The Internet of things (IoT) is the interrelation of all the devices around us. Every year, more appliance, devices, and machines become connected to the Internet or a network and become intelligent in a way that they collect data and can be monitor and control remotely. That is the IoT and is impacting leading industries by driving the change. This is how leading industries have been transformed.
Energy
The energy industry is what powers our society today. Without energy, our lives would be very different, without the Internet and even electricity. This industry has faced a lot of challenges to try and provide more efficient and sustainable power production systems. There are already a couple of green energy sources that are promising, but most of the world is still run with non-renewable energy.
The Internet of Things is driving the change the industry needs. It is impacting all aspects of the industry from the energy production process to the end-user interaction with the companies. For example, IoT sensors are essential for monitoring processes and for the creation of digital twins that allow us to monitor and control large equipment.
IoT also enables smart grid technology, which is a network of energy production that has many sources. For example, solar systems are becoming more popular at a residential level, and the electricity becomes distributed instead of centralized. So, cites can be powered by different sources of energy instead of one source, in most cases oil or coal, like today.
Smart grids will also increase energy efficiency. The electricity bill generally charges a fee for the availability of the service, and on top of that, the cost for what you actually consume. But with IoT sensors, power providers can monitor what someone is consuming and control how much power is available for each user.
In the case of residential energy solutions, each individual will be able to control their energy consumption. Overall, IoT will allow for a more integrated electric grid that adapts better to the power needs society has today.
Transportation
Transportation is another industry that has been impacted by the Internet of Things. Right now, it has barely made some changes, but when fully implemented, it will change the industry altogether. One of the areas that will improve further is safety. Almost every vehicle nowadays comes with proximity sensors for giving signals in case of a possible collision.
In more luxury models, like the Tesla vehicles, their auto-pilot feature is powered by IoT and Artificial Intelligence. And in the future, IoT will be one of the technologies that will drive the self-driving cars that are already in the prototype and development stages.
The Internet of Things can also change vehicle maintenance. Imagine cars that know exactly when they need an oil exchange or new tires. It would make the experience for the owner a lot better without having to worry about remembering the last time you took your car to the mechanic; everything will be automated.
Another change that we already see in many cities is IoT technologies for public transportation. Users can now check through a mobile app on their phone where the bus will arrive at their closest bus stop. But with each new introduction of this technology into the industry, the vehicles will become more intelligent and automated.
Tourism
The tourism industry was massively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, but this doesn’t mean that it will not recover. Everyone is eager to start traveling again, and the industry has to prepare for the sanitary measures this will require and meet the demand for quality service. By introducing new technologies, they make the experience better and make customers want to repeat.
By using IoT along with machine learning, all the companies in the industry can optimize their operations and minimize human contact. For example, companies can install temperature sensors that have become the norm in many establishments or implement self-check-in machines for guests.
The Internet of Things also makes possible things like the Wi-Fi network of a hotel or an inn recognizing the smartphone of the guest when they arrive, and guests opening the bedroom and controlling everything inside just with their smart device.
Healthcare
Healthcare is one of the essential industries in our society, and the pandemic situation is further proof of this. IoT has already changed the industry, and it is implemented to mostly the monitoring of patients and facilities. It is also being introduced to improve data recollection.
By combining this with machine learning and data science, companies will able to predict to improve the health sector even more. The Internet of Things has also been implemented in some hospitals to track patients and healthcare professionals in the building, drug dosage, and even make appointments through smart devices.
This technology is impacting so much the healthcare industry that it is a sector of its own. It’s known as the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). Everything for thermometers, heart rate monitors, glucose monitors, and ultrasounds machines, are all becoming connected. Some hospitals even have smart beds that adapt to the preferences of each patient.
The most common application of IoT in the health sector is wearable devices like smartwatches and Fitbits. These devices monitor our heart rate, calories burned, steps throughout the day, and more. They help us monitor our health and give a visualization of all our data allowing us to make better decisions.
Plus, they can become essential for life or death situations by adding features like apps that detect certain events such as falls or high blood pressure and send a warning to the healthcare provider. In the next couple of years, we will continue to see more IoMT developments.
In Summary
IoT is an integration of all the technology in our lives. It is having a great impact on many industries. Energy, transportation, tourism, and healthcare have transformed to adapt to the new needs of society, and the IoT is leading that change along with other powerful technologies. If you want to be part of the change, you can enter the IoT industry and will probably have opportunities in different companies from all niches.
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