The Internet of Things: Exploring the Benefits of IoT

The Internet of Things, or IoT, is a term used to describe the collection of various "smart devices" that can connect to the internet and transfer data via a range of networks, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Globally, by 2030, the number of IoT devices is expected to nearly double from the 15.1 billion recorded in 2020 to over 29 billion. This statistic highlights the worldwide importance of the Internet of Things and the fact that people are clearly invested in the usage and benefits of IoT.

This guide will explore IoT in detail, answering the question, ‘What is the Internet of Things?’ and providing examples of its usage and its top benefits. 

In this guide, we’ll cover the following:

• What is the Internet of Things?
• What are the key examples of IoT?
• What are the benefits of IoT?

What is the Internet of Things?

We briefly touched on IoT in our guide on the 10 Network Engineering Industry Trends You Need to Know. Here, we'll dive a little deeper. IoT "smart devices" are used in everyday life and industrial use. These devices range from physical devices such as home appliances and security systems to vehicles, wearable technology, and other physical commodities that connect to networks and share and collect data. They’re known as "smart devices" due to their ability to connect with one another. 

The Internet of Things lends its technological benefits to various industries. For example, IoT devices control and manage machines in manufacturing to automate and optimise processes, productivity, and safety. They are also used in the transport industry to manage traffic more effectively while allowing vehicles to be equipped with communication tools such as Bluetooth connectivity. 

IoT devices are also used in the healthcare sector to track patient health and in agriculture, where they enhance crop production by monitoring farm conditions. In our next section, we'll provide more details about the examples of IoT.

Smart devices within the Internet of Things predominantly work automatically and can operate independently or with less human intervention. As the rate of interconnected smart devices continues to rise, IoT is here to play a vital part in shaping how the world lives, works and communicates. 

What are the key examples of IoT?

Whether you’re a business or a professional operating in the network industry or tech space, it’s important to understand how pivotal the Internet of Things is. From playing a significant part in our daily lives, perhaps without us realising, to supporting key sectors worldwide, here are the key examples of IoT.

Smart Home Devices

One of the top examples of IoT comes in the form of smart home devices. These devices use wireless network connections to perform a range of autonomous tasks to make our lives easier. These smart home devices include: 

• Home Security Systems: These systems can notify the user's smartphone when a person is at their door or a motion is detected. These devices allow people to monitor their homes remotely. An excellent example of this is the widely used Ring doorbell smart device.
• Smart Thermostats: These smart IoT devices can be programmed to automate the temperature within a home or office space. They can automatically adjust to preferred temperatures based on the person's or company's preferences. Smart thermostats can schedule temperatures throughout the day, based on when people are at or away from home or the office, saving costs on waste energy consumption. 

Wearable Technologies

Wearable smart devices continue to grow in popularity and demand worldwide and are another key example of IoT applications.  

• Smartwatches: IoT devices like Apple Watches and Fitbits are widely used and can connect to an individual's smartphone. They help people communicate with others, track their fitness goals, monitor their health, and provide GPS location tracking. These devices allow people to stay updated with their chosen health-related metrics and stay connected in real-time.

Autonomous Vehicles

In recent years, the world has continued to shift to more sustainable transportation methods, with enterprises like Tesla leading the pack. As a result, the introduction of electric self-driving cars and other connected vehicles is on the rise. These autonomous vehicles rely heavily on IoT.

• Bluetooth Connectivity: Modern vehicles, such as smart cars, use Bluetooth to connect with smart devices, including smartphones. They allow users to play media, communicate hands-free with others, and navigate their journeys through GPS.  
• Sensors and Cameras: Autonomous vehicles use sensors and cameras to collect and transmit data, map their surroundings, and respond to traffic conditions in real time. This innovative IoT technology is essential for modern and future navigation and safety in electric and self-driving vehicles.

Healthcare

Examples of IoT applications are widely used in the healthcare sector. IoT devices allow doctors and patients to access various types of real-time healthcare-related data. Below are common examples of IoT in healthcare:

• Remote Patient Monitoring: Devices like pacemakers can monitor vital metrics such as blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen levels. These smart devices allow healthcare professionals to track patients and detect potential health issues early without needing face-to-face appointments.
• Equipment Tracking and Management: IoT can also manage inventory, track medical equipment use, and ensure medication compliance. These smart devices and applications improve healthcare delivery efficiencies.

Manufacturing

Industrial use of IoT, or Industrial IoT (IIoT), involves utilising smart devices and applications to optimise production and processes in the manufacturing space. Examples of IoT in manufacturing include: 

• Machine Performance Monitoring: IoT sensors are programmed to track temperature and humidity, detect equipment faults, and enhance production conditions. These performance monitoring applications ensure product quality is maintained around the clock with reduced downtime.
• Supply Chain Management: IoT devices can manage supply chains and track stock and inventory to improve operational efficiencies and provide better customer service.

Transportation

As we alluded to in our previous section, the transportation sector also makes use of IoT to enhance vehicle performance and monitor logistics:

• Vehicle Performance Monitoring: IoT sensors can monitor fuel efficiency and vehicle health. These sensors significantly reduce fuel costs and improve vehicle maintenance.
• Shipment Tracking: From a logistical standpoint, IoT devices can monitor the location of shipments to ensure they reach their destination on time and in the conditions they were shipped.

