The “internet of things” is growing rapidly, and with that growth there will be a stage where thoughts about internet of things technology change forever. From RFID sensors to mobile devices to commercial goods, machine-to-machine communications have already made their way into people’s homes and businesses. What can we expect to happen with the internet of things in the future? Today, we take a look to answer this very question.
With global spending on internet of things research and integration reaching $745 billion in 2019, the internet of things is primed to be one of the largest single industries in the world in the future. Individuals, businesses and governments are looking at the internet of things for solutions to their problems. After all, the more information people have, the better decisions can be made. From the outset, it was said that this technology will transform the way we interact with machines and the way they will interact with each other, and only a few short years into a worldwide implementation, that mantra has proven to be true. Let’s look at where the internet of things is growing most.
Industry
The huge annual jumps in internet of things spending is largely driven by manufacturers, transportation and utilities. Industrial internet of things solutions provide companies and municipalities, alike, the link between their cloud-based software systems and their analysts, salesmen and decision makers. This relationship is tenuous, however, and is closely monitored as a result. If a huge internet of things strategy breaks even once, confidence in the platform is destroyed, leaving it an unreliable solution, regardless of the strengths of the technology.
Manufacturers and process managers that utilize internet of things solutions need their systems to be as reliable as possible. That means security, which is the number one improvement that the next phase of internet of things has to make. For years, internet of things was only somewhat trustworthy because of the lack of integrated security many internet of things devices were manufactured with. Today, with security an absolute must for the major undertakings it is being used for, security has improved, but only slightly. A dedication to creating internet of things devices that have hardware and software systems that are secure and reliable will dictate just the ceiling of internet of things effectiveness.
The Smart City
One of the most intriguing places the internet of things has been utilized thus far is in the integration of automated utility systems inside what has been termed “the smart city”. The smart city uses what are known as low power internet of things connections. These devices deliver low bandwidth and power saving features that are perfectly suited to asset monitoring. They can be implemented for a variety of uses, including:
- Sensors built into city roadways to sense things like the subsistence of traffic congestion and wear and tear of roadways.
- Sensors built into bridges to sense degradation and the effect of seismic forces caused by geographical and traffic-based events.
- Sensors built into buildings to measure wind force, foundation subsistence or seismic activity.
- Sensors in the interior of buildings to control foot-traffic, lighting, heating and air and other systems humans rely on.
- Sensors on the street or on entryways that will provide facial recognition and reporting.
Unlike internet of things-connected consumer goods, every internet of things device deployed in a smart city would have a purpose that is beyond convenience. Every device would be placed to achieve a goal, improve the usability, longevity and management of infrastructure, boosting resident safety and improving their access to services, cutting costs and limiting energy use, improving communications and more.
One thing is for sure, the next phase of internet of things implementation is going to challenge conventional thinking and deliver solutions that only a short time ago were just imaginary. At Advisors Tech, we find technology fascinating. For more great technology information about innovative new tech, return to our blog regularly.