From fields and streams to offices, factories, hospitals and transportation systems, organizations are using internet of things (IoT) sensors to collect massive amounts of data in order to improve operations and increase sustainability.
Analyzing this information reveals patterns that can nip maintenance problems in the bud and lead to better decisions about resource allocation. As data accumulates, more functions can transition over to automation. Systems become smarter, using artificial intelligence to make speedy decisions without human intervention.
The infrastructure that will unleash the IoT revolution will be powered by 5G technology. Without it, networks wouldn’t have anywhere near the capacity to handle the estimated 125 billion devices that will connect to the internet by 2030.
5G doesn’t just add capacity. Its multi-gigabit-per-second speed and latency of under 10 milliseconds will allow for precise interactions.
Sensors in the beds of sick patients will monitor their sleep and let medical professionals know if they’ve lost weight. Store owners will use smart cameras to learn where customers linger in the aisles, displaying video ads that suit their preferences or enticing them with discounts. Gamers will immerse themselves in the world of high-resolution virtual reality even on wireless connections.
From utilities, which will become more efficient, to cities, which will reap the benefits of more comprehensive connectivity, the 5G-enabled IoT will affect nearly every element of the world in which we work and live. Here are a few areas where 5G will make a particularly dramatic difference.
Improving Transportation
Forward-looking cities are adding sensors to buses, trains and traffic lights to reduce congestion and optimize routes. Las Vegas, under pressure from the arrival of 42 million visitors a year, is using IoT-enabled traffic lights and video cameras to gather traffic data. Information flows to a converged network where the city can adjust signal times and reroute vehicles to improve traffic flow. Smart street lights can also turn on and off in response to pedestrians and bicyclists, improving safety as well as conserving energy.
Cities can also share information about traffic problems and weather conditions with emergency crews, allowing them to arrive on the scene faster — maybe in time to save lives.
In vehicles, IoT data provides warnings about worn-down parts and other maintenance needs, eliminating breakdowns and improving safety in public transit and private fleets alike.
An Energy Conservation Breakthrough
Artificial intelligence (AI) will bring an unprecedented level of efficiency to energy production and distribution.
“For utilities, AI and machine learning can match energy generation and demand in real time,” said Jens Roehrich, a professor of management and supply chain innovation at the University of Bath in England.
Smart cities use digital networks to lower energy use and track air quality. Along the electric grid, smart meters can detect and fix equipment problems in advance, preventing massive blackouts, Roehrich said.
AI and the IoT play a crucial role in conserving our declining water resources. Drones hovering over fields collect information that helps farmers irrigate more efficiently. Stream sensors glean data that can improve water quality. According to the World Economic Forum, the IoT could be a game-changer for environmental sustainability worldwide.
Changing The Ways We Make Things
Factories have been collecting information from machines for a long time, but AI has changed the way they use it. By connecting machines, operators, enterprise IT and customers, it has turned the plant into a hub of continuous innovation.
Machine data is now processed on-site, at the “edge,” enabling operators to spot problems immediately before a batch of defective products leaves the production line. Technicians wear AI-enabled glasses that display instructions, eliminating the downtime that paging through manuals involves.
Data from the factory floor is connected with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, where it undergoes analysis to reveal trends and calculate cost-effectiveness. Managers no longer have to rely on hunches to schedule maintenance or order parts. They see results faster and can be bolder about trying new processes and equipment.
Benefits extend beyond the assembly line. Sensor-embedded products collect data on how customers use them, sending maintenance reminders and lending manufacturers new product design ideas.
The Coming Healthcare Transformation
Medical IoT applications are catching on fast. The IoT healthcare market will be worth $158 billion by 2022, according to MarketsAndMarkets.
Hospitals use smart infusion pumps to change patient medications automatically, responding more quickly to patient needs and saving staff time. Wristbands on infants alert nurses if heartbeats or oxygen levels become irregular. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags keep track of staff, patients and inventory.
IoT devices can also keep patients out of the hospital. Remote patient-care solutions can detect conditions ranging from hypertension to atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea, and patients can have results sent directly to their doctors without having to wait for an appointment. In some emergency situations, caregivers will have access to the information and guidance they need to intervene, enabling their patients to avoid expensive trips to the emergency room and decreasing crowding in overburdened facilities.
As data from patient populations accumulates, it can help researchers predict problems and solve them before they spiral out of control. Hospitals are already using AI platforms to predict which patients in the intensive care unit are at risk for respiratory failure and where hospital-acquired infections might occur. Scientists are now working on an AI-powered app to detect skin cancer in real time by analyzing a photo of a mole.
A smart pill that the Food and Drug Administration recently approved transmits data to medical professionals via wearable patches and smartphone apps, confirming consumption.
If some of the applications for AI and the IoT sound like futuristic hype, it’s only because they haven’t yet achieved widespread adoption. But they will soon, as telecom companies begin rolling out 5G in earnest next year. Companies are already developing products to take advantage of it.
In the future, we may see better-informed patients and fewer traffic jams, not to mention ambulances that know how to get patients to the hospital before it’s too late. We will use energy more efficiently and buy products designed to better suit our needs. There’ll be more clean water and fewer power outages.
AI and the IoT won’t solve all the world’s problems, but they will change the way we approach them, providing a continuous stream of data to spur innovations.
“We have yet to uncover the potential of these technologies,” Roehrich noted. “They will have a huge impact.”
(Forbes)
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