One of the greatest hypes in technology in the present times is brought about by the Internet of Things. We are about to enter into a future that is extremely connected and the expectations from the Internet of Things based devices are too high, as of now. Although, we are already seeing the effects of the Internet of Things based devices, we are yet to see the near-ubiquitous device connectivity and its trans formative effects.
There are many technologies that are evolving around IoT and we find their applications across a wide variety of sectors such as home and office automation, to agriculture and to healthcare.
The new waves of connectivity is not limited only to the smartphones and tablets. We have started talking about connected cars, connected homes and even connected healthcare as well as connected wearables.
The IoT based devices are successful in closing the gap between the physical and the digital world. Out of all these applications the concept of the Smart Homes is the most awaited of such trending technologies. Apple Watch is the area of Wearables which is another trending technological area.
Cisco’s report states that Internet of Things is going to fetch $ 14.4 trillion just in the next decade.
Here are some of the IoT based technologies and the transformation that they are bringing about:
Smart Homes
The concept of smart homes is about to becomes as popular as the smartphones in the near future. Imagine how nice an experience it will be when the lights in your home are put off or there is a temporary access made possible for your guests, even when you are absent at your home. There are many companies who are making these smart brands to make your life simpler and convenient. Moreover, they will save time, energy and money.
Smart Cities
The IoT based devices for the Smart Cities will be able to solve major problems in these futuristic cities such as shortage of resources, traffic congestion and pollution. The smart devices that are to be installed in the garbage systems will inform the municipalities when the bins are about to spill and when they are to be collected. Another useful area of smart cities is found in finding a space in the parking lot.
Connected Cars
The automotive industry is revolving around a new buzzword and that is of connected cars. We start talking about in-vehicle wireless connectivity and a sophisticated infotainment system, as there will be digital content consumption within the vehicle. We will not only see car-to-mobile connection but we will move to vehicle-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure connectivity, which will come into picture and will have a transformative effect on the automotive industry. It is all about enhancing the in-app experience.
Agriculture
There will be scarcity of food resources in the future world. The farmers will need advanced techniques for increasing food production. Smart farming happens to be one of the fastest growing areas.
IoT and Healthcare
The Internet of Things based devices in the agricultural industry is all set to grow from 30 million in 2015 upto 75 million in 2020. There is a massive transformation of the agricultural industry with such devices, as they are effective in handling some of the enormous challenges that are faced. These innovative solutions are addressing issues such as limited availability of land, increasing shortage of water and many more. They can be leveraged to remotely monitor sensors for detection of livestock feed levels, soil moistures as well as crop growth, through the remotely monitored sensors.
Smart Retail
Bluetooth based beacons will be used by increased number of retailers. The retailers have started using technology to a greater extent to bring visibility in the actual location of the items in the inventory. The technology employed are Beacons, sensors and RFID chips. The devices give data and improved visibility of the items so as to track and trace products origin, when that was distributed and the retail outlets they passed through. IoT based solutions will provide promotional materials for their customers.
IoT in Poultry and Farming
The applications are used for gathering data about the health of the cattle, so that the unwell cattle can be removed by the ranchers, at the right point of time, preventing thereby lots of sick cattle. The data helps to increase poultry production and gives cost savings.
The future of applications based on Internet of Things is truly unlimited as we are about to see almost a billion of items talking to each other, without least human intervention. It will change the way we live and work.
