The Internet of Things (IoT) is a set of physical objects connected to the Internet and exchanging data. The concept of IoT can significantly improve many areas of our lives and help us create a more convenient, smart and secure world. Examples of the Internet of Things range from wearables such as smartwatches to smart homes that can, for example, control and automatically change the amount of lighting and heating. Also a prime example is the so-called smart factory concept, which monitors industrial equipment and looks for problem areas, and then rearranges itself so as to prevent breakdowns.
What is the IoT?
For simplicity, let’s try to break the IoT technology stack into four technology levels and consider them separately.
End Devices
Devices are the objects that actually make up the “Things” in the Internet of Things. They act as an interface between the real and digital worlds and take on different sizes, shapes and levels of technological sophistication depending on the task they perform within a particular IoT deployment. Whether it’s microphones the size of a pinhead or a massive machine, almost any material object can be turned into a connected device by adding the necessary elements (sensors or actuators along with the appropriate software).
Software
This is what makes connected devices smart. The software is responsible for communication with the cloud, data collection, device integration, and real-time data analysis. It also provides opportunities for data visualization and interaction with the IoT system.
Communications
The communication layer includes both physical connectivity solutions (cellular, satellite, LAN) and specific protocols used in various IoT environments (ZigBee, Thread, Z-Wave, MQTT, LwM2M). Choosing the right communication solution is one of the vital parts of building every IoT system. The technology chosen will determine not only how data is sent and received from the cloud, but how it communicates with third-party devices.
Platform
Devices are able to “sense” what is happening around and report it to the user through a specific communication channel. An IoT platform is a place where all this data is collected, analyzed and transmitted to the user in a convenient form. Platforms can be installed locally or in the cloud. The choice of platform depends on the requirements of a particular IoT project and many factors: architecture and technology stack, reliability, settings, protocols used, hardware independence, security, efficiency, cost.
Security
Along with the fact that IoT electronic components systems carry significant business value, smart objects also become vulnerable to cybercrime, which can result in data leakage, including confidential information. Although the field of work with the issue of security remains huge, there are now solutions that allow you to deploy IoT more reliably. For example, to address the issue of outdated device software, there are effective automatic update strategies available.
With SOTA (Software Over the Air) “update over the air” and FOTA (Firmware Over the Air) “update over the air”, connected devices’ software and settings can be updated wirelessly.
Examples of IoT Applications
IoT is applicable across industries for a variety of purposes: tracking consumer behavior in real time, improving the quality of machines and systems, finding innovative ways of working within digital transformation, and much more.
Retail
Examples of retail IoT applications include many use cases for smart devices to improve the experience in stores. In particular, the various IoT applications here mean that smartphone capabilities (based on Beacon technology) facilitate communication between retailers and customers, and the most requested products and services appear in front of customers in the right place. In addition, smart retail opens up opportunities for IoT applications in terms of accurate advertising, improving the supply chain cycle, and actually analyzing demand patterns. Also, IoT applications already include applications for NFC payments and smart shopping. And of course, one cannot fail to mention RFID tags for marking goods.
Production
Thanks to IoT, production can get an overall picture of the production processes and the state of the product at all stages – from the supply of raw materials to the shipment of the finished product.
With plant and warehouse sensors, big data analytics, and predictive modeling, you can prevent many downtime and cost errors, maximize productivity, reduce warranty costs, and improve overall customer service.
Healthcare
With the help of IoMT technology (The Internet of Medical Things, the Internet of Medical Things), streams of small data are collected in real time from medical network and other wearable devices that track various physiological moments associated with the health of patients – movements, sleep dynamics, heart rate, allergic reactions, etc. The data collected helps doctors make accurate diagnoses, build a treatment plan, improve patient safety, simplify care for them, and enable continuous monitoring of the condition of seriously ill patients.
The application of the Internet of Things contributes to a more personalized approach to health analysis and more consistent disease control strategies.
Energy
Here, with the help of IoT, the design of electrical networks is changing the rules of consumption, automatically collecting data and providing instant analysis of the circulation of electricity. As a result, both customers and suppliers have a better understanding of how to optimize resource utilization.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to the billions of physical objects linked to the internet and collecting and exchanging data throughout the world. It’s now feasible to transform everything, from a pill to a jet, into a component of the Internet of Things, thanks to the advent of super-cheap computer chips and the widespread availability of wireless networks. Connecting all of these diverse products and attaching sensors to them gives machines that would otherwise be dumb a level of digital intelligence, allowing them to convey real-time data without engaging a person.
The IoT revolution appears to be important for business development, and this can apply to any type of enterprise. Whether it’s growing oysters or creating a motion control system, the most valuable thing about the technological concept of IoT is that it is open to new challenges and has enough opportunities to implement almost any business idea.
