The Internet of Things craze has engulfed the entire world. The vast amount and diverse data collated by IoT entities helped businesses gain striking insights and made things easier for the public.
Numerous IoT applications have gained significant prominence through the years. The continual development of electronic & software engineering, cloud, edge & fog computing, and data science have been accelerators. Today, there are a host of IoT applications making the waves in 2022.
But, before we look at them, here’s a quick rundown of IoT for those uninitiated.
What Is IoT?
Internet of Things defines a network of physical objects or things that interconnect wirelessly. These physical objects are generally smart devices such as smartphones, tags, intelligent sensors, etc. These devices gather a wide variety of data and enable exchange across devices & systems over wireless networks.
An article by Oracle puts the number of IoT-connected devices at about 7 billion in 2022, which is expected to grow to 22 billion by 2025.
The prominence of IoT stems from its low-cost computing and cloud, mobile, and analytics capabilities. Devices and systems enjoy seamless connectivity with minimal human intervention., thereby enabling better monitoring, interaction and exchange.
Simply put, IoT connects the physical and the digital world and enables improved collaboration.
Now, let’s look at ten of the most exciting applications of IoT in 2022 that are set to transform the future.
10 Top Real-World IoT Applications in 2022
1. Smart City
The idea of a smart city is a prevalent concept in IoT. This application concept uses innovative technology to improve urban infrastructure. All Digital systems across a smart city are interconnected, allowing for fast & effective information exchange. Smart cities are expected to boost economic growth, improve civic sense, and aid in better environmental sustainability.
Automating administrative and other essential activities through widespread automation of services becomes possible thanks to IoT. From healthcare, water, and waste management to energy, law & order, traffic management, etc., smart cities use IoT to bring everything under a single roof.
2. Smart Home
Smart homes are kind of like condensed versions of smart cities. IoT allows homeowners to track & control home appliances, security systems, power supply, lighting, security systems, computers & laptops, television & music systems; literally, every electronic system a home can have.
IoT allows homeowners to manage all their different household items from a single point of control.
3. Upgrading Supply Chain Management
Supply Chain Management is crucial for businesses of all types & sizes. Internet of Things can streamline supply chain management, from raw material procurement to customer services.
IoT connects supply sources & vendors, inventories, transportation fleets, scheduling & data storage systems, allowing companies to manage & monitor all SCM stages.
The Covid-19 lockdown disrupted supply chains across the globe and in every economic sector. But, as things trickled to normalcy, IoT has become key to survival & sustainability.
IoT brought together all the different layers of supply chain management. For example, shipping companies started using tracking devices to keep a close eye on all the different global assets and determine the most fuel-efficient and fastest routes.
IoT systems helped managers determine the best ways to overhaul the supply chain & improve the supply chain. In addition, businesses save money and resources by activating intelligent routing systems in IoT tracking systems.
Real-time and remote management of transportation fleets becomes possible thanks to IoT. This benefits both business owners & customers, as prices and costs get reduced substantially.
Any delay or disruption can also be effectively and instantaneously monitored, and the necessary personnel notified.
IoT in fleet and supply chain management provides end-to-end connectivity, bringing vehicles & managers unimaginably closer. Reporting, notifications, and monitoring become lucid. As a result, companies can continually closely monitor vehicle location, activity, condition, and even pollution emissions.
4. Self-Driving Vehicles
Driverless cars are the next big thing. They are no longer a t thing of the future but can be found plying across our nearest roads & highways.
IoT is a critical aspect of all self-driving cars. Sensors are why driverless cars can operate without direct human intervention. All the different sensors in these cars, from the ones that monitor the road to the ones that track proximity, speed, car performance, etc., must work in tandem, and it is IoT makes such interactivity possible. The central processing unit in driverless cars collates information from different sensors and then takes control measures. Get more help on Information technology Assignment Help to get to know more and enhance academic career in IT.
IoT and AI/automation are integral to every class of self-driving vehicles.
5. Smart Power Grids
The idea of a smart grid is another astounding applicational concept in the Internet of Things. IoT seamlessly connects all the different components of a power grid, transforming a generic grid into a smart one. The most significant benefit of an effective smart grid is, without a doubt, much more effective power management.
Utility and power supply companies can use IoT to detect faults, consumption, load distribution, and other vital metrics. As a result, fault detection and repairs become more manageable in a smart grid.
