The Multifaceted Impact of IoT

By Aryan Choudhary, Ashay Aglawe, and Anuj Sawant

Over the past few years IoT has proven to be more than a corporate buzzword and has cemented itself as a promising technological development. From what appears to be the natural progression of cloud computing technology, IoT promised maximum penetratio

n into our lifestyles. Here we glance at some of the major ways IoT is impacting our lives.

AUTOMATION:

The impact of IoT in industrial automation has been gaining momentum in recent years. The Internet of Things started as a much-debated futuristic technology but became a reality that helps industrial automation companies to improve operations, increase earnings, productivity, and safety for human workers. According to a survey by Microsoft, about 85% of companies have already implemented IoT solutions in their projects.

The digital transformation accelerated industrial IoT development, so the technology reached more Industrial IoT applications, such as energy, manufacturing, facility management, transportation, mining and metals, oil and gas, aviation, and others.

According to predictions, one of the consequences of the pandemic is that soon, we will see the use of IoT in industrial automation projects, such as Internet of Logistics Things, Internet of Retail Things, and Internet of Workforce Management. The global IoT market is expected to grow by $263.4 billion in 2027.

Secure Operational Technology Environments

Due to the growth of cyber risks in 2021, industrial automation companies will take measures to secure operational technology networks. The traditional security solutions like industrial de-militarized zone or air gapping have noticeable vulnerabilities. For instance, third-party workers have remote access to machines and systems. A study by Ponemon Institute revealed that OT related to running utilities have vulnerabilities to cyber-attacks that can cause serious damage.

Industrial Internet of Things devices often has native integration with IP networks which makes them easy targets for cyber threats. Industrial automation companies should enhance the capacity to detect the risks and respond to cyber-attacks.

The IT cyber-security practices used for enterprises are not always compatible with industrial environments. Moreover, IT professionals do not often have expertise or understanding of process control and OT. Thus, the companies need to find solutions that meet the requirements for both IT and OT. This implies the ability to respond to anomalies, visibility, and understanding the limitations within industrial IoT projects.

Remote Operations

The pandemic created new challenges in the development of IoT in industrial automation projects. Organisations have increased the use of IoT in industrial automation to maintain business efficiency, eliminate unnecessary site visits, improve safety and prevent the employees from moving throughout the facilities.

Therefore, one of the main trends of Industrial IoT development is remote operations leading to full autonomy. The use of the Industrial Internet of Things will allow us to completely get rid of the need for workers to be present and monitor the process.

Due to AI solutions, there will be a wide range of Industrial IoT applications, including autonomous vehicles for packing, autonomous haul trucks for mining, distribution grid automation and computer-based train control.

The primary challenge for the companies will be to determine the best solution for the particular use case for IoT in industrial automation projects to reduce expenses and provide security. The main points for consideration are the use case, technology differentiation, spectrum, and total cost of ownership. The best option would be to create a strategy that will allow optimising resources and delivering safe end-to-end IP infrastructure.

CONVENIENCE:

Modern IoT smart home technology has allowed for various cloud-based conveniences to manifest in our daily lives. From interconnected home appliances to remote climate control, IoT solutions provide a wide range of homely conveniences.

Appliances like air conditioners and refrigerators are the some of the latest entrants to catch the IoT bug. Air conditioners can now be operated from anywhere around the world if a decent internet connection is present. Refrigerators today come with cameras letting people see the groceries and food supplies they have left.

In addition to these, light fixtures, bathroom appliances like commodes and water heaters, alarms, CCTV, etc. can all be operated remotely as result of internet connectivity amongst these devices and one’s smartphone.

TRANSPORTATION:

The transportation sector is always evolving to offer safer, faster, cleaner and more comfortable commutes. The next significant industry shift is at hand, and IoT is leading the charge. The potential of IoT is spurring a wave of smart vehicles and connected infrastructure.

The global smart transportation market could reach $262 billion by 2025, thanks to the value of IoT in vehicles. However, the benefits don’t end at financial success for car manufacturers. It’s improving nearly every aspect of the industry.

One of the most promising features of IoT in transportation is its potential for safety. Smart transportation using IoT would consist of cars that communicate with one another. This would improve assisted driving features, keeping drivers safe.

With IoT-fuelled communication, vehicles would have real-time data on where everything else on the road is. This information would then enable cars to brake or turn when necessary, to avoid a collision. Assisted driving features are already present in many vehicles, but IoT’s inter-connectivity would make them more accurate. This connectivity is also the key to driver-less cars. If a vehicle can connect to other cars and infrastructure around it, it could navigate more effectively.

The improved navigation offered by IoT is useful to human drivers, too. Many people rely on GPS navigation, and IoT devices in vehicles could make these systems more helpful. Cross-car communication would allow navigation systems to account for real-time changes, like blockages or traffic jams. GPS systems can be slow to adapt to traffic changes, but IoT navigation offers real-time feedback. Hazards along a route can change in an instant, so drivers need dynamic navigation to avoid them.

IoT-based predictive maintenance improves traditional approaches by highlighting immediate repair needs. IoT devices in cars could measure the performance of different parts of the vehicle. It could then alert the driver when something needs attention.

This immediate feedback lets drivers make repairs before more significant breakages occur. With the data from these devices, car manufacturers could also see if there are any common issues in their vehicles. They could then use this information to create more reliable cars in the future.

Smart transportation, the result of IoT in vehicles, is already growing at a staggering rate. The connected car market grew by 45% between 2018 and 2019 alone, with global shipments expected to pass 76 million units by 2023. Car companies are aware of all IoT has to offer, and they are capitalising on it right now.

