Industry 4.0 has always been a topic of concern. Among them, the Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the important cores connecting the entire system, and it has a wide range of applications. It has related applications from cities to home life. Many people may think that the IoT is related to themselves. It is very far away, but in fact, there are many applications of the IoT in life, but most people may not realize it because they do not understand it, so this article will share what the IoT is and its application in life.
What is the Internet of Things, IoT?
The Internet of things (IoT) is an interconnected system of computing devices, machinery, and digital machines that digitize the real world. Simply put, it is to let items go online, and through the Internet, you can read or transmit information. In fact, the IoT has existed for a long time. The original implementation was in the 1980s. A Coke vending machine that can connect to the Internet and can check the number of Coke in the vending machine. With the evolution of technology, such technology has developed into smaller, a stronger processor, which can be used in transportation logistics, industrial manufacturing, health care, personal or social fields, etc.
In its broadest sense, the IoT includes any “object” or "thing" that can be connected to the Internet, from factory equipment and cars to mobile devices and smart watches. Today’s IoT, however, refers more specifically to interconnected devices that combine sensors, software, and other technologies to transmit and receive data from other devices. Traditionally, connectivity has been largely achieved by Wi-Fi, but now 5G and other types of networking platforms have gradually provided the speed and reliability to handle large data sets. Of course, the point of collecting data is not just to have it, but to use it. After IoT devices collect and transmit data, the ultimate goal is to analyze the data and develop an informed strategy for action, which is what AI technology excels at: enhancing IoT networks with the power of advanced analytics and machine learning.
How the IoT Works
A complete IoT system combines three elements, including sensors, the Internet, and data processing. Data is collected through sensors and connected to the network via wifi, bluetooth, or ethernet, thereby connecting the The data is transmitted to the cloud, and after entering the cloud, it will be processed by software, and finally the information will be transmitted to the user, and even combined with artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning, the collected data can be deeply analyzed. There are also many devices today that can concatenate data with each other, and can determine better actions based on each other's data.
Pros and Cons of IoT
Regardless of the technology, there will be advantages and disadvantages. What matters is the starting point and how to use the technology. The IoT can mainly help automate work, improve work efficiency, reduce equipment and setup costs, and assist in collecting data to save time and money. In fact, IoT devices are not easy to manage, and may not be able to communicate with each other because of different manufacturers. As more data is collected, the consideration of information security will become the most important part.
IoT Applications
The IoT has already affected people's lives, including cars, homes, health, and remote monitoring. Many home appliances can be controlled through mobile phones and voice. Many applications allow users to improve their quality of life, and even enable the elderly and the disabled to live more convenient.
• Smart Manufacturing, Industry 4.0: The IoT used in industry is called the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), which connects sensors, meters, equipment and computers into a system through the network, and collects data and analyzes them. This increases productivity and efficiency and achieves a high degree of automation.
• Smart City: The IoT can solve problems in cities through technology and data, thereby improving the quality of life. Taking Taichung as an example, Taichung has set up 500 "air monitors" in air pollution hotspots to improve the problem of air pollution. The source of pollution can be found through data, and there are also parking apps in traffic, helping the public to quickly find parking spaces.
• Retail: The retail industry is an industry that requires interaction with consumers. From checkout, shelves, customized marketing, sensor devices, etc., the retail operation process optimizes customer experience, improves in-store operations and supply through the application of the Internet of Things The efficiency of chain operation research can even bring new experience storefronts to provide higher value and service experience.
• Smart Home: Smart home is mainly residential. It integrates building, network, home appliances and equipment automation through technology, which can ensure home safety, improve life quality, reduce living costs, home care and immersive entertainment. According to different Family lifestyle, such as planning for the elderly or children, to create a safe, comfortable and environmentally friendly living environment.
• Smart Transportation: Combining technologies such as sensing, information, electronics, control, and management to record the traffic information of people, vehicles, and roads in the transportation system, and then process and analyze it on the platform, it can communicate, connect in real time, and strengthen and improve each interaction; improve the quality of transportation services, but also improve the safety and efficiency of the transportation system.
• The Rise of IoT Technology allows items to be connected together to feel, think or communicate. The rapid development has an impact on many industries. For example, logistics can save a lot of human resources through unmanned vehicles. Work that used to require labor It can already be replaced by computers, and even more efficient. If you can grasp this trend and make good use of the original advantages, companies can take this opportunity to grow and even dominate the market.
How Will IoT Technology Evolve?
In 2019, IoT devices generated about 18 ZB of data, and by 2025, IDC expects that number to more than triple to 73 ZB, or 73 terabytes. Although we can't measure digital data in physical units, to put it another way, if all this data were converted to 1990s disks and tiled together, they could go back and forth from the earth to the moon more than 5,000 times. In order to develop the IoT, it is necessary to condense a specific combination of technologies and advance them simultaneously.
• Connectivity: This surge in IoT data volume requires strong enough network and cloud connectivity to transmit and receive data. Many IoT devices today rely on local Wi-Fi networks to transmit complex and large amounts of data, but 5G and other cellular networks continue to evolve, McKinsey outlined in a recent article the possible impact of mobile networks, and how to help IoT devices disconnect from Wi-Fi networks.
• Sensing Technology: As the demand for IoT sensor innovation steadily grows, the market is shifting from a few high-priced niche suppliers to a highly globalized and price-competitive sensor manufacturing industry. The average price of IoT sensors has dropped by more than 70% since 2004, and as demand has skyrocketed, so has the functionality and variety of these products.
• Computing Power: The amount of data created in the next three years will exceed the amount created in the past 30 years. To harness this data, modern businesses require ever-increasing amounts of memory and processing power, and the fast-paced and competitive race to achieve this has driven the growth of IoT's usefulness and applicability.
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: These technologies not only allow businesses to manage and process vast amounts of IoT data, but also analyze and learn from it. Big data is the best nutrient for AI and machine learning. The larger and more diverse the data set, the more reliable insights and information can be provided by advanced AI-based analytics. The rise of IoT devices has given a huge boost to the development of artificial intelligence and the amount of data used and provided.
• Cloud Computing: Just as connectivity is an integral part of IoT development, the rise of cloud computing is also closely related to this trend. With on-demand processing power and massive storage space, IoT devices are also beginning to adopt cloud IoT services to collect and transmit increasingly large and complex data sets; with private cloud solutions, enterprises can manage larger volumes and types IoT data, while maintaining the security of closed systems.
• Edge Computing: Devices within an IoT network are typically distributed in various geographic locations, but all transmit data to a single central system. With the growing volume of IoT data, IoT is starting to drain companies' bandwidth and cloud capacity. In addition, significant time is required to capture, transmit, process and receive data at its final destination, and this delay can further reduce efficiency, especially for businesses that are highly time-sensitive to data processing. Edge computing solutions share the processing pressure of the system by being close to the source of the data by integrating localized computing systems and enabling IoT devices to have the processing power themselves. Data processed by the device is immediately acted upon on-site and periodically transmitted to a central system in a more structured and organized format for advanced analysis and processing.
