IoT: The Backbone of Connected World

By: Ashish Gulati, Country Head, Telit India

Internet of Things (IoT) is evolving and changing the world rapidly. It is making the world small and connected to each other. Nowadays IoT is the backbone of every industry such as smart homes, smart cities, smart cars and the automation industry, today each and every industry is dependent upon IoT. The Internet of Things is all about connected life. We are witnessing that new age gadgets have integrated internet accessing capabilities by hooking them into wired or wireless internet connection. These gadgets are designed for IoT communication, and simultaneously also utilize the connectivity with smartphone’s, tablets and other devices for additional functionality. The data from such devices is shared over the telephonic network and accessed by Smartphone and tablet apps.

Today we hear a lot about this new era of “smart” and “connected” everywhere—smart homes, smart cars, smart gadgets, and even smart enterprises. No area of our work or personal lives seems to be untouched by these advancements in creating the ultimate connected experience. This change has presented the modern-day consumer with an unprecedented amount of convenience and comfort through smarter living. This has further raised consumer expectations, and technology innovators are constantly striving to meet these ever increasing demands.

We are witnessing that new age gadgets have integrated internet accessing capabilities by hooking them into wired or wireless internet connection. These gadgets are designed for IoT communication, and simultaneously also utilize the connectivity with Smartphone’s, tablets and other devices for additional functionality. The data from such devices is shared over the telephonic network and accessed by Smartphone and tablet apps.

The IoT is an all-encompassing term for a network backbone that will host billions of devices and sensors that communicate intelligently. The 'things' that make up the IoT range from smart phones, RFID chips, sensors built into vehicles, medical devices, buildings (basically anything that needs to be monitored) - all with a unique identity on the network and with the ability to 'machine talk'. IoT helps in improving the quality of life of citizens and transforming cities with the help of technological solutions by improving public transportation, enhancing infrastructure, creating cost effective and more efficient municipal services, facilitating sustainable environments, reducing traffic congestion, enabling high quality health care and keeping citizens more engaged and safe in the community.

IoT, takes it to the next level by providing advanced interaction between devices (such as sensors, handheld computers), actuation and automation systems and services. Beyond users and machines, IoT helps devices to receive and share information with applications and software with the help of a variety of telecommunication protocols and technologies. The term, IoT includes the software, hardware and telecommunication options, which can make human activities or public services more efficient.

IoT-based solutions are not just for urban India; they offer rural citizens access to services that were earlier out of reach. On the premise that a well-connected nation is the first step towards a well-served nation, the first objective of the Digital India program is providing digital infrastructure as a basic utility to all citizens, so educational, health, governance and financial services can be delivered to otherwise underserved areas.

IoT has innumerable opportunities and provides innovative services that can be offered using smart devices, machines and products. Organizations can benefit from new revenue streams generated by new business models and services, as well as reduced time to market and increased returns from their R&D investments. Today’s manufacturers face extraordinary challenges in the form of rigid specifications, tight timelines and even tighter budgets. This sector also includes asset tracking of large industrial equipment and the monitoring and control of factory assets. Analog sensors, for instance, are used to measure real-world conditions and process control systems measure performance analysis and control of manufacturing.

IoT technology and innovations in smarter connected devices have built the foundation on which more advanced applications are being built. With security and privacy protections, the IoT holds the potential to usher in sweeping changes in the way we work, play, entertain, farm and pretty much almost everything we do.

By 2020, there will be tens of billions of data-spouting devices connected to the Internet. And they're already changing how we live and work. The international research firm Gartner estimates that by the end of last year, there were 3.8 billion connected things out there—smart cars, smoke detectors, door locks, industrial robots, streetlights, heart monitors, trains, wind turbines, even tennis racquets and toasters. By 2020, Gartner estimates there will be 25 billion of these smart devices, transmitting tiny amounts of data to us, to the cloud and to each other. India, with its strong network of software, engineering and manufacturing expertise is an excellent place to profit from the opportunities ahead, while also gaining from the productivity, cost savings and lifestyle improvement benefits.