What is Internet of Things (IoT)?

Internet of Things is the latest emerging technology that makes it possible to connect physical objects to internet with a unique identifier. They transmit data over networks even without human-to-human interaction. The use of IoT technology is wide and can be seen everywhere across the world.

I.O.T is all about connecting physical real world objects to the internet. First what you do is give the object an identity or a tag. Then you give it the five senses, the sense of touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste via sensors so that the object is able to recognize, monitor and record its surroundings. Then you connect the object to the internet just like a person is connected to the internet via a social media profile. The beauty about this technology is that the object can be anything-your t.v, toaster, car, furniture, etc.

I.O.T predictions- Currently there are 10 billion I.O.T devices, i.e. more devices than combined human population. By 2020 it is predicted that around 50 billion devices will be connected to the internet. Nest labs which makes smart thermostats and smart smoke detectors was acquired by google for 3.2 billion dollars. GE and IBM are also working on I.O.T applications. Samsung bought smart things.

Let us consider some futuristic Mind-blowing I.O.T applications which are in research stage or could become a reality in the near future.

Smart Healthcare system

I.O.T has the potential to completely transform the current healthcare system. Smart biosensors- Let’s say doctors install biosensors in your body which can measure and continuously monitor your vital stats like blood pressure, heart rate, sugar level, etc. The possibilities are endless. Imagine biosensors in your body which can detect certain vitamin, mineral deficiencies in your diet and warn you accordingly and advice you to consume or not consume certain foods, make changes to your diet. It gives you a warning if your cholesterol level increases beyond certain limit and advises you on type of food you should eat and not eat. Let’s say you have a family history of certain genetic disorders like cancer and you install I.O.T devices which detect the tumor before it becomes malignant, not only detects but also destroy it.

Smart glasses - No more changing your optical glasses every year. Consider I.O.T glasses which adapt according to the surroundings and adjust the brightness and optical parameters so that your eyes do not strain. Think about glasses which detect damage to the eyes due to excessive screen exposure and warn you to take preventive action.

Smart earphones & earplugs- Consider smart earplugs which adjust the noise db levels according to the environment you are in. They detect damage to your earbuds due to excessive noise and immediately take preventive action. No more hearing loss due to exposure to loud noises. These earplugs also detect your mood and play music accordingly to keep you cheerful and happy.

Smart cars

Sensors installed in the car which will not start the car if you are drunk and not in a proper mental state to drive a car. Sensors which detect incoming dangerous obstacles and take control of the car in case of early signs of an accident. They will automatically prevent the car from causing an accident. Sensors installed in the tyres which prevent slippage and provide optimum braking to prevent cars from skidding.

Smart bands and pet-collars for location detection

These collars will give you updates on location and other vital stats of your pet. So that you no longer have to worry about losing track of your pet or your new-born kid who’s learning how to walk.

Smart furniture

Think about smart chairs which adjust their size and shape automatically according to the size and shape of the users. Chairs which can detect and monitor the way you are sitting and prevent chronic back ache problems.

Smart early warning systems

Imagine sensors in natural surroundings which can detect and give warnings about incoming natural calamities like tsunamis, floods, snow storms, earthquakes etc. so that humans can take preventive action way before it actually occurs. Smart traffic management systems

No more traffic jams. Smart roads, smart traffic signals, smarter toll plazas. Why do you need toll plazas in the first place? Let’s say we can design a system in which Governments and private road builders will be able to monitor the frequency of your highway usage and automatically generate a bill according to your usage. Thereby we could create a virtual toll-plazas which will eliminate queues and the need for physical toll plazas. Consider smarter roads which provide you real-time info on parking spaces and warn you if you are violating any parking rules. This smart parking system will charge users real-time for parking in congested areas and less for parking in empty spaces. Also consider systems which warn users about traffic jams and manage traffic real time providing accurate information and direction to drivers to direct them in areas with lesser traffic. Smart Energy management systems- Consider scenarios in which governments and utilities will be able to continually monitor energy usage in all areas and transfer energy from energy surplus areas to energy deficient areas in real time. Smart meters are already available which are connected to the grid which allow you to monitor and control your usage. Let’s consider an appliance which gives you a warning if its utilizing more energy than it should. It also gives you info on which part is damaged and needs to be replaced for optimal energy usage. It sends the data to the manufacturing company which immediately gives you options to replace or repair the machine.

Smarter waste management systems

Consider smart bins with biosensors which will be able to segregate and separate recyclable, non-recyclable waste, bio waste, plastic and electronic waste.

Smart water management systems

In my home city Mumbai alone, tremendous amount of water is wasted every year due to leakages and overuse and careless usage of water. So smarter sensors installed on this pipes could detect and give early warning signals which will allow authorities to take preventive action to stop leakage and water theft. If anyone tries to temper with the water pipes immediately the monitoring system will be able to detect it. Also, fines could be imposed on users which waste or overuse water. Authorities could manage and prevent overuse by redirecting water from surplus areas to deficient areas. This system will also be able to prevent corruption in water usage and break the govt- builder nexus which operates solely on money.

Smart defense systems

smart borders and smarter surveillance systems could prevent wars before they start. Sensors installed on borders which detect movement and prevent people from crossing over. Also consider smarter drones which can automatically detect and recognize the enemy and innocent civilians and target only the enemy.

Thus, you can realize that the possibilities and applications of I.O.T are endless and it is already transforming the way we live. The future has arrived in a big way.