning critical levels in a society and economy – consumer, manufacturing, service as well as distribution.
What is IoT ?
IoT or Internet of Things is a system of interrelated devices and objects that perform their designated functions by exchanging utility-specific data with the objective of running them without human-to-human interaction, as much as possible. The ‘Thing’ refers to digital devices, machines, even people or animals and other objects that are part of the system. Each involved ‘Thing‘ in such a network is embedded with software, sensors and other related and function-specific technologies.
IoT gets work done far more efficiently
IoT utilises the vast and ubiquitous digital connect across the world to automate and self-run devices, gadgets and machines to achieve or accomplish work using minimal human-to-human or human-to-machine contact. It utilises the available digital ecosystem that includes analytics, data storage including cloud reservoirs , digital technologies and computing facilities.
The IoT ecosystem puts together a number of enabling technologies which are Internet enabled and are capable of sending, collecting and acting upon data and instructions to achieve desirable outcomes or work. The devices, gadgets and machines are embedded with sensors and communication hardware so that they can establish seamless communication between them to achieve specific objectives and outcomes.
The participating factors in an IoT network are,
- Efficient network connectivity to achieve swift data transmission
- Cost-effective and reliable sensors and sensor technology
- Machine learning and analytics skills and facilities
- Natural Language processing (NLP) tools such as Siri, Alexa and Cortana.
- And, importantly, Cloud computing facilities and storage to handle and manage vast data seamlessly
Benefits of IoT
What is Internet of Things good for ? IoT is a tireless network sans human limitations. The boundaries of an IoT network are decided only by the technologies deployed in it’s ambit. As a consequence, it is possible to derive vast benefits from the high degree of automation such a system offers. The benefits can be to common threads across multiple industries or industry specific. Some of these enabling gains are,
- It improves efficiency and productivity in systems and operations of businesses.
- It offers data driven insights that allow us to monitor business processes.
- Helps create, adapt and run revenue and business models more effectively.
- Decisions can be made in a timely manner with more accurate information available.
- Creates an uptick in revenue earnings owing to the high level of efficiency and accuracy it offers.
- Helps integrate intra and inter system or process objectives.
- Renders a seamless functional connect between the real world and the digital world driving up greater value.
- Provides higher quality of customer experience – a critical and decisive aspect of businesses.
IoT applications and uses
IoT presents a new approach to businesses providing scope for more efficient structuring of strategy and business systems using effective and efficient tools it offers. At hand is the convenience of SaaS, which is also known as on-demand software, a Web-based, readily accessible service which does away with costly software maintenance and management. In this context, the significant role of Cloud-based data access and management assumes critical relevance in the efficient functioning of IoT systems.
Here are some uses of IoT which are crucial to businesses, institutions, services and, for the most part, society,
- Smart city concept and structure provide for use of IoT to take security and functional convenience to the next level.
- Automobiles extract the maximum utility from such a network which is clearly seen in the way self-driven cars operate.
- Retail stores are big benefiaries of IoT which successfully provides greater customer satisfaction and confidence.
- Agricultural farming receives timely data on weather related and soil content data making jobs easier by taking uncertainty out of the equation.
- IoT incorporates sensor technology in infrastructure like buildings, bridges to monitor and register changes in the structures.
- Home automation uses IoT to incorporate functional technologies relating to electrical, electronic and mechanical systems that make a smart home.
- More applications include industrial Internet and wearables among others.
Final thoughts
The way forward
IoT is reinventing the way we function in everyday life. And, this fourth wave of industrial revolution which is being enabled by The Internet of Things appears to be heading in the right direction as it promises to unfold greater possibilities for societies and economies.
The ability of IoT to drive device-to-device communication to enable greater functioning and easier operability of utilities and technologies is constantly pushing the limits. With increasing integration of functional gadgets and machines there is bound to be a constant rise in the emergence of newer, wider and greater applications which will positively impact everyday living thereby raising productivity and efficiency levels in service and manufacturing industries.