What is the Internet of Things?

From connected machines and GPS trackers to autonomous vehicles, the Internet of Things has many faces. It is often not clear exactly what the IoT is – and what benefits it offers enterprises and society.
Supercharger: IoT in the Automobile Industry
In my view the automotive sector benefits most from the new opportunities that the IoT opens up. That is where the technology is most advanced. It enables us as providers and enterprises as users to achieve especially effective scaling. For automakers, transparent supply chains, more efficient transportation routes and predictive maintenance made possible by the IoT have long been a reality. Drivers and passengers benefit too. The automobile as a mobile 5G router delivers seamless connectivity, and the pace of improvements in sensor technology will make autonomous driving a reality in the short rather than in the long term. Generally speaking, I anticipate a great leap forward in consumer benefit from automotive IoT in terms of safety and comfort. In the connected car networked cameras will identify cyclists, red lights and construction sites. All passengers will enjoy perfect WiFi and control on-board functions by means of a voice assistant. The driver will know at an early stage where the nearest charging point is and how much a charge will cost. And if a repair is required the workshop will be delighted with all the IoT data that helps it to find a solution. That, by the way, is not the shape of things to come; the instruments are already available.
Know-Where: IoT in Transportation and Logistics
Are weather conditions causing airfreight delays? Is a vehicle or a driver not available after all? Are there new border closures due to coronavirus? Using IoT sensor data, logistics providers can track and trace their goods flows and find out how reliable their supply chain really is. And they can then react flexibly. Connected sensors enable goods to be tracked from afar to locate them or to monitor temperatures. Monitoring temperature is a benefit for shipments of foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals or other temperature-sensitive products in particular. The vaccine cold chain is a case in point. Sensors can not only sound the alarm if the cold chain is interrupted; they can also regulate the temperature directly. That leads to fewer losses and better sustainability in the supply chain and also has specific repercussions for, say, our Covid management.
Connections Along the Line: IoT in Manufacturing
Industry 4.0 has definitely been overused as a concept, but the idea behind it is still highly topical and the shapes that it takes are more exciting than ever. What lies behind it? Generally speaking, the digitization of industry – and that means new processes and communication channels, but above all new production technologies, including the IoT. Plant and machinery can monitor themselves in production facilities and initiate maintenance directly before outages occur. Sensors spot the slightest deviation in performance and share parameters such as excess pressure, voltage spikes or temperature fluctuations with other systems in the chain by means of machine-to-machine communication. If a fault is detected manufacturers can pull the machines in question out of the production line immediately for maintenance. Lower running costs, longer operating times and better utilization of capacity are the result. Industry 4.0 is digitally upgraded sustainability for an entire sector. So the concept will still be with us for a while.
Smartly Supplied: IoT in the Energy Industry
The energy industry’s strongly service-related processes also benefit from connected solutions. For smart grids state-owned utilities use IoT applications to identify supply outages at an early stage. Or to react to changes brought about by an energy mix that includes more and more wind and solar power and private feed-ins. Consumption and production data enable utilities to assess demand more exactly and calculate outages better. And smart electricity meters no longer need to be read manually.
Cashing Up Connectedly: IoT in Retail
Retail enjoys many IoT advantages from which logistics also benefits. Weight sensors and RFID-tagged goods draw attention to empty shelves and thereby provide an automatic inventory overview. Smart climate control makes supply and cold chains more stable and autonomous. Beacons direct attention to individualized offers and help to analyze and improve how customers walk around the store. In retail too IoT means more overview, more sustainability and more customer satisfaction.
Healthy and Smart: IoT in Healthcare
Wheelchairs, walking frames and ventilators all demonstrate that medical devices and nursing care aids are expensive. Equipped with IoT sensors they help doctors and nurses to maintain an inventory overview and to locate available equipment faster. That makes asset management much easier for hospitals too. But the most significant influence of the Internet of Healthcare Things (IoHT) will as I see it be beyond hospitals – in remote health monitoring. That means healthcare at home, but from afar. Technology can help patients to recover in their accustomed surroundings while easing the burden on bed management at hospitals and in care. Wearables such as pulse monitors provide security and enable insurers and patients to agree on customized tariffs. Meanwhile, in hospitals and thinking further ahead, the IoHT will connect telemedicine and robotics.