What is the IoT? A guide to the Internet of Things
Many physical devices, vehicles, buildings, electronic objects equipped with sensors and electronics with the right software constitute a complex of networked elements. This is the simplest definition to describe IoT technology in practice. IoT systems carrying a modern network connection, collect and exchange data with each other, and enable the exchange of information between connected customer IoT applications.
IoT devices use wireless networks - WiFi, Bluetooth or cellular networks - to transmit IoT data. The Internet of Things also uses protocols i.e. Zigbee, Z-Wave or Device 2 Device in LoRaWAN networks.
How can the Internet of Things (IoT) help us? We give examples!
The definition of the Internet of Things is to make it easier for people to function by using data collected by IoT end devices. With smart devices, it will be possible to simplify the activities they used to do - this will also reduce the cost of many processes.
Internet of Things systems can be put to practical use in an infinite number of applications. From the smart office to smart homes to smart cities. IoT technology is already helping us achieve increased employee productivity and infrastructure development.
Media consumption
Room occupancy
Reduce the risk of break-ins
Analyze store traffic and build a positive customer experience based on this data
Remotely manage air conditioning and heating systems
Internet of Things architecture - layers, protocols and technologies?
Smart IoT sensors can be based on many different technologies. The most popular IoT systems for home use are often based on WiFi HaLow, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) or other options such as ZbigBee, which do not require covering a large area with a signal.
For larger scale applications, such as Smart Cities, IoT technologies are most commonly used, i.e. cellular NB-IoT, LTE-CAT M, or LoRaWAN. When choosing the right technology for your application, you need to consider not only the coverage, but also the amount of data transferred of specific systems and their energy efficiency. All this to avoid the situation where you will be forced to change the batteries in each sensor installed once every few months. By the same token, we care about systems that can cope with working for many years without human intervention.
What do you gain by using LPWAN systems?
The definition of LPWAN (low-power wide-area network) is that it is a type of wireless wide-area network (WAN), designed to exchange data of IoT (Internet of Things) devices over an Internet connection. LPWAN operates at low power consumption, allowing it to run on batteries or solar cells for many years providing operational efficiency unmatched by other types of networks.
LPWAN also supports long-distance data transmission with low interference. These features make LPWAN ideal for IoT applications such as environmental monitoring, vehicle tracking and remote monitoring. Using LPWAN technologies such as LoRaWAN in our larger-scale deployments will allow us to significantly reduce maintenance costs and increase security, since we can base such a network entirely on customer resources, completely without using the cloud.
What is IoT LoRaWAN system
The LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) system is what we call a radio-based technology for IoT resources to communicate with each other. By using LoRaWAN in our iot deployments, we will be able to provide processing of huge amounts of data from thousands of sensors available on the market. LoRaWAN is used in many applications, such as environmental monitoring, vehicle tracking, remote control and automation.
LoRaWAN operates under a royalty-free license, making it very affordable and generating virtually no fixed costs for the end user, who effectively owns the entire infrastructure. LoRaWAN allows data transmission over distances of up to 15 kilometers, in open spaces and 2 kilometers in urban environments. The offer of cooperating manufacturers also includes IoT solutions used in buildings, where a single IoT gateway makes it possible in practice to cover several floors with a signal.
What distinguishes industrial IoT?
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is the Internet of Things applied to industry. With IIoT, companies can collect data from machines, equipment and other facilities to improve production operations, reduce costs, increase productivity and provide better customer service.
Such a system makes it possible to collect data in production plants in real time, and its integration can influence accurate decision-making in practice. The use of IIoT will also help to: reduce energy consumption, enable activities such as preventive maintenance of machinery and other assets on plants, and enable highly accurate location of people and equipment. With the use of video systems, it will even be possible to have video surveillance that, based on artificial intelligence at the edge, will be able to secure our resources and control situations based on data without human intervention.
How do you implement IoT in your company and what is its effectiveness?
As we indicated above - there are many benefits of implementing smart devices. But where do we start when choosing the right application for us? Any IoT deployment should be thought through by you in terms of its actual benefit. Hence, we have selected several branches where the IoT solutions we offer will actually have a significant impact on the daily lives of their users. Each of these applications is described in articles on our Vispena.co.uk website, which you can access below by clicking on the link:
IoT Power Box - enables smart electricity management for individual buildings and entire housing communities and cooperatives. It influences the improvement of energy efficiency.
IoT BMS Box, an Internet of things concept for smart building, enables the integration of IoT wireless sensors into the most popular BMS systems - an ideal solution for upgrading older buildings.
IoT Parking Box - a network of interconnected IoT devices that will allow real-time control of parking systems.
IoT GPS Box - a system created to ensure the safety of workers and machines with the help of highly accurate localization of their location (accuracy as low as a few centimeters).
What industries can benefit from IoT?
IoT technology can be implemented in a wide range of industries. IoT can bring very tangible benefits such as increased productivity, improved security and reduced costs. It is important to know the specific IoT devices we can use and their benefits when choosing the right system for your industry. Below, we have listed examples of industries where the use of the IoT devices we offer will enable significant benefits in the day-to-day operation of the company and its processes.
