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What are internet of things devices?

The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the network of physical objects—“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. IoT devices range from ordinary household objects to sophisticated industrial tools.

TOP INTERNET-OF-THINGS (IOT) EXAMPLES TO KNOW

  • Connected appliances
  • Smart home security systems
  • Autonomous farming equipment
  • Wearable health monitors
  • Smart factory equipment
  • Wireless inventory trackers
  • Ultra-high speed wireless internet
  • Biometric cybersecurity scanners
  • Shipping container and logistics tracking
  • Elderly Care Monitoring
  • Bike Helmet Crash Sensors
  • RFID Smart Guns
  • Smart Tennis Rackets
  • Wi-Fi Type Writers
  • Smart Smoke Detectors
  • Air Quality Sensors
  • Smart Fire Extinguishers
  • Flood Alert Sensors
  • Home Energy Monitoring and Control
  • Smart Door Locks
  • Concrete Infrastructure Monitoring
  • Soil monitoring
  • Retail Analytics
  • Predictive machine maintenance

What is IoT device management?

Several challenges can hinder the successful deployment of an IoT system and its connected devices, including security, interoperability, power/processing capabilities, scalability and availability. Many of these can be addressed with IoT device management either by adopting standard protocols or using services offered by a vendor.

IoT device management helps companies integrate, organize, monitor and remotely manage internet-enabled devices at scale, offering features critical to maintaining the health, connectivity and security of the IoT devices along their entire lifecycles. Such features include:

  • Device registration and activation
  • Device authentication/authorization
  • Device configuration
  • Device provisioning
  • Device monitoring and diagnostics
  • Device troubleshooting
  • Device firmware updates

Available standardized device management protocols include the Open Mobile Alliance’s Device Management and Lightweight Machine-to-Machine.

IoT device management services and software are also available from vendors, including Amazon, Microsoft, Google, IBM, GE and many others.

Real World Applications of IoT

1. Smart Home

With IoT creating the buzz, ‘Smart Home’ is the most searched IoT associated feature on Google. But, what is a Smart Home?

Wouldn’t you love if you could switch on air conditioning before reaching home or switch off lights even after you have left home? Or unlock the doors to friends for temporary access even when you are not at home. Don’t be surprised with IoT taking shape companies are building products to make your life simpler and convenient.

Smart Home has become the revolutionary ladder of success in the residential spaces and it is predicted Smart homes will become as common as  smartphones.

The cost of owning a house is the biggest expense in a homeowner’s life. Smart Home products are promised to save time, energy and money. With Smart home companies like Nest, Ecobee, Ring and August, to name a few, will become household brands and are planning to deliver a never seen before experience.

2. Wearables

Wearables have experienced a explosive demand in markets all over the world. Companies like Google, Samsung have invested heavily in building such devices. But, how do they work?

Wearable devices are installed with sensors and software which collect data and information about the users. This data is later pre-processed to extract essential insights about user.

These devices broadly cover fitness, health and entertainment requirements. The pre-requisite from internet of things technology for wearable applications is to be highly energy efficient or ultra-low power and small sized.

3. Connected Cars

The automotive digital technology has focused on optimizing vehicles internal functions. But now, this attention is growing towards enhancing the in-car experience.

A connected car is a vehicle which is able to optimize it’s own operation, maintenance as well as comfort of passengers using onboard sensors and internet connectivity.

Most large auto makers as well as some brave startups are working on connected car solutions. Major brands like Tesla, BMW, Apple, Google are working on bringing the next revolution in automobiles.

4. Industrial Internet

Industrial Internet is the new buzz in the industrial sector, also termed as Industrial Internet of Things ( IIoT ). It is empowering industrial engineering with sensors, software and big data analytics to create brilliant machines.

According to Jeff Immelt, CEO, GE Electric, IIoT is a “beautiful, desirable and investable” asset. The driving philosophy behind IIoT is that, smart machines are more accurate and consistent than humans in communicating through data. And, this data can help companies pick  inefficiencies and problems sooner.

IIoT holds great potential for quality control and sustainability. Applications for tracking goods, real time information exchange about inventory among suppliers and retailers and automated delivery will increase the supply chain efficiency. According to GE the improvement industry productivity will generate $10 trillion to $15 trillion in GDP worldwide over next 15 years.

5. Smart Cities

Smart city is another powerful application of IoT generating curiosity among world’s population. Smart surveillance, automated transportation, smarter energy management systems, water distribution, urban security and environmental monitoring all are examples of internet of things applications for smart cities.

IoT will solve major problems faced by the people living in cities like pollution, traffic congestion and shortage of energy supplies etc. Products like cellular communication enabled Smart Belly trash will send alerts to municipal services when a bin needs to be emptied.

By installing sensors and using web applications, citizens can find free available parking slots across the city. Also, the sensors can detect meter tampering issues, general malfunctions and any installation issues in the electricity system.

6. IoT in agriculture

With the continous increase in world’s population, demand for food supply is extremely raised. Governments are helping farmers to use advanced  techniques and research to increase food production. Smart farming is one of the fastest growing field in IoT.

Farmers are using meaningful insights from the data to yield better return on investment. Sensing for soil moisture and nutrients, controlling water usage for plant growth and determining custom fertilizer are some simple uses of IoT.

7.Smart Retail

The potential of IoT in the retail sector is enormous. IoT provides an opportunity to retailers to connect with the customers to enhance the in-store experience.

Smartphones will be the way for retailers to remain connected with their consumers even out of store. Interacting through Smartphones and using Beacon technology can help retailers serve their consumers better. They can also track consumers path through a store and improve store layout and place premium products in high traffic areas.




8.Energy Engagement

Power grids of the future will not only be smart enough but also highly reliable. Smart grid concept is becoming very popular all over world.

The basic idea behind the smart grids is to collect data in an automated fashion and analyze the behavior or electricity consumers and suppliers for improving efficiency as well as economics of electricity use.

Smart Grids will also be able to detect sources of power outages more quickly and at individual household  levels like near by solar panel, making possible distributed energy system.

9. IOT in Healthcare

Connected healthcare yet remains the sleeping giant of the Internet of Things applications. The concept of connected healthcare system and smart medical devices bears enormous potential not just for companies, but also for the well-being of people in general.

Research shows IoT in healthcare will be massive in coming years. IoT in healthcare is aimed at empowering people to live healthier life by wearing connected devices.

The collected data will help in personalized analysis of an individual’s health and provide tailor made strategies to combat illness.

10.IoT in Poultry and Farming

Livestock monitoring is about animal husbandry and cost saving. Using IoT applications to gather data about the health and well being of the cattle, ranchers knowing early about the sick animal can pull out and help prevent large number of sick cattle.