These days, IoT technologies are applied in many fields. The Internet of Things has different use cases based on the organization and industry.
The market research firm IDC projects that IoT (Internet of Things) technologies will grow at a double-digit rate in 2021 and an average annual growth rate of 11.3% from 2020 to 2024 in its Worldwide Internet of Things Spending Guide. According to IDC, the industry’s leading in spending are healthcare, insurance, and education.
Similar growth is expected by Statista, which predicts that the global market for IoT offerings will reach US$1.6 trillion by 2025 from US$212 billion in 2019. Furthermore, by 2023 there will be 75 billion connected devices in use with IoT producing 79.4 zettabytes of data.
These Internet of Things connections are ubiquitous, reaching into homes, workplaces, and automobiles across all economic sectors of the world. A list of well-known IoT technology applications can be found below.
Traffic control
Data is transmitted by cameras, sensors, parking meters, traffic light controllers, and even smartphone traffic apps. This data is then used to prevent accidents, gridlock, and ensure smooth travels.
For example, cameras record and send data regarding traffic volumes to central management groups. These groups then examine the data to decide whether, how, and when to implement traffic calming measures.
Traffic signal sensors are able to identify varying sky lighting conditions and modify the signal’s brightness to make sure that vehicles can always see them.
When a parking space becomes available, connected devices identify it and transmit this information to apps or kiosks to alert drivers.
Bridge monitors gather and relay data in order to assess the structural integrity of the structure and notify authorities of any maintenance requirements prior to a breakdown or issue.
Environmental surveillance
Data about the state and quality of the air, water, and soil, as well as fisheries, forests, and other natural habitats, is gathered by networked devices. They are also able to gather environmental data, such as the weather.
As a result, the Internet of Things not only makes it possible to access a greater amount of real-time environmental data at any time and from any location, but it also makes it possible for a variety of businesses across various industries to use this data to obtain insights that can be put to use.
Such data aids government organizations in better managing and safeguarding land and wildlife populations, as well as in monitoring and even predicting natural disasters like tornadoes. Companies can use this information to more effectively plan for weather-related business disruptions, reduce their carbon footprint, and/or document compliance with environmental regulations.
Intelligent urban area
IoT deployments are consolidated in smart cities to provide a comprehensive picture of local developments.
For instance, smart cities frequently have their own smart buildings and networked traffic management systems. They might also consist of individual smart buildings. By utilizing environmental monitoring and smart grid connectivity, smart cities can expand their IoT ecosystem and offer real-time perspectives of the different factors influencing community life.
The objective of smart cities is to gather real-time data for analysis that yields insights that local officials can use for improved decision-making and/or automated controls to create more resilient, efficient, safe, and effective communities. This goal is similar to smaller, more focused IoT deployments. As an illustration: Copenhagen is working to become carbon neutral by 2025 by utilizing IoT technologies.
Wireless connected vehicles
One of the most prominent applications of the Internet of Things is autonomous cars; in fact, the phrase “Internet of Vehicles” (IoV) has already gained traction. In order to safely navigate the roads in all types of traffic and weather conditions, self-driving cars and trucks make use of a variety of connected devices. Motion sensors, on-board computers, and cameras with AI capabilities are some of the technologies in use.
Conventional cars are also equipped with Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, as manufacturers are integrating linked gadgets to track efficiency and control computerized systems.
Commercial fleets, like delivery vans and city buses, frequently have extra IoT devices installed, like linked safety monitoring systems. Similar technology that gathers and transmits telemetry data to monitor driving habits can be installed in trucks and private cars.
Intelligent power grid, or smart grid
The Internet of Things is being used by utilities to strengthen and optimize power grids.
Energy used to only move in one direction through the grid: from the generation plant to the consumer. But two-way communication is now possible across the whole energy supply chain, from generation to distribution to consumption, thanks to linked devices, which enhances utilities’ capacity to transport and control energy.
In order to respond to variations in energy demand and load as well as detect power outages, utilities can use and analyze real-time data transmitted from connected devices and sensors.
In the meantime, real-time and historical consumption data is provided by smart meters installed in individual homes and businesses. Customers and utilities analyze this data to find areas where efficiency can be increased.
Smart homes and intelligent buildings
Building owners are utilizing the Internet of Things (IoT) to make all kinds of buildings smarter, which could lead to increased safety, comfort, and energy efficiency.
The HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) infrastructure, which uses real-time data and automation technologies to continuously measure and adjust the temperature for optimal energy efficiency and comfort, can be monitored by an IoT ecosystem in a commercial building. Simultaneously, at events like sold-out concerts, artificial intelligence (AI) cameras assist in crowd management for public safety.
Smart home appliances, fire detectors, door locks, and thermostats can be installed by consumers to help with daily needs. One example of a smart home technology is temperature control that can be adjusted to the owner’s schedule.
Management of the supply chain (SCM)
Low-power sensors, GPS, and other tracking technologies that can locate goods as they move through the supply chain are modernizing supply chain management. Managers are able to make more informed plans and pinpoint the exact location of shipped or received items with greater certainty thanks to this information.
Though helpful, this transparency is just the start of the Internet of Things’ value proposition for this field. In order to guarantee quality and safety controls, IoT technologies can also measure and maintain a specific temperature during transportation. This kind of monitoring and management of delivery requirements is possible. Furthermore, IoT-generated data can be used by back-end analytics to pinpoint supply chain enhancements like faster shipping or more effective routes.
Management of industry, agriculture, and commerce
The commercial and industrial sectors can benefit greatly from the Internet of Things, which has many uses from smart agriculture to enhanced plant safety to predictive maintenance. These diverse use cases employ a similarly broad range of Internet of Things technologies.
Within an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) deployment, a manufacturer can employ machine-to-machine connected devices to more precisely map workloads. A factory can plan preventive maintenance at the best time by monitoring equipment wear and tear. Companies can regulate and control physical access to their facilities by using wearable devices with RFID chips or employee badges. In order to automate and optimize seed allocation, farmers can also choose tracking technologies that are integrated with their field equipment and environmental monitors.
Advantages for companies
While there are some IoT use cases that are industry-specific, the majority of connected technology implementations are industry-wide and can be found in a range of businesses.
- Additionally, these implementations have cross-industry benefits. Typical ROIs consist of: Reduced running expenses
- Enhanced output
- Enhanced performance
- Enhanced security
- Enhanced safety
- Enhanced quality control
- Enhanced comprehension and openness of real-world operations.