What Is an IoT Application?
The excitement around the IoT seems in no hurry to abate, with a glut of new IoT applications available each year to make our personal and business lives just that much more interesting.
As we know, the Internet of Things (IoT) is made up of the worldwide network of connected devices with the ability to receive and send data. These devices can be something as simple as a fridge or CCTV camera, or as complex as a commercial airliner – as long as they are connected to the Internet they form part of this ecosystem.
Drilling down a little further, each device requires software in order for it to do what it was built to do. These IoT applications can take so many forms, and truly have changed the face of business across every sector.
IoT Applications – The Sky Is The Limit
Consider the following IoT applications and how their implementation has offered valuable insight into key areas of our lives.
IoT Apps for Business
It’s the smallest problems that can cause the biggest headaches, which is why building services companies are making use of software to monitor and report on ongoing issues such as soap and paper towel dispensers, printers, and coffee machines.
Optimisation apps can easily assess power consumption in a building and adjust heating and lighting accordingly, and predictive maintenance applications allow businesses to stay on top of their costs and eliminate downtime due to equipment failure.
In medicine, an application has been developed which monitors and reports on the temperature of pharmaceutical products (such as vaccines) which may have been affected by heat or cold outside of their optimal handling range. Other applications ensure that patients are taking their medicine correctly and on time and reporting back to their physician.
Some insurers are working with personal medical devices such as Fitbit bands which track the user’s movements in order to reward positive actions, leading to fewer health issues.
Getting around in busy cities is being streamlined in choked areas such as London, where a complex mass of applications and sensors work quietly in the background to automatically adjust traffic lights according to the volume of cars on any given road. These apps are linked to cameras and road sensors to speed up or slow down the traffic wherever necessary to avoid gridlocked streets or long waiting times at lights.
IoT Applications at Home
While the business world is buzzing with the endless possibilities offered by these applications, we at home can also benefit from them.
Consider the advent of the Smart House: Monitoring and accessing various elements of your home from a remote location is now totally feasible.
Security monitoring is big business and being able to see your home via your CCTV cameras when you’re away or at work is a comforting app to have. Especially for us here in South Africa!
Energy efficiency has been on everyone’s lips recently. Therefore, having the ability to check and adjust your home appliances, the temperature of your house, your water or power usage results in real cost savings for your family, and a lower carbon footprint.
Getting on the IoT Bus
If you are reading this and think that this is all futuristic sci-fi stuff and you don’t really need to know much about it – think again. While smart homes and driverless cars may not be common-place right now, forward-thinking businesses are grabbing onto this exciting tech with both hands and using it to push their company up the ladder of success.
All you need to enjoy the thrilling variety of mushrooming IoT applications is a solid and reliable Internet connection. This is what we at Huge Connect do. So, whether you’re a big business breaking into brand new markets, or an SME looking for your edge – we can connect you.