HEALTHCARE:

Although connectivity among medical devices is not new, the Internet of Things (IoT) is gaining traction as the healthcare industry has been increasing efforts to improve quality and the continuum of care.

North America dominated the global healthcare IoT market in 2014 with about $24.6 billion in revenue and is expected to continue its dominance.

Individuals can play a more active role in their care with IoT wearables that capture and track their health data. Also, IoT has the potential of having a profound impact in healthcare areas such as remote patient monitoring, medication adherence, and intelligent hospital rooms.

For example, Philips Lifeline offers a medication dispensing device that functions as an IoT product. It automates patients' pill-taking process by sending reminders and dispensing medication at a pre-scheduled time.

Patient health data, such as electrocardiograms and blood glucose levels, can already come from several connected devices as the ability to keep tabs on this type of information is vital for some. Smart devices can reduce the need for face-to-face follow-ups with physicians, which in turn could lower costs as well as enable patients to comply with instructions.

Without some of the IoT powered applications, healthcare would not be strengthened like it is today. Few things would be impossible to achieve like the level of usability, connectivity, and capabilities which the health caring system is catering today and is indeed required where you are dealing with numerous lives.

MEDIA:

The applications of IoT in media and advertising involve a customised experience in which the system analyses and responds to the needs and interests of each customer. This includes their general behaviour patterns, buying habits, preferences, culture, and other characteristics.

Marketing and Content Delivery

IoT functions in a similar and deeper way to current technology, analytics, and big data. Existing technology collects specific data to produce related metrics and patterns over time, however, that data often lacks depth and accuracy. IoT improves this by observing more behaviours and analysing them differently.

This leads to more information and detail, which delivers more reliable metrics and patterns. It allows organisations to better analyse and respond to customer needs or preferences.

It improves business productivity and strategy and improves the consumer experience by only delivering relevant content and solutions.

Improved Advertising

Current advertising suffers from excess and poor targeting. Even with today's analytics, modern advertising fails. IoT promises different and personalised advertising rather than one-size fits all strategies. It transforms advertising from noise to a practical part of life because consumers interact with advertising through IoT rather than simply receiving it. This makes advertising more functional and useful to people searching the marketplace for solutions or wondering if those solutions exist.

DATA ACQUISITION:

In today’s world, the infrastructure provided by smart city and industrial automation systems enables continuous connectivity. The commonality shared by such systems is their association with the Internet of Things (IoT). With the inclusion of sensors and control devices, entire infrastructures can be integrated with information and communication technologies, resulting in networked and embedded devices that enable intelligent monitoring and management. With the easy deployment and flexibility of sensor devices, wireless sensor networks (WSN) can comprise numerous sensor nodes that collect information. The collected information then provides a database for further analysis; the results of which can be used to improve the reliability and efficiency of existing infrastructure systems. Considering the rapid development of sensor technology, WSNs are expected to become a key IoT technology.

For engineers, the greatest challenge of designing for the IoT is ensuring wireless connectivity. The concept of the IoT involves not only new devices designed with IoT compatibility, but also existing systems that operate outside the IoT cloud. However, to establish a ubiquitous cloud of interconnected devices, non-IP-based devices must be able to connect to each other without requiring Ethernet or a Wi-Fi interface and accompanying protocol stack. This can be achieved using wireless I/O interface modules and gateways that enable Internet access in the context of real-world applications. Furthermore, adding intelligent sensor control software to gateways can simplify the design of IoT systems by providing access to shared processing resources.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a popular phrase for the emerging class of Internet-capable physical objects such as appliances and control systems. It seems as if almost every vendor of electronic devices has some active development of IoT devices and new Internet of Things products are being introduced to the market daily. This new technology offers the potential to revolutionise manufacturing, industrial processing, product design, and transport logistics in every industry. The goal is for our everyday working world to function with the data accessibility, responsiveness, and custom experience that we already take for granted as part of our online experience. In this brief overview, the Application Specialists at CAS DataLoggers cover several industry opportunities presented by today’s wireless data loggers including models with new mobile apps and cloud-based servers which let users monitor temperatures and control processes from any location.

With advances in hardware, software, and wireless networking, technology has become affordable and compact enough that low-power sensors and connected processors can be embedded in almost any electronic device. This is most clearly seen in smartphones, which incorporate sensors giving users access to many kinds of data such as GPS, motion, direction, and more. Mobile apps use this connectivity to monitor and control climate control systems, light fixtures, and all manner of electric devices from toasters to washers to door locks. Smart homes already allow residents to control their appliances and save energy; soon everything around us may be controlled with just a few taps on a screen anywhere, anytime.

IoT Applications for Remote Data Accessibility

With the near-universal presence of smartphones in consumer and industrial markets, many dataloggers now have mobile applications allowing users to view and download data collected from remote sensors, for example machine or product temperature in a processing plant. Whether it’s current/voltage, runtime, temperature/humidity, or any other value, users are finding it cheaper and easier to keep tabs on their data whether they’re in the field or outside work hours. These applications allow remote configuration and real-time viewing using user configurable dashboard displays with meters, digital display, and graphs.

Summary

The Internet of Things is becoming a reality with the help of consumers, industrial users, and developers alike. Real-time information is already providing greater transparency and accuracy to just about any application where users are looking for ways to reduce both costs and waste. Process automation is making well-publicised gains every day which shape the way new products are designed and made, but individual users are also able to take advantage of this exciting new technology whether at their jobs or homes.