IoT (Internet of Things) is a system of associated devices connected to the Internet. This post will discuss the meaning of IoT, its Impact in various fields, Applications, Sensors for IoT, and its Advantages and Disadvantages.
What is IoT (Internet of Things)?
Until recently, connection to the internet was limited across devices like desktops, tablets, or smartphones. However, now with the Internet of Things, all appliances can be connected to the internet and monitored remotely.
IoT is a system of associated devices connected to the internet to transfer and receive data from one to the other. IoT is a giant network with connected devices. These devices gather and share data about how they are used and the environment in which they are operated, it’s all done using sensors. Mark Weiser, who is known as the father of IoT (ubiquitous computing) envisaged a smart and interconnected world in the year 1991.
Sensors are embedded in every physical device such as mobile phones, electrical appliances, Pecos, barcode sensors, traffic lights, and almost everything that we come across in our day-to-day life. IoT is framing the way we live in our everyday lives. It helps us to get a better perception of the working of things around us.
The best examples of IoT include smart homes, home appliances like ac, doorbells, thermostats, smoke detectors, water heaters, and security alarms. Link these things to share data with the user through a mobile application. The user can control the devices around him.
With the help of the Internet, people be in touch with their loved ones. Even non-living things also get the ability to sense the environment to interact and cooperate with each and every one.
Impact & Applications of IoT in Various Fields
Here, we will be learning how IoT has impacted various fields which we come across in our everyday lives, such as:
- Health Care
- Agriculture
- Transportation
- Smart Home
- Smart Cities
Health Care
Putting forward IoT into healthcare helps secure, healthier, and trouble-free patient care. The doctor and patient can interact instantly and there is timely assistance too.
One can take care of themselves by implanting smart sensors in medical devices so that doctors can also track patients’ health and spend less time on transportation. This would also quicken healthcare delivery along with diagnosing illness.
Agriculture
IoT in agriculture has emerged as the second wave of the Green Revolution. The Industrial IoT has been hidden agenda for progressive growth in agriculture production at affordable cost.
The remote crop monitoring system is IoT-based smart farming that improves the complete agricultural structure by monitoring the field at the same time. The utilization of smart technologies driven by IoT will expand agricultural management practices.
Transportation
IoT is now playing a crucial role in directing the world ahead on the roads, on rails, at sea, and on the air. Installation of IoT gadgets in the transportation industry marks travel more comfortable, well-organized, more systematic.
It also guides to locate parking spaces to park the vehicle. This is a drastic change in transportation, improved to give higher quality, comfortable driving experience for travel lovers associated with technology.
Smart Home
Smart Home is a home where the home appliances are connected to the Internet that is controlled by a remote monitoring system. All the appliances which are connected to the system can be monitored through a smartphone.
For example: In the morning when your alarm goes off, the IoT system can open the window blinds, turn on the coffee pot for you and even turn on the water heater, although all of these is astonishing, there’s a lot that goes on in the background to ensure uninterrupted functioning from effective communication between devices to accurate processing of the data received.
Smart Cities
In today’s world, cities are the node for economic growth. Smart City will promote a healthy and decent quality of life for its citizens while it promoting better infrastructures, and a clean and sustainable environment using smart technologies.
Some of the major sectors in Smart Cities where IoT technologies are implanted include Road traffic, smart parking, public transport, smart meter, and billing, smart street lighting, waste management, etc. This also keeps the environment clean and ensures public safety.
Advantages of the IoT (Internet of Things)
The advantages include:
- Minimize human efforts
- Saves time
- Saves money/ efficient resources utilization
- Improves the quality of life
- Better monitoring of devices
- Ability to access information from anywhere, at any time on any device
- Technology optimization
- Enhance data collection
- Reduced waste
Disadvantages of the IoT (Internet of Things)
The disadvantages are:
- Lack of security and the risk of losing privacy increases because of hackers.
- Complications in designing, developing, and maintaining it.
- Power failures or no Internet can cause a lot of inconveniences.
- Increasing unemployment.
- Technology takes control over life and we are dependent more on technology.
- Since there is no international standard of compatibility for IoT, it is difficult for devices from different manufacturers to communicate with each other.
Conclusion
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a leading path to the “Smart World” where the real and virtual worlds co-exist together. Moreover, the reality of “Ambient Intelligence” will come true when computers and smart devices will communicate with each other.
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