The Internet has evolved over the years since it was developed in the 20th century. Honestly, for the average urban lifestyle, the internet is quite an indispensable necessity, While researchers around the globe are working consistently to make its future outreach more inclusive and all-pervasive, the utilities of the internet that we have at present are also nothing short of uncountable. The people’s experience in literally every sphere of life has been made more enhanced and easier, and all that is required for that is an internet connection!
The changes have been influenced by the convergence of several new technologies, analytics, machine learning, embedded sensors and the sort. Fields of wireless sensor networks and automation enable us to form the Internet of Things, also called IoT. The consumer market understands the concept of the “Internet of Things” as a form of “smart homes”; homes where every alliance is connected through a network, much like the Amazon Echo or Google Home technology easily available today.
It all started when a modified Coca Cola vending machine at Carnegie Mellon University became the first object connected to the internet. Ever since then, the concept has experienced nothing but growth. Mark Weiser’s 1991 paper “The Computer of the 21st century” has essentially sculpted the modern vision of the Internet of Things. But the field took off when Bill Joy talked about device to device communication at the World Economic Forum at Davos in 1999, as an integral part of his “Six Webs” technology framework.
Cisco Systems defined the Internet of Things as “simply the point in time when more things or objects were connected to the Internet than people”. They estimated that it was “born” in 2008 or 2009, as they saw the people/object ratio grow from 0.08 in 2003 to 1.84 in 2010. There might be no end to the potential of this technology, although several privacy concerns and dangers are being strictly protected from several threats the concept introduces. Most innovations made for the Internet of Things are created for the consumer market. It is the basis behind home automation, including heating, lighting, media systems and security. This may even ensure power savings by turning off the lights when not needed.
Apple’s HomeKit is a good example of this. It allows one to control their home appliances and products on certain iOS devices such as iPhones, Apple watches, iPads or maybe just Siri. Lenovo’s alternative to HomeKit, Smart Home Essentials allows this to be possible without wi-fi connectivity. Amazon Echo, Google Home, Samsung’s SmartThings are called “smart hubs” and function as the brain of operations in the smart home system. These smart home systems also have the potential to be used for the assistance of the elderly (check out SNL’s sketch about that for some quick laughs). The voice control ability offers much-needed assistance to the visually or audibly impaired. Alert systems are often connected to the cochlear implants hearing-impaired users will often use. Features include sensors that monitor medical emergencies that may occur. These smart home systems can give users more freedom and offer a higher quality of life if used right.
The Internet of Things, when used solely for medical purpose, is known as the Internet of Medical Things or the IoT. It is used for medical data collection, analysis, research and monitoring patients. Remote health monitoring and emergency notification systems rely on the Internet of Things to check on a patient’s blood pressure and heart rate if needed. There are specialised implants created for monitoring, pacemakers being one such example. Devices like Fitbits or advanced hearing aids may also function the same way. Several hospitals have started introducing a new technology called Smart Beds, built to detect when the bed is occupied or when a patient is trying to get up.
The Internet of Things may also be implemented into the fabric and cloth industry through fabric electronics, which are becoming increasingly easier to make. These industries are now producing low cost use-and-throw medical e-textiles for wirelessly powered disposable devices. The applications for this will have profound influences on the future of healthcare systems worldwide.
The transportation industry also employs the Internet of Things for several services. It can integrate most aspects of transportation systems such as communication between the drivers, monitoring the systems of the vehicle and connecting the vehicle to related infrastructure. Some vehicles have smart hubs, similar to Amazon Echo to bring all the systems in one place, making access easier to the driver. Smart Traffic Control, Smart parking, electronic toll collection, logistics and fleet management, and road assistance between different vehicles and the authorities might be made possible through this connection between all things.
Digital Control Systems may also be used to manufacture product in factories. By connecting all machinery or Operational Technology through a network, the process of manufacturing can be optimally monitored by a smart hub, thereby accelerating the process and reducing the need for human effort. It can also optimize plant security and safety by providing a network of interconnected sensors. IoT tech can also be used agriculturally, to collect soil data, growth analytics, to craft the best possible farming program.
In August 2018, in partnership with Microsoft, Toyota Tsusho created a fish farming tool using Microsoft Azure. The Kindai University researchers used Artificial intelligence to counter the number of fish on a conveyor belt, analyse the number and deduce the water flow’s effectiveness from the data. The Internet of Things is also capable of maximizing infrastructure construction effectiveness by managing time and saving costs.
These are a few of the many things the Internet of Things can achieve. To be fair, analysing all the utilities of IoT could potentially take forever because apart from all of what we have already discussed, it can also help in military strategies and help to clean the oceans by analysing ocean currents and deducing areas where the maximum amount of waste is deposited. The Internet of Things might as well be our future. And we should embrace it, because where would we be if we were scared of progress?