IoT (Internet of Things) and its Applications

IoT (the Internet of Things) is an important technical development that is changing many parts of our lives in every day as well as in enterprises. In an ever more connected world, students at New Brunswick College of Business and Technology must understand the basic principles of IoT and its applications to stay ahead. Through this blog, the readers will have a complete understanding of the Internet of Things (IOT) and its applications in different segments followed by its various components.

The Internet of Things (IoT): what is it?

Internet of Things (IoT), is the network of physical devices (or things), such as devices, automobiles, appliances, and other items that have the sensors, software, and connection to share data and communicate with other gadgets and systems via the internet. The main idea of IoT is to enable devices/items to exchange, collect and provide the data to refine them, and to facilitate new opportunities.

Key Components of IoT

a. Sensors/Devices:

They are the physical components with the ability to collect some data out of the environment like, temperature, humidity, light motion and etc.

b. Connectivity:

But then the data collected by the sensors is sent to the cloud (or other devices) via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular networks, etc.

c. Data Processing:

To extract meaningful information, the software applications are used to process the data collected in the cloud. This relates to processing of data with the help of analytical, machine learning or artificial intelligence.

d. User Interface:

A User Interface (UI) is presented to the user, in a form of mobile app, web dashboard or other display system that shows the processed data. Users can use the data presented to monitor, control and make informed decisions.

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IoT Applications

The adaptability of IoT has led to an implementation of IoT in many sectors and applications. Here are the few well-known applications in various sectors:

1. Smart Homes

Through IoT, homeowners can remotely control and automate several devices of their houses.

a. Smart Thermostats: IoT devices such as the Nest Thermostat learn the users’ habits and, automatically set the temperature to optimize energy use.

b. Security Systems: With IoT enabled cameras, door locks and alarm system homeowners can view their home in real time and receives alerts in case of suspicious activity.

c. Smart Appliances: Apart from that, you can control some other kinds of electronic devices like Refrigerators, washing machines and others appliances through smartphones, thereby making you feel convenient and efficient in the way you work.

2. Healthcare

The healthcare industry is transforming medical management and patient care by means of IoT.

a. Wearable Devices: The Fitness trackers and smartwatches also monitor the heart rate, sleep patterns and physical activity to provide valuable data useful to both those using the device and the healthcare providers.

b. Remote Patient Monitoring: This all can helps us to communicate data to the medical professional and can also use to monitor patient health condition by using IoT device, so it can easily affect swift treatment and can remotely diagnose.

c. Smart Medical Equipment: With an IoT enabled equipment available in hospitals, hospitals can promise the availability of important tools and ensure better operational efficiency.

3. Agriculture

IoT technology is revolutionizing agriculture by making it possible to do precision farming.

a. Soil Sensors: Using sensors, farmers will be able to monitor their soil conditions — moisture, temperature and nutrient levels — and more optimally irrigate and fertilize.

b. Drones: Cameras and sensor equipped drones can fly over wide swathes of farmland, giving data on crop health, pest problems and so on.

c. Livestock Monitoring: Using IoT device to track the live feedback of livestock can help in improving the wellbeing of livestock and also reduce losses.

4. Smart Cities

Smart cities are developed by IoT through improving infrastructure and services.

a. Traffic Management: Traffic lights and sensors on road with Internet of Things capabilities, help traffic flow and minimise congestion.

b. Waste Management: Smart bins with sensors help communicate to nearby waste collection services when they need to be emptied, letting services run more efficiently.

c. Energy Management: Smart grids and meters track and manage energy use, in order to cut costs and waste.

Challenges of IoT

Whilst IoT has many advantages, there are disadvantages too.

a. Security: Because there are so many connected devices, there's a greater chance of being attacked by cyberattacks. The privacy and security of IoT data is a must protect.

b. Interoperability: Integrating these IoT devices into an integrated system becomes quite difficult as in most cases, the IoT devices from different manufacturers use a combination of protocols and standards.

c. Data Management: For the massive amounts of data created by IoT devices to be useful, strong data management and analytics skills are required.

d. Scalability: Scalability without performance is key when the number of connected devices grows for IoT solutions.

e. Regulatory Compliance: In all sectors of IoT implementation there are laws and guidelines that have to be followed and at the same time these can be quite different, depending on location and sector.

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Finally, the Internet of Things (IoT) is a game changing technology with huge impacts across a number of businesses and aspects of everyday living. With IoT to connect physical devices with the digital world, organizations can have better decision making, increased productivity and better user experiences. New Brunswick College of Business and Technology students need to understand what IoT is, and the applications of it, in order to prepare for their professional careers in an increasingly connected world. As IoT continues to progress, it would be useful to know about IoT developments and challenges to use such potential of IoT to the fullest.