Different sectors worldwide are growing daily, but what is helping them with the growth? It’s the technological advancement. Almost every person is dependent on the Internet, as it is helping sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and more. It states that people rely on the Internet for many tasks. But how is the internet helping these mentioned sectors? The answer is through the “Internet of Things.” One popular example is smart homes, such as home appliances, AC, security alarms, and more. IoT is everywhere, from kitchen appliances to home security. According to Simplilearn reports, there will be over 80 billion Internet of Things devices by 2025.
So, let’s check out the Internet of Things and its importance in our day-to-day life.
What is the Internet of Things?
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the connection of the internet to physical objects or things without human input. It allows to collect, analyse, and share data by following a set of internet protocols that give commands to the sensors and software to work. Furthermore, earlier internet usage was limited to computers, laptops, and smartphones, but now you can connect to other objects. IoT works on computer chips and network connectivity, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.
IoT has many benefits, such as reducing costs, improving safety, increasing productivity, reducing human errors, and accurate analysis. Many popular examples of IoT are smart devices, fitness-tracking watches, self-driving cars, smart thermostats, and home security systems.
IoT is important for many reasons; after the implementation of home safety devices, now you can have control of automated lighting, temperature, security systems, and more. In case of fire, you will get immediate alerts on your smartphone or the device you are connected to. It also allows you to control by opening vents, turning off the gas, switching on/off lights, and more. Similarly, with the help of a fitness tracker, you can track your health. Moreover, you can also use a voice assistant to play the music, etc. It made people’s lives easier with daily tasks.
How Does IoT Work?
The Internet of Things devices work by collecting the data from the devices and transmitting it through an IoT gateway for analysis. Here comes the most interesting part. The IoT functions are dependent on the three major elements: sensors or devices, connectivity, and data analysis.
Sensors or devices: They collect data from the environment, such as light, temperature, and more. After data collection, it’s time to pass it to the connected network.
Network: With the help of the network (wire or wireless), these devices are connected to the internet. The connected network can be Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Cellular, LoRaWAN, Sigfox, MQTT, and more. Now, it shares the collected data through the IoT gateways.
Data Analysis: The IoT gateways process, analyse, and transfer only relevant data collected from the sensors to the cloud. Now, the cloud integrates data through software that provides insight to the users through the applications.
Applications of IoT in Different Industries
Here are some of the most popular applications of IoT in different industries, such as:
1. Healthcare
2. Agriculture
3. Home automation
4. Urban consumption systems
5. Smart buildings and cities
6. Health care monitoring
7. Wearable devices
8. Energy management
9. Retail
10. Construction
1. IoT in Healthcare
IoT plays an important role in healthcare by providing the Internet of Things devices to professionals for monitoring patients proactively. In the last few years, the IoT helped the healthcare department and eased the treatment. Major IoT devices that are helping this department are:
- Remote Patient Monitoring
Remote patient monitoring is beneficial for both professionals and patients. It reduces the requirement for assistance or in-person visits. Furthermore, with the help of IoT sensors, the patient can monitor their vitals using smartwatches. The professionals can track patient’s health by analysing real-time data.
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are a modern way to collect up-to-date and accurate patient data. It is not only time-efficient but also provides error-free records. Moreover, it improves patient care, reduces medication errors, is cost-effective, and more.
2. IoT in Agriculture
IoT is helping by allowing farmers to automate their farming practices. It also helps in increasing production, which is economically beneficial. Let’s check out the important IoT sensors and devices used in agriculture.
- Livestock Monitoring
With the help of devices, the farmer can monitor the health and movement of the livestock. In addition to health, it reduces the chances of illness or injury. The farmers can track the type of grains or grass the animal eats. IoT also helps in early disease detection, which can save the animal’s life.
- Smart Farming
Smart farming is helpful for farmers as it increases productivity. It allows the farmers to understand the requirements of their crops and manage them in real-time. Furthermore, with the help of IoT sensors, the farmers can check the soil’s temperature, moisture, and nutrient levels.
3. IoT in Home automation
IoT plays an important role in home automation, where you can control the IoT devices and sensors from anywhere with the help of the application. It allows you to manage the lighting, temperature, and other aspects.
- Smoke/gas detectors
Smoke/gas detectors are important for fire safety, preventing property damage, and more. It allows you to track the detectors with connected devices. It works on optical detection, which detects the smoke. The smoke/gas detectors detect the presence of harmful gases, such as CO and LPG. Moreover, the detection can save lives by raising alerts.
- Smart Lighting
Smart lighting is helpful as it saves energy as well as money. Imagine, you left home without turning off the lights. So, in such a situation, you can turn it off through the connected devices. Besides turning on and off, it also allows you to dim the light when required.
The Last Line
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of objects that work with sensors and software. The sensors collect data and pass it to the networks, and then the network analyses and sends the relevant data to the cloud. Now, the cloud collectively sends the information to the user on the application. Furthermore, IoT plays an important role in different sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, home automation, urban consumption systems, and more.
Frequently Ask Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the purpose of the Internet of Things?
Ans: The main purpose of the Internet of Things is to connect and share data with other devices with the help of the Internet.
2. What are the 7 characteristics of IoT?
Ans: The seven characteristics of IoT are intelligence, identity, connectivity, dynamic nature, architecture, enormous scale, sensing, and heterogeneity.
3. What are the 4 types of IoT?
Ans: The 4 types of IoT are Consumer IoT, Commercial IoT, Industrial IoT (IIoT), and Infrastructure IoT.
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