IoT solutions are increasingly making their way into everyday life - especially in companies! But what is actually behind the three letters and what impact is it already having on different industries? We answer these questions in the following article.
The term IoT is the abbreviation for Internet of Things. In principle, it describes devices that are connected via a network using software, sensors or other technologies. Communication usually takes place via a cloud. The data arrives in this cloud, whereupon software processes it and determines the next step. As a rule, a human eye no longer needs to look at these processes. In other words, the networked devices communicate and interact with each other independently.
The four elements of IoT solutions:
IoT solutions quickly become the attentive eyes and ears of a company. After all, employees cannot monitor all processes without interruption.
The term was first coinedby Kevin Astonin 1999. At his "Internet of Things" presentation, he presented an idea for tracking supply chains with a small radio chip in the future. However, the technical development began back in the 1970s. A time when companies were using "pervasive computing" to research how to connect different devices with each other.
In principle, all technical devices that can communicate independently via the Internet are considered IoT devices. This includes, for example
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There are already numerous applications for IoT solutions in various industries. Companies that use sensors to automate their business processes in particular benefit from this technology. Below we present a few industries and the corresponding IoT application examples.
Numerous Transport and logistics systems on a variety of IoT applications. For example, IoT sensor data can be used to automatically determine driving routes depending on weather conditions, vehicle availability or driver availability. The intelligent IoT solutions also take care of stock control. This allows you to track not only the shipment status, for example, but even the temperature regulation in the means of transport.
A point that is particularly important in the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. These goods are often considered temperature-sensitive stocks, and an incorrect temperature could render the goods unusable. IoT solutions constantly monitor temperatures and issue alerts if the level rises or falls.
IoT solutions in Fleet management go far beyond simple vehicle tracking. The use of GPS trackers and sensors brings companies multiple advantages, such as:
These features help companies reduce operating costs. They also allow the automatic generation of digital logbooks to meet legal requirements.
One of the greatest benefits, however, is the insight into driving behaviour. The sensors analyse how a vehicle is driven and detect risky manoeuvres such as speeding or sudden braking. In such cases, companies could impose a driver safety training course. This not only reduces accident risk and increases road safety, but also lowers CO₂ emissions.
In production, IoT solutions already give many companies a competitive edge. The sensors can effectively monitor operations and production processes, and notify technicians in advance of required maintenance or faults. If the sensor detects a defect, it can independently stop production via the affected system. This helps companies reduce machine downtime and lower operating costs. Such IoT-based applications are particularly common in the automotive industry.
IoT turns classic product sales into a digital service, a process that can be used as a Servitization is designated. Companies no longer just offer their customers a physical product, but link it with digital services based on real-time data. For example, instead of selling a machine, a machine manufacturer can offer a usage-based service in which the machine is monitored, maintained and billed according to usage. Customers benefit from higher availability, better maintenance planning and predictable costs, while suppliers can build long-term customer loyalty and develop new business models. IoT is the key to data-based services and a new value proposition in the after-sales sector.
n the automotive industry, IoT is changing entire business areas, not just in production, but across the entire vehicle life cycle. Intelligent sensor technology enables predictive maintenance (Predictive maintenance), vehicle data can be analysed and used in real time, for example to optimise driving behaviour, consumption or service intervals. In addition, new mobility concepts are becoming possible: from connected cars and shared mobility to autonomous vehicles. Manufacturers, suppliers and mobility service providers gain new insights into the use of their vehicles and can develop targeted data-based services.
In industry, the term IIoT solution is often used instead of IoT solution. IIoT is the abbreviation for "Industrial Internet of Things" and describes the use of IoT solutions in industrial applications
IoT solutions make an important contribution to the smart city and therefore to the expansion of the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. By networking the devices, companies can efficiently monitor and control their charging stations. This allows potential problems such as breakdowns or maintenance-related interruptions to be recognised or rectified at an early stage. This is a very important point, as the German government has set the goal of putting more and more electric vehicles on German roads in the future.
Companies can also use integrated energy and load management to optimally regulate the power consumption of the charging station. This allows charging priorities to be optimally managed and unnecessary overloading of the grid to be avoided. The scalability of IoT solutions is particularly important for companies! They can set up or expand their infrastructure individually, whether for the workplace, the site or fast charging stations on the move.
Energy costs have long been a problem for companies! Some are therefore already monitoring their electricity, gas and water consumption using various IoT solutions. Retrofit sensors are used to ensure efficiency and keep consumption as low as possible. They measure the energy flows in the building in real time. As soon as a value is conspicuous, it reports this to the system. The root cause analysis can then begin there. However, this integration of an IoT solution is only part of the Smart Buildings They also support companies in other areas, such as:
Smart Cleaning
Room comfort control
Building maintenance and servicing
Building automation
Determination of operating costs
IoT solutions can therefore already be found in numerous industries, where they fulfil a wide variety of tasks. In view of the ever-increasing networking, the field of application of such solutions is (probably) continuing to grow.
The right IoT connectivity coordinates IoT connections across platforms, integrates devices and data via API, and enables global control with the highest security standards. You can manage your IoT projects flexibly, efficiently, and independently of manufacturers.
Back in 2016, Anna worked on IoT topics at Deutsche Telekom for the first time. Since then, she has been supporting customer best practices in a wide range of industries – always focusing on the benefits that the Internet of Things can provide. Her IoT blogposts describe real use cases and the value these innovations add to market players, their business models, and even entire industries.
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