“The Internet of Things (IoT) describes physical objects embedded with sensors and actuators that communicate with computing systems via wired or wireless networks—allowing the physical world to be digitally monitored or even controlled.” –Mckinsey & Company
IoT solutions are found in smart buildings, warehouses, traffic systems, and just about anywhere. When your Ring doorbell senses a person standing in front of your door and sends an alert to your smartphone, that connection is made possible because of the IoT. An IoT system has these components:
1. Sensors/ Devices: Sensors collect data from the environment, including motion, pressure, and acceleration. (ie. the Ring Camera with motion sensors)
2. Connectivity: Sensors collect data and transmit it to the cloud via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or other connections. (ie. video footage and image recognition data)
3. Data Processing: Software or apps are developed to process that data and take action as needed. (ie. The software recognizes a face and sends a alert to your phone that someone is at the door)
4. User Interface: In some cases, users must be able to interact with sensors/ devices, required an interface in the form of an app, buttons, or other interaction. (ie. Doorbell owners can access the app to pull footage)
Use these resources to understand and explore the IoT so you can leverage new technologies to solve pressing problems in your community, workplace, or the world at large.
Additional Resources
- What are IoT Devices? (Simplilearn): Your guide to understand types of IoT, applications & how it works.
- The Future of IoT: What Should We Expect? (IoTforAll)
- How is IoT Shaping the Future of Industry? (Intel): Explore new opportunities for business innovation.
IoT is great for tasks like preventing injury, reducing costs, monitoring health, GPS tracking, predictive maintenance and environmental monitoring, to name a few.
Examples of IoT Across Industries
Sensors are a basic building block of IoT. Combined with AI, robotics, drones, and other emerging technologies, IoT is impacting every industry. Solutions in one industry can inspire change in another industry. The same temperature sensor used in agriculture can be adapted for automotive or healthcare solutions.
Explore across all industries to learn what’s possible in the areas you care about most.
Industrial IoT
(Hitachi Solutions)
Learn how smart machines, cloud computing, data analytics, and humans work together to increase efficiency, reduce costs, improve safety, and other manufacturing processes.
Read Full Article
Internet of Medical Things
(George Washington University)
Explore how IoT is improving patient care, reducing costs and increasing response times in hospitals, and continually improving the landscape of healthcare.
Read Full Article
Precision Agriculture
(Cropin)
Discover how IoT works with robotics, drones and AI in Smart Agriculture solutions to monitor crop health, automate irrigation, sort and grade food products, and improve other processes.
Read Full Article
IoT in Construction
(BuilderSpace)
An overview of how IoT is improving worker safety, reducing costs, reducing waste, reducing delays, tracking inventory, and improving efficiency on construction sites.
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Smart Warehouse
(SelectHub)
Learn how AI, IoT and robotics come together to form smart warehouse solutions that improve efficiency, reduce costs, keep workers safe, and customers happy with better service.
Read Full ArticleFood Manufacturing IoT
(Food Circle)
Find an overview of how IoT is transforming all stages of the food supply chain. Smart Ag helps grow the food, then the food must be processed, packaged, and transported.
Read Full ArticleFollow these blogs, podcasts, leading robotics associations to track overarching trends, stories, and vital news updates in the world of IoT.
Blogs & Websites
IoT for All
IoT where professionals, newcomers, and experts share insights, knowledge & experience for the betterment of the whole IoT ecosystem.
Visit WebsiteIoT Council
In-depth articles about IoT technology, its impact on society, and how it can assist and support the bog societal questions of today.
Visit WebsiteIoT News
Subscribe to track the latest trends, breaking news, IoT events, webinars and conferences, or sift through their extensive archives.
Visit WebsiteIoT Now
Track business trends, opportunities and common technology challenges in implementing IoT in your organization.
Visit WebsiteBrand-Specific Blogs
Podcasts
Follow these podcasts for the latest trends, success stories, expert guidance, and all things IoT.IoT Podcast: Over the Air
Another popular podcast sharing the latest trends and use cases.
