What are The Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial Applications?

IoT refers to the way objects like smartphones, smartwatches etc. collect and share their collected data with each other. The term was first brought up by Kevin Ashton in 1991. It is the method of how objects interact with each other. Any system that can send or receive data or any kind of information, without human help is referred to Internet of Things or IoT shortened. 

For example, a smartwatch counts the steps you take or your heartbeat. What this watch does is send the data it collected from your body, into your smartphone. Nonetheless, your phone makes the necessary calculations and tells you to take more steps for your health or gives you information about your heartbeat rate being over normal etc. The process between the phone and the watch is what we can entitle as IoT.

Continuing with Industrial Applications, it is a term that is used in machinery sectors and refers to the solutions and technologies that are used to benefit more from the machines. These solutions are often used to reduce the cost of production by optimizing the way they are done. There are some ways such as Energy Management, Health and Safety, Smart Manufacturing etc.

What Benefits Internet of Things Offer?

Companies working with the Internet of Things can benefit from a lot of opportunities such as saving time, levelling up their customer’s experience, earning much more money, and monitoring the general process of their work.

IoT helps companies and manufacturers arrange their work process by analyzing it extremely accurately. For example, let’s say there is a machine that produces something in 5 minutes using %100 of its power, if there is a way in which the machine would use much less power in slightly more time it would result in a reduction in electricity consumption, the machine would offer it to the humans with no doubt.

The maintenance of machines is also calculated by themselves to prevent unexpected errors which would damage the company. They use real-time data to analyze when and how their parts will need to be changed or maintained. There is a great example of this in our daily lives, our phones, they show us their battery lifetimes which gives us a fillip to change the battery.

How Does The Internet of Things Work?

An IoT system that has no missing ingredients has 4 components: Sensors, Devices, Networks and Data Processors. First things first, sensors or devices collect data from their environment, this process could be as easy as monitoring how many parts are produced a minute or as hard as recording, analyzing making the correct calculations at the same time.

They use sensors because different kinds of sensors can be used in the same device with no problem. Just like your phone, there is more than one kind of sensor in it such as a gravitational sensor, a focus sensor, an accelerometer, and such. In this first step, data is collected and nothing much is done.

Secondly, in The Network, all the data are sent to the cloud data storage unit, but it needs to use one of the few ways to reach there. Sensors or other devices can connect to the network easily by using various kinds of connection techniques such as Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity, or Local Area Networks.

IoT Devices will automatically choose the best way possible because there are differences amongst all three options, the differences vary from power usage to bandwidth balance. However, In the end, they all do the same work, sending the data to the cloud storage unit.

After that, Data Processing, the data is processed by the processors in this step, the process may be something like calculating the required power consumption or the materials that will be used at the end of the process.

Finally, after the data is collected, sent, and processed, the most useful outcome is shown to the user. It may be sent as an e-mail or a notice on their phone. For example, when there is more than enough pressure in a pressure chamber it could result in an explosion. Another example might be the security cameras, Individuals might want to check their cameras through their phone while sitting on their couch in their home. This is also an example of manual action in IoT.

Some other actions are done automatically such as adjusting power levels, adjusting time management in the most useful way or else. The best option in other terms, the useful option is chosen by the IoT system automatically.

Where Internet of Things Used in Daily Life?

Even though we might not be noticed of it, IoT is everywhere in our everyday lives. Smart home security systems are a great way to give an example of this. Let’s say that if there is a fire going on in your home, heat detection systems would immediately notice it and send a notification to your phone or even call the fire department themselves, sending the location of your house and calling the appropriate persons there.

The kitchen is another part of the house where IoT systems are used. Smart refrigerators are evolving day by day, they can connect to the Wi-Fi, talk to you, and adjust their heat quantity upon the warmth of the setting. You can also control them through your smartphone.

Robotic vacuum cleaners are another great example, they can connect to Wi-Fi and even though you are not home, you can control it through your phone, turn its camera on and watch your pet as if it’s safe, vacuum the house with the use of it and so on. Ones interested in fitness can download the fitness applications to their phones and with the help of IoT between their phone and smartwatch, they can make great. use of it.

Nowadays, electric cars are a hot topic, they can use their sensors to detect lane lines and other cars or objects and drive the car themselves, the sensors send the data of the objects (cars, animals, anything on the road) to the processors which process it and successfully take action to drive the car automatically. One can even sleep while his or her car is driven safely by the automation system integrated with the car which gets the help of the Internet of Things’ extremely useful services.

See you in the next post,

Anil UZUN