What is IoT? Industries and Examples of Applications

‍What is IoT? How does it work?

The term IoT encompasses everyday objects which are not originally supposed to be connected to the internet but have been re-invented to integrate innovative functionalities which shake up our habits, by allowing them to communicate with each other.

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Whether you realize it or not, connected gadgets are already everywhere. Generating 1 billion GigaBits of data per day, connected objects are silently revolutionizing our daily lives and bringing us into a future where every moment can be optimized and made more enjoyable.

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By 2025, it is estimated that there will be some 42 billion connected objects, i.e. 5 times more than humans (with some estimates even aiming at 75 billion devices)!

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This Internet of Things revolution is made possible by several technological phenomena:

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1) Artificial Intelligence

Programmable or self-learning intelligence makes it possible to dictate to connected objects the best decisions to make at the best times.

Thanks to AI, it is no longer necessary to configure everything yourself.

This is a time saver but also a considerable gain in efficiency. Objects are therefore not only connected but also intelligent.

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2) 5G Networks

While a Wi-Fi network may be sufficient for domestic use of the Internet of Things, the arrival of extremely powerful, fast, and latency-free mobile networks enhances the processing of data from connected objects as well as their responsiveness.

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3) Big DATA

Somewhat inseparable from artificial intelligence since AI thrives with data, big data is the possibility of storing and using vast volumes of data.

Cloud servers of gigantic size and power can perform calculations that small everyday objects could not themselves perform.

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4) Voice & Facial recognition

Improvements in voice recognition, languages, and accents are what have enabled the development of personal assistants such as Siri, OK Google, or Amazon's Alexa which have invaded our daily lives. We can now give orders to our connected objects and see them react accordingly.

The same goes for photo sensors, which precision has improved to reach levels of a resolution allowing precise identification of the world around us.

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5) Miniaturization

If the Cloud can be of great help, progress in terms of electronic chips and their computing power has also greatly favored the development of connected objects, which can benefit from powerful processors. Sensors are also key technologies in the development of connected objects, making it possible to collect data essential to IoT operations.

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IoT applications use machine learning algorithms to analyze data collected by objects and stored in a cloud. The data can be presented visually and reused by the user or an AI to perform a particular behavior.

There are virtually no limits in implementing and using connected objects: human resources, financial services, supply chain, customer service, home automation... Let's take a look at their main applications.

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Examples of Daily Applications for IoT

One of the first sectors affected by the Internet of Things is that of home automation. Logic: it is in our homes that there are the most objects that impact our lives, our comfort, our safety, etc.

Overall, each object that could operate autonomously in an automated manner is now affected by the IoT phenomenon.

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Gardening & IoT

For example, in the garden, the automatic watering systems made it possible to maintain a green environment in our absence, but with the IoT systems, data gathered by connected sensors make it possible to better adjust their operation.

Systems connected to weather forecasts, that can take into consideration sunshine, rain, and other factors such as the type of plants you have and the size of your garden, now allows for optimal watering cycles.

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Pets & IoT

In a somewhat similar way, connected animal feeders can control the feeding of our pets & animals.

They can deliver the right amount of food at the right intervals.

But that's not all: if of course, it is not ideal to leave pets at home without the attention or presence of humans, screens and webcams now make it possible to interact remotely with our companions.

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GPS chips also allow us to keep an eye on their whereabouts, and there are even some toy robots on the market that can engage in play sessions with our pets and keep them busy and active. The perfect cure for boredom and lack of physical activity!

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Smart Homes & IoT

How can we not talk about the Roomba, this robot vacuum cleaner that cleans your interior on its own? Also controllable remotely using your phone, it is one of the most commonly connected objects in modern homes, with 35 million units sold worldwide.

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But IoT does not stop here: entrance doors with smart locks that open by recognizing a phone or a face, lights that automatically adapt to weather conditions, kitchen equipment such as smart fridges smart that can automatically order missing food items, and garages that recognize you or your cars, modules to monitor your water or electricity consumption in real-time, thermostats that continuously choose the right temperature… connected objects considerably improve our comfort and security at home and allow us to consume resources optimally.

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Healthcare & IoT

Today, hospitals are already using the IoT to locate their patients and monitor their conditions, in particular through connected wheelchairs.

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Beyond that, let’s not forget that our body produces an incredible amount of constantly renewed information that we can monitor to learn more about our physical shape and our health.

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Connected objects are here to take advantage of this information and enlighten us.

The most widespread example at this level is that of Smart Watches, which can analyze our heart rate and evaluate our physical activity. These motivate us to take care of our health and maintain a certain level of physical activity.

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But that's not all. One of the most surprising innovations in terms of health and which involves the Internet of Things comes from the connected toilets. There are now concepts of toilets that carry out analyses of stool and urine, and that can send a report to medical authorities in the event of anomalies. Having this kind of constant home medical monitoring could well revolutionize our health and prevent countless diseases in the future.

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Industry & IoT

Robots have changed everything in factories, and allow us to live in a society where consumer goods are accessible to all thanks to operating and manufacturing costs reduced by the efficiency of machines.

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But with the Internet of Things, the industrial field has taken a new step forward, that of the 4.0 industrial revolution. Like the other categories mentioned in this article, the principle is the same: collect data, analyze it, and then apply decisions in real time that will strengthen the efficiency of supply chains.

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By making the different components of a plant interact, we create an “ecosystem” that regulates itself autonomously and optimizes everything that can be to gain in productivity, but also safety and precision.

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With sensors and alerts, the Internet of Things allows workers in factories to be informed in real-time of all risks (breakdowns, failures, accidents, etc.), or to improve stock management, thanks for example to weight measurement by “smart shelves” which can trigger requests.

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The City & IoT

We talked about the lighting of a house optimized thanks to the IoT: these systems can be extended to an entire city to adapt to day/night rhythms and brightness to achieve optimal electricity consumption.

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More broadly, “smart energy grids” also contribute to obtaining better energy performance by having a fully connected network, where anomalies or malfunctions can be detected, and certain resources can be redirected or activated to supply the network adequately.

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The question of transport is also at the heart of the Internet of Things. Traffic lights, cameras in the streets, and vehicles can now communicate with each other to allow ideal synchronization, and thus reducing congestion, pollution, and enhancing safety in transport.

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Vehicles & IoT

Self-driving cars are no longer science fiction! With Tesla models (not only), it is also now possible to travel by car in a fully automated way. Once again, it is thanks to connected objects that this dream has become a reality.

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Sensors of all kinds (distance, visual, sound, etc.) but also GPS allow our cars to know everything that is happening on the road, and thus can make the best decisions.

With its improvement, this technology will in the future guarantee safer travel for everyone (better reaction times, better anticipation), more energy efficiency, and more comfort for the passengers.

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Conclusion

As you can see, the applications are countless, and the Internet of Things has a bright future ahead, with innovations still possible to improve everyday objects.

If you have such an idea, talk with us! Dirox IoT Engineers can develop full IoT solutions in Vietnam: apps, objects, networks...

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Case Study: Tanalink

Developed by Dirox, Tanalink is an IoT app that helps plantation managers to optimize harvesting paths and productivity.

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With Tanalink, planters can monitor each worker throughout their workday, how many plants they have harvested, and which areas they have covered. This allows planters to compensate workers more fairly, incentivize them to harvest hard-to-reach areas, and reward workers for work well done, ensuring more equitable workplaces and loyal workers.

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