Gone are the days when the natural eco-system was the only thing inter-connected in our environment. With the advancement in the field of technology and the creation of the Internet of Things (IoT), the whole world is interconnected via the internet. It was first thought of by the Proctor &Gamble employee, Kevin Ashton, as he believed and worked to build a system that would ultimately lead to the massive connection of things through the internet and would create a workforce whose efficiency will be tenfold. Modern science has developed this and named it the Internet of Things.
What exactly is the Internet of Things?
Wikipedia describes IoT as, “the network of physical objects—"things"—that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies to connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the internet.”
This IoT comprises everything connected to the internet. This is used to define devices that communicate with the internet, the local area network, and with each other.
5 ways IoT can improve efficiency:
IoT improves the efficiency of individuals, businesses, and also of cities. The business process improved by IoT comprises tracking the workers and enhancing output. Individual have smart devices which increase their IoT efficiency and cities have sensors to monitor traffic and so on.
Making the most of our time:
The IoT will help mobile phone users to control their phones like remote controls as it will connect everything. Not only this but these devices will render their service according to the choices of their user as they will know everything their user’s choices and this will help them save their time, like for instance, they will filter the options available at your local café according to your regular taste and this though very short but will save the users’ precious time and create a huge impact on productivity. These kinds of services are possible due to the presence of several invisible sensors around the user. They also save time by giving quick and effortless information which was otherwise very time-consuming as was done manually.
Improved daily commute:
We all know a lot of our day is wasted in the daily traffic we have to face every day whenever we go anywhere. This daily commute causes a lot of time loss which can now be reduced by the Internet of Things. This is because of the huge network of connections of these devices which will help professionals and other individuals to get to work on time and also run errands in the record time.
AT&T along with GM and BMW are adding right now LTE connectivity and functionality to all of their employee's automobiles and are creating new services that include real-time traffic information and real-time diagnosis for the front seat.
Wearable increasing efficiency:
The development of certain wearable has helped businesses monitor their employees in a better way. These wearable devices improve business efficiency as they streamline communication between retail workers, vehicles can be connected to a system that tracks their real-time location and package deliveries. Also, some companies like Deloitte which has acquired Edge Amsterdam, which is a smart building that monitors the movements of all of the employees of that company. This app allows workers to connect to their other colleagues, find workspaces, and parking lots.
Businesses with better safety levels:
The use of these wearable devices is not only to be tracked by your company but also to remain safe with the office premises. They help to track down workers and are used to warn them if they enter a hazardous region. If any non-trained employee enters into a dangerous are then it immediately sends an alert. This is seen in companies like Oracle and Romware.
In other companies for example in Intel, the wearable devices are used by firefighters to track if any other firefighter is caught in a burning building or any other dangerous environment.
Streamline city management:
Cities are also benefitting from these IoTs, as they are using it to handle traffic jams, maintain parking lots, and also building maintenance. London is at the front in this category, as it uses the smart parking system to find a suitable parking space. The common belief is that this will help reduce traffic jams in the city. Another example is of Copenhagen where over two-thirds of the total population use bikes for transportation. As the city is using sensors to monitor bike traffic and improve travel routes.
The scope of IoT is vast as it can do a wide variety of otherwise impossible things. Future improvements are done in this field to enhance productivity and increase the output, which will create a developed society.