Visit PodcastAssociations & Organizations
Track these organizations to find conferences, webinars, education pathways, news and more.Internet Society
The Internet Society supports and promotes the development of the Internet as a global technical infrastructure, a resource to enrich people’s lives, and a force for good in society.
Visit WebsiteIoT Security Foundation
A not-for-profit, global membership association working to make the connected world ever-more secure. We are an international response to the complex challenges posed by cybersecurity in the expansive hyper-connected world of IoT.
Visit WebsiteIEEE’s IOT Community
Gathering place for the global technical community working on the Internet of Things, where professionals learn, share knowledge, and collaborate on this sweeping convergence of technologies, markets, applications, and the Internet, and together change the world.
Visit WebsiteIoT Community
World’s largest IoT Community, focused on the adoption and application of IoT in commercial environments, seeking to understand and contribute to applying the technology or overcoming the wide variety of barriers, inhibitors, and technical and operational issues.
Visit WebsiteEffective IoT solutions require a well-designed IoT ecosystem that allows sensors embedded in devices to be controlled by apps connected via the internet. To ensure IoT ecosystems address business problems effectively, a broad range of team roles are necessary for design, development implementation, and maintenance.
Some IoT solutions are custom made, requiring full teams to design and build the actual devices, software, user interfaces, and run quality control. Other IoT solutions leverage existing software and install pre-built devices in different contexts, requiring a different setup and implementation process.
Use these resources to learn how IoT systems are designed and developed, and the teams required to make it all happen. Then decide if you want to pursue IoT in your organization, or as a career.
How IoT Solutions Are Made
IoT solutions can be designed and developed in-house, or by a consulting team specializing in IoT solutions.
- Exploring IoT Design: Sumatosoft consulting digs into the IoT design process, challenges, and examples.
- An Expert Guide to IoT Consulting: Webbylab consulting offers a detailed crash course on using IoT Consulting firms, and what to expect.
- Building IoT Development Team: Learn how IoT Ecosystems work, and understand team role and skills.
Implementing Robots in Organizations
- IoT Implementation Steps & Best Practices: AIMultiple Research offers a framework and best practices for IoT Implementation.
- Implementing IoT Strategically:For comparison, Techstack offers this detailed implementation guide that digs deeper into challenges and strategy.
IoT Ethics Videos
Learn major topics in IoT ethics by exploring these overview videos and more in-depth articles.Securing Your IoT Devices
(IBM Technology)
Future of Work: Is Your Job Safe? (The Economist)
What is Data Governance? (Amazon Web Services)
Internet of Things Security (TEDx)
Additional Resources:
- The Dark Side of IoT: Privacy & Security Concerns (LinkiedIn)
- Navigating the Economic Impact of IoT on Talent Strategy (LinkedIn)
- Ethical Implications of the IoT (IoT Business News)
If you actually want to interact and talk with other people about IoT for developers, career exploration, startups, implementation, or any other perspective you may be coming from, here are some options.
IoT Learning Communities
IoT Community
Join the world’s largest IoT Community for commercial applications with practitioners, analysts, policy makers, and technologists. Follow their LinkedIn page as well.
Visit WebsiteMicrosoft’s Community
Track new trends and interact with IoT practitioners around Azure IoT, Sphere, Edge, RTOS, Time Series Insights, Windows IoT, Robotics & Security.
Visit WebsiteIEEE’s Community
This IoT Technical Community is free and open to those involved in research, implementation, application and usage of IoT in various contexts. Check out their Journals & Magazines as well.
Visit WebsiteIBM TechXchange
Choose a group and topic ranging from AI to Automation and Security, then connect via forums, discussions, blogs, and events to learn and stay up to date on trends.
Visit WebsiteLearning communities come and go pretty frequently, so check Coursera, EdX, Udacity, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Discord, and Reddit for other active learning communities.