What Is the IoT And How Does It Work? Real Examples and Usefulness of The Internet of Things in The Business Environment.
What is the IoT? What is the
"Internet of Things" and how does it work?
Theorized for the first time in
1999, the Internet of Things allows you to connect objects and devices of all
kinds, even the most "improbable", to each other.
From utilities to healthcare, from
manufacturing to the Public Administration, from home automation to the automotive sector, there are now many sectors and work areas increasingly
interested in technological innovation of the IoT (an acronym for Internet of
Things), with different levels of maturity.
In this article, we will help you
understand what the IoT is, how it works, what are the "concrete"
examples, the real and potential areas of use of things connected
"intelligently" and the possible "dangers" deriving from
It's incorrect to use. Is it true that some sort of "Big Brother" is on
the way?
What is the IoT?
The Internet of Things is a neologism utilized in media communications, another term brought into the world from the need to give a name to genuine articles associated with the Internet.
These are objects that, connected to the network, allow you to "connect" the real world to the virtual one. It is one of the most important technological trends of the last decade:
the term IoT ("Internet
of Things", or literally "internet of things") was first used by
Kevin Ashton, a researcher at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The Big G proposed the following
definition of IoT: “The interconnection via the Internet of computing devices
embedded in everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data”.
Wikipedia also proposes its definition: "a neologism referring to the extension of the Internet to the world of concrete objects and places.
Objects ("things") make themselves recognizable and acquire intelligence thanks to the fact that they can communicate data about themselves and access aggregate information from others.
The alarms go off earlier in case of traffic, […], the medicine jars warn
family members if you forget to take the medicine. All objects can acquire an
active role thanks to the connection to the Net”.
Whatever the connection, it is no
longer between computers, but between a wider range of objects or things as
everything can be part of the IoT. What is needed is to create some electronic
circuit to make the connection between objects and the exchange of information
possible.
In other words, the Internet of Things refers to “a set of technologies that allow any type of apparatus to be connected to the Internet to transfer information”.
Even in everyday
life, very valid examples of IoT can be found: think, for example, of a detector located in a street that can check street lamps, also report
information on air quality, etc.
It is useless to deny that device are increasingly connected and there is strong confidence and optimism in Italy towards the most innovative IoT technologies.
Here are other good
examples of IoT in "practical" life: an appliance that updates its
washing programs or calls for assistance on its own and a digital scale that
connects and saves data on the Internet, etc.
In a recent interview, Fujitsu's James Maynard highlighted how " for us, the IoT represents the future of technologies, a new way to control the world around us to collect data, make predictions and interconnect devices.
our IoT technologies focus on some issues, such as creating an augmented reality, in which data can make the work of technicians and professionals easier and, at the same time, substantially increase security, for example for technicians on the field.
The
predictions are then made through the use of data analytics techniques and can
predict reality using 68 algorithms. "
The evolution of the Internet has
extended the network to "real" objects and things that can interact
with the network and transfer data and information.
The object is increasingly "smart" and interacts with the surrounding world: it retrieves and transfers information between the real and virtual world.
Through RFID (Radio
Frequency Identification) and the QR code, you can give an "electronic
identity" to everything around us in real life: tags, chips, and sensors
allow you to transform an analog object into a "smart" device.
How the Internet of Things works:
IBM's Explanation
According to some estimates, the IoT
in 2023 should be worth almost 200 billion dollars (compared to 16 billion two
years ago) and will become one of the most important and strategic sectors in
the hi-tech world, capable of creating added value for our real and virtual
life.
How does the IoT work? Any device
equipped with a switch that can "transform" into an IoT device, into an
"intelligent" object. In this historical and evolutionary moment,
Internet of Things devices are mainly designed and built to perform two
functions: control and monitoring.
Here is the explanation of IBM, one of the leading companies in the IT sector on the functioning of the IoT:
Real objects (Things) equipped with sensors are connected to an Internet platform, which integrates data from different devices and applies the analysis to share the most valuable information with applications created to meet specific needs.
These powerful IoT platforms can pinpoint exactly what
information is useful, which information can be safely ignored, what
information can be used to detect patterns, make recommendations and detect
possible problems before they occur. "
For example, if you own an
automobile manufacturing business and want to know which optional components
(for example, leather seats or alloy wheels) are the most popular and
appreciated, thanks to IoT technology you are able of:
· Use sensors to detect which areas in a showroom are most popular
and where customers linger the longest;
· Analyze the available sales data to identify which components are
sold fastest (IoT can be complementary to the implementation of the Salesforce
CRM platform
· Automatically align sales figures with supply so that the most
popular and best-reviewed items don't go out of stock.