Agriculture

In agriculture, IoT devices and applications can track the health and conditions of farming:

• Soil and Weather Monitoring: IoT sensors can measure soil moisture and weather conditions to ensure crops are in prime conditions to be irrigated at specific optimal times.
• Livestock Health Monitoring: IoT devices and applications can track the health and location of livestock. These smart devices can help farmers manage their livestock more efficiently.

Retail

IoT also supports the retail sector, bettering the customer experience through data insights into customer behaviour and precise inventory management:

• Customer Behavior Tracking: IoT sensors can deliver insights into customer engagements and how they interact with certain products. This data and insight help retailers create better store layouts, product placements and targeted marketing campaigns.
• Inventory Management: Smart IoT applications and devices can track and monitor stock levels and manage supply chains. IoT helps retailers by ensuring products are always in stock and available to customers.

These examples of IoT showcase how integral these devices and applications are to our daily lives and the working world. Clearly spanning many industries, the impact of the Internet of Things cannot be understated. Since we’ve covered the key examples of IoT, let’s move on to cover the top benefits of IoT.

What are the benefits of IoT?

There are many benefits of IoT that both companies seeking network engineering talent and candidates registering for the latest IoT jobs should know. These advantages of IoT include its global accessibility, scalability, and automation, as well as its ability to enhance operational processes, provide real-time insights, offer a better quality of life, and more. In this section, we’ll outline the top benefits of IoT.

• Worldwide Accessibility

Any individual or enterprise with access to networks and the internet can harness IoT devices and applications. The Internet of Things' global accessibility allows people and businesses to control their devices, transfer data, and communicate with others in real-time and remotely from anywhere in the world. This is immensely beneficial for conducting business with global clients and partners.

• Enhances Automation

Smart IoT devices are predominantly automated, requiring limited human interference. For example, an office may use IoT devices such as smart lights, which automatically turn off when scheduled to reduce energy waste and costs. This automation also helps optimise productivity, enabling companies to automate and control industrial production processes.

• Boosted Efficiencies

Another of the top benefits of IoT is its ability to boost efficiencies within a business. Along with the previously mentioned automation, IoT can collaborate with emerging artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) tools to complete routine and repetitive tasks while keeping downtimes to a minimum. 

IoT devices can also seamlessly collect, process, and interpret vast data sets accurately in real-time, reducing the need for human support. This doesn't mean network engineering jobs will become a thing of the past. Instead, IoT and professionals within the space will work collaboratively to boost efficiencies. While IoT devices and applications will speed up specific production processes, talent will be used to focus on more business-critical tasks that require human initiative.

• Reduced Operational Costs

Accompanying the boost in business efficiencies, the Internet of Things can also help reduce operational costs. Companies can allocate their resources more efficiently to keep operational costs down through task automation, reduced downtime, predictive analysis, and data-driven insights. 

Additionally, devices like smart lights and thermostats can reduce needless energy spending. These small cost savings add up in the long run, allowing money to be saved and spent on more essential business requirements, such as investing in the latest tools and technology or hiring essential permanent and contract workers.  

• Scalability

One of the top advantages of IoT for businesses is its enhanced scalability. IoT platforms such as cloud-based systems allow companies to increase or reduce the number of connected devices without the fear of overloading their networks or experiencing fluctuations within their IT infrastructure. 

• Enhanced Real-Time Data Analytics

As we've mentioned, IoT devices can gather and analyse vast amounts of data in real time. This benefit of IoT can offer valuable insights to support critical organisational decisions surrounding resource allocation, business ventures, and company growth. 

For example, real-time data insights can notify tech professionals of any forecasted or immediate faults within a production process, allowing them to be addressed in real time and before they cause significant issues that could result in financial or reputational damages.

• Better Customer Experiences 

IoT-driven data analysis can help a company provide better service to its customers by using insights such as customer and user behaviour to tailor strategic marketing efforts and sales techniques to meet the customer's needs. The real-time aspect of IoT can also notify customers if certain products are in or out of stock, minimising frustrations related to product demand. 

• Quality of Life

One of the top benefits of IoT is its support of the previously mentioned healthcare sector. IoT devices can give the global population a greater quality of life by integrating smart devices, such as health monitors, that provide real-time data, benefiting both individuals and healthcare workers. 

These devices can self-diagnose and identify health concerns remotely and without the need for in-person appointments. This saves time for the patient waiting to be seen by a professional and allows healthcare workers to intervene and support only when required.

Explore more advantages of IoT in our guide: How Internet of Things (IoT) solutions can power your brand.

Rounding up the benefits of IoT

The Internet of Things has revolutionised how we live, work, and interact by connecting various smart devices via networks like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. IoT applications have various uses, including smart home devices, wearable technology, autonomous vehicles, and numerous industries, such as healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, and retail. 

These IoT devices enhance automation, efficiency, and real-time data analytics while reducing operational costs and improving customer experiences. IoT's global accessibility and scalability offer significant benefits, providing real-time insights and better quality of life. As IoT continues to evolve, its impact on enhancing operational processes and daily living remains paramount.

If you found this guide useful, check out our guide: 5 IT Infrastructure Trends You Should Know for 2024.

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