Applications of the Internet of Things in day-to-day business operations:
IoT in education
The Internet of Things in education focuses on analyzing environmental conditions in classrooms and lecture halls. We can use battery-powered environmental sensors to monitor environmental conditions. In Canadian schools where CO2 level reading systems have been implemented , it has been found that ventilation is required in as many as 90% of classrooms. Through real-time data collection and intelligent alarms based on CO2 level thresholds, it is possible to monitor and prevent the accumulation of CO2 in the air inhaled by students.
IoT in healthcare
In the health sector, receiving real-time data on patients is very important. The Internet of things can help improve the control of patients ' health by monitoring their vital functions. It is possible, for example, to remotely monitor body temperature and saturation using a smart band. Accurate localization of hospital beds and other objects can also be a very interesting solution. This is possible with the help of LoRaWAN and BLE locators.
IoT in the manufacturing plant
IoT in manufacturing is used to monitor processes on the factory floor, manage inventory, and automate production processes. With IoT, manufacturers can improve the efficiency of their factories, reduce production costs, and react faster to changes in the market. With the help of smart devices, it is possible, for example, to check the operation of machines and react in time if they show signs of failure, if only through information that they make an abnormal sound or vibrate too much.
IoT in transportation and logistics
With IoT in transportation and logistics, the location of each vehicle, delivery statuses and other relevant information can be tracked. GPS locators and advanced IoT devices for fleet management that will check the status of the vehicle and the driver's behavior effectively help gather information on logistics activities.
IoT in retail
In retail, the Internet of Things can help with the control of products spread out on shelves. We are able to use smart devices to control the temperature in store refrigerators. Customer movement around the store can also be analyzed, so that with the help of IoT devices we can collect information about the attractiveness of different areas of the store in a completely anonymous way and select displays based on this data in such a way that it is most attractive to customers (merchandising).
IoT and security
The Internet of Things will increase the safety of employees by, for example, checking their location and sending information about dangerous situations, such as a fall from a height. Vision solutions with artificial intelligence sewn in, meanwhile, will make it possible to analyze whether someone unauthorized has entered the premises, check the security of an object set up for inspection, and analyze dangerous behavior such as running, lighting a cigarette and more.
IoT in the cold supply chain
The Internet of things will help the cold supply chain by monitoring temperature and humidity: with IoT sensors, you can monitor temperature and humidity in cold stores and warehouses to ensure safe storage of products. It will also be possible to check the location of shipments through GPS equipment.
Different ways to implement Internet of Things solutions
The use of IoT technology allows virtually complete freedom in the execution of specific implementations. This is because the entire infrastructure can be owned by the customer, which will generate virtually no fixed costs, but the customer will have to take care of proper maintenance of such equipment. The LoRaWAN network can also be owned by the integrator, and the customer will only receive data from sensors to a dedicated application.
Examples of IoT devices
Listing some of the IoT devices that make up the Internet of Things in Stovaris' offerings, one can point to:
TEKTELIC KONA MACRO - This is a 16-channel LoraWan gateway for outdoor applications. The gateway is dedicated to demanding industrial and SmartCity solutions, where it can connect to a large number of end devices. A powerful processor, automatic software update function and rugged housing with IP67 water resistance guarantee trouble-free operation of the gateway for many years.
TEKTELIC KIWI - This is a versatile soil sensor for use in places such as smart farms, golf courses, parks, etc. With a simple pole mount and external probe, it is easy to use anywhere and can read data such as soil moisture and temperature. The sensor transmits data using LoRaWAN protocol with a range of up to 15 km.
Milesight CT101
- It's a smart current transformer using LoRaWAN long-range radio protocol for remote energy monitoring and consumption analysis. It will improve energy efficiency in any deployment.
Milesight UG56 - This is an indoor LoraWan gateway for use in buildings and industrial plants. Its small size and simple expansion with accessory antennas or LTE Router allows it to be easily customized. It allows you to connect to up to 2,000 devices such as sensors, meters or controllers.
WT101 - This is a head mounted on radiators, thanks to which we will be able to intelligently control the temperature in the building. The head can be controlled via LoRaWAN radio, which allows us to deploy up to hundreds of such devices in one building or estate without generating fixed costs.
The future of the Internet of Things - trends, forecasts and opportunities for development
As time goes by, IoT will become more widespread and have an increasing impact on our lives. According to the website Statista, the number of Internet-connected devices (IoT) worldwide will reach 38.6 billion by 2025. Further rapid growth will involve the modernization of more industries. Soon, the Internet of Things deployed at the level of industrial plants and entire cities will be a global standard.
AI systems in IoT applications
The Internet of things is used to collect huge amounts of data, this data must be analyzed either by humans or through modern AI systems. By using specialized computers to provide analysis of sensor data, we will be able to create advanced reports on the parameters recorded by our devices.
Build a smart system with the help of Vispen and Stovaris
Feel free to contact our specialists. We have experience from deployments across the country and can help you select the right equipment and implement a system that will bring real benefits to any business.