It is well understood that the
information collected by the “connected” devices allows each Buyer to make the
most “intelligent” decisions on which components to buy, based on the
information detected and collected in real-time.
This saves time and money, and
“advanced” analytics make business processes more efficient.
Intelligent objects and systems
allow every company and activity to automate certain tasks, in particular the
most repetitive, trivial, or even dangerous ones. Let's take a look at some areas of use and development of the IoT:
from real to "virtual" life.
Read More:
IoT: Application Areas and
Development Potential
The possible applications of the IoT
are almost infinite, precisely because the same definition that we have adopted
in this guide is rather "broad" and can be applied to anything in
real life.
The potential usefulness is impossible to estimate: there are no limits to the possible fields of application of the Internet of Things.
Although today the "efforts"
and major investments are concentrated in the field of home automation,
industrial control systems and smart cities, in the very recent future, the
Internet of things is destined to have a decisive impact in every sector.
Scenario # 1: IoT in the Home
Imagine waking up at 7 am every day
to go to work, but things don't go the "right" way: the train is canceled,
you have to take the children to school, but you have to leave home early
because it takes a car more time to get to work.
Just connect the alarm clock to the IoT platform so that the object is "reset" automatically based on all these factors.
In this way, a simple object such as the traditional alarm clock
turns into a “smart” object that allows you to notify you in time. Just think
about what the functions of a "simple" alarm clock connected to IoT the technology could be:
- · Notify that the train has been canceled;
- · Calculate the driving distance and travel time required to reach
the workplace;
- · Find an alternative route that saves time;
- · Reduce travel speed in case of bad weather (heavy rain);
- · Calculate the "ideal" time to wake up on time.
What if this is not super
intelligence? Indeed, the "smart" alarm clock is expected to
synchronize with the IoT-enabled coffee machine. This way you can also have
breakfast at home saving time and money.
Scenario # 2: IoT In the Automotive
Sector
Connected car? Among the most
relevant innovations we cannot mention the Bosch-Nvidia case which for years
have been committed to developing a sophisticated artificial intelligence
system designed for the mobility systems of the future.
From the anticipations, it would be
a "modular" and universal system, ready to be used by any car
manufacturer to integrate connected mobility services and to create an
autonomous car.
Basically, the IoT Platform will be
able to decide independently based on driving habits and any
"unexpected" that may occur and happen in real life.
In addition to hardware, great attention will be given to the Automotive Cloud Suite, which allows the car manufacturers to implement a software platform equipped with development tools.
In a few years, our car's satellite navigator will advise us in advance which
route and route to follow, in the event, that an accident occurs detected by the
sensors installed in public street lamps.
This is just one of the countless
examples that allow us to understand how the IoT will "revolutionize"
our life.
Read More: The Future of Robots and Artificial Intelligence
IoT: Conclusions And Food For
Thought
The Internet of Things is a new and
evolving concept: every living being is surrounded by objects that connect,
"talk" and "interact" with other objects.
This is a continuous and relevant
communication that "promises" an interesting and substantial turnover
for the sector of hi-tech companies. Is it just a matter of great enthusiasm?
Will it be a media “Big Brother”? What are the possible privacy issues?
The "standardized" implementation of IoT systems over which we have no control could easily lead to public and "pervasive" surveillance scenarios, as well as "invasive" for our real life.
A premonition from George Orwell? The
computer, smartphone and all other objects connected to the Internet expose us
to serious dangers, but could, according to the authorities, solve the problems
of cyberterrorism, as well as secure the ICT infrastructures of nations.
In conclusion, the IoT is the way we call the evolution of the Internet, which from a "simple" PC network will increasingly become a Network of Things or objects that connect,
communicate and act even without the control of a human being. Should this
alarm us or can we rest assured? For now, we do not have certain answers.
Meanwhile, let's try to "grasp" the positive side of the IoT.
NextEra’s staff, highly specialized and always up to date with the latest trends, is at your complete disposal to prepare a personalized and no-obligation quote:
contact us and we will be happy
to answer all your requests regarding an IoT Consultancy with Thing Worx.
0 Comments