Smart grids can interconnect assets at every level, from giant transformers & load controllers in sub-station to household meters. As a result, IoT makes everything possible, and utility companies can exert better control over the power infrastructure and resources. Most importantly, smart grids save more energy and provide consumers with better energy quality without disruptions.
6. Smart Farming
Agriculture, too, is reaping substantial benefits with the implementation of IoT. Farmers are now using intelligent IoT applications to optimise all the different kinds of activities. For example, smart farming can automate irrigation, track instruments & machinery, determine the right time to harvest, monitor weather, create soil & fertiliser profiles, and sense soil nutrients & moisture levels.
IoT technologies are used extensively by countries such as China & the USA. According to a BI intelligence report, the market for IoT-enabled agricultural devices is expected to reach 75 million by 2022.
Examples of agricultural IoT devices include Smart Elements, AllMETOE, and Pynco. These devices can predict weather conditions and different kinds of environmental data. Fast revolutionising the agriculture industry, these devices are slowly enhancing agricultural production.
7. Retail
IoT applications are also finding widespread applications in the world of retail. Devices embedded with sensors and interconnected via the Internet help companies manage inventory, track sales, improve customer experience, optimise the supply chain, and substantially reduce operational costs.
Smart shelves and tags are probably the most well-known retail IoT examples. These devices and systems can collect RFID-based information and transfer data to central platforms. In addition, automatic monitoring and alerts help administrators keep a close eye on stocks & inventories. Finally, RFID beacons can push targeted offers and promotions to customers, providing an engaging experience.
The Internet of Things is revolutionising the retail industry in a whole lot of different ways, including:
- Automated Checkout
- Personalized Discounts
- Location Beacons
- Smarty Shelves with RFID tags and weight sensors
- Robotic Employees
- Supply Chain Optimization and more
8. The Internet of Medical Things
IoT acts as the bridge between different medical instruments, information nodes, and central information systems. Also called the Internet of Medical Things, this connected infrastructure of medical devices, software applications, and information systems lies at the heart of MedTech.
Many sensor-based tools such as wearables, fitness trackers, and stand-alone devices are now used for remote patient monitoring. All these tools are connected to healthcare IT systems via both public & private networks. IoT enables total cloud support with data being stored & processes securely at multiple remote locations. Simultaneously, IoMT allows real-time monitoring, telemedicine, and even remote patient diagnosis.
From sending patient information to caregivers and collating systematically to analytics, automated alerts, and inventory management, IoMT is making healthcare more agile and accessible.
9. Elevating Hospitality
The recent Covid-19 pandemic brought the hospitality industry to its knees. The Internet of Things helped it get back up.
Automation via the Internet of Things helped offset the costs of hiring new employees. But, at the same time, businesses could maintain social distancing norms, and interactions were kept to a minimum.
Sensor-embedded electronic keys informed management of guest location. In addition, smartphone apps enabled them to attend room service and housekeeping quickly.\
IoT also allows remote control of utilities such as lighting, water, heater, etc.
IoT has enormous potential applications in the tourism and hospitality industry. Many major hotel chains have integrated IoT at multiple levels, substantially enhancing operations, customer performance, and profitability.
10. The Advent of Smart Factories
IoT is revolutionising the manufacturing and production sectors as well.
By 2016, manufacturing sectors had already invested more than $178 billion in IoT. Experts conclude that such investments and subsequent implementations are paving the way toward another Industrial Revolution.
Digital transformation using IoT is ushering in significant changes such as:
- Automation,
- Better Time & Resource Management,
- Improved Quality Control,
- Inventory Management,
- Real-time Analytics,
- Better Safety In Operations,
- Predictive Maintenance,
- Smart Operations,
IoT development solutions in the industrial sector are rapidly changing the very landscape of the domain. Interconnected processes, devices, and systems have made things much more streamlined, efficient, and cost-effective.
With IoT, it is all about interconnecting people and systems seamlessly. Automation, improved monitoring & management, collating information for better analysis, easy tracking, timely interventions, etc.—the benefits of the above ten IoT applications are numerous and immensely significant.
No wonder the IoT market is expected to reach $1.5 billion by the end of 2022.
And that wraps up this write-up. Hope it was informative and enlightening for all readers alike!
Author-Bio: Patrick Bate is an app developer from a leading software firm in West Ham, the UK. A tech enthusiast and competitive coder, he is also a part-time tutor and provides linux assignment help to students.
Read more: Tecno spark 7 price in Pakistan
