The Internet of Things (IoT) is a technological revolution that represents the future of technology and communication, and its development depends on innovation in important fields such as wireless sensors and nanotechnology.

The term has been debated at many conferences and technology fairs in recent years. It arose from the need to connect the physical world to the virtual world through the web, in order to simplify and organise everyday tasks, from the use of household appliances to other equipment around the world, all connected to one another. IoT is therefore the connection between all the machines and devices that seek to make life better for people and businesses.

According to a survey carried out by Tech Pro Research, around 67% of companies worldwide are currently using IoT devices or plan to do so soon.

IoT enables communication between devices, usually referred to as Machine-to-Machine (M2M). As a result, physical devices will be able to communicate with people and report their location or any fault that may arise. By integrating wireless internet connectivity and M2M, the technology can provide companies with important data, such as how and why the technology is being used.

The Internet of Things will also drive the use of "Platform as a Service" (PaaS). According to Gartner, it is estimated that by 2020 more than 50% of new applications developed on PaaS will be centred on the Internet of Things, which will disrupt conventional practices.

The Internet of Things requires companies to become ever more technology-oriented, incorporating devices into all their processes and turning existing technology into smart technology.

IoT means that the ordinary objects we use every day increasingly meet our needs, even needs we have not yet identified. There is already a fridge that issues an alert when food is approaching its use-by date.

In business terms, IoT is useful for stock control, transport and location, security, energy saving and more. Collecting user consumption data will allow companies to adapt production and product development to the demands of the market and consumers.

The Internet of Things in the Factories of the Future

With the Internet of Things, logistics will reach higher levels of operational efficiency, as this technology connects all transported orders in real time. In freight transport, monitoring and tracking these orders becomes faster, more accurate and more secure.

Significant changes will also take place in production. Changes in the supply chain and on the factory floor will increase the efficiency of industrial plants.

IoT makes it possible to interconnect suppliers, production lines, inventories, logistics, accounts payable and receivable and maintenance services. In addition, on the factory floor you will be able to connect machines with more intuitive interfaces that make them easier to programme, allowing the production process to be controlled remotely.

Main Advantages of IoT

 
✔ Accurate information: Whereas GPS used to be used to track every movement of freight lorries, this tracking is now done by fitting a monitoring sensor that tracks both their location and other factors (speed, fleets).

 
✔ Real-time data: The real-time data provided by this application makes it possible to analyse consumer behaviour and preferences, which can be used to analyse customer feedback quickly and efficiently.

 
✔ Cost reduction: Since all devices are interconnected with IoT, if a particular product fails, the sales department can alert the production department and suggest changes.

 
✔ Greater efficiency: With IoT, companies can monitor equipment, procedures and employees in real time. This allows them to reduce losses, increase productivity and safety, and safeguard the product life cycle.

Written by:
Openlimits

Tell us what you think