Our Ultimate Guide on the IoT Technology and How does IoT Work

The Internet of Things represents a network of devices ( AKA things) that use technology to connect and exchange information between devices all over the internet. These devices could be smartphones, computers, IoT home devices, and even larger kitchen appliances. According to experts, by the end of 2025, 22 billion devices will be connected to IoT networks.

Due to the presence of extra-cheap computer chips and the ubiquity of wireless networks, everything from a pill to an airplane can become a part of the Internet of Things. There are many ways IoT may benefit the whole world, as connecting all these things and adding sensors to them can create a brand-new level of digital intelligence to devices. They, in turn, may communicate real-time data without using human resources. The Internet of Things plays a significant role in the way we live because it makes the world smarter and more responsive, combining the digital and physical universes.

Even though some may think IoT appeared quite recently, the idea of boosting basic objects was discussed in the early 1980s and 1990s. However, apart from some early projects, such as an internet-connected vending machine, the significant progress was slow simply because experts knew that the technology wasn’t ready. 

Today, the Internet of Things represents a new paradigm that has quickly changed traditional living into a fast-speed and high-tech lifestyle. Everything we know as smart cities, smart homes, energy saving, pollution control are transformations happening due to this technology. During the last few years, many tech advancements and changes have been applied in order to enhance the technology via IoT.

This guide’s main goal is to examine how the IoT influences today’s world and learn more about its challenges and key issues, its basic architecture, and vital application domains. Let’s go.

What is the internet of things (IoT)?

The internet of things, more commonly known as IoT, is a system of interrelated computing devices, digital and mechanical machines, objects, or people that are powered by unique identifiers (UIDs) and the chance to transfer information within the whole network without using human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.

A thing in the IoT could technically be a person having a heart monitor implant, an animal with a biochip transponder, or a vehicle with built-in sensors to inform the driver regarding low tire pressure. In addition, it can also be any other natural or artificial object that can be assigned an Internet Protocol (IP) address and would have an opportunity to transfer data over a network.

Talking about IoT implementation in business, some industries prefer to use these “things” to operate more efficiently, better understand the target audience to deliver improved customer service, boost the decision-making process, and enhance the business’s value.

How does IoT work?

Over the past years, IoT has rocketed and become one of the most crucial technologies of this century. Since we now can easily connect various things like cars, thermostats, baby monitors to the internet using embedded devices, IoT provides seamless communication between the digital and physical world. Let’s learn how exactly all this works.

The main principle of IoT is to connect devices powered by built-in sensors to a network, therefore integrating data streams and analyzing them in order to share vital insights with customers. Sometimes, devices in the ecosystem can also communicate with each other to share the information they get. The benefit of all this working process is that it doesn’t involve human beings. However, people can also interact with the devices. For example, they can set them up, provide needed instructions or access the data.

What are IoT Platforms?

An IoT platform means the support software designed to connect edge hardware, access points, as well as data networks with other parts of the chain (which are usually the end-user apps). These IoT platforms can handle vital management tasks and data visualization, allowing customers to automate their working workflow. Imagine that these platforms work as the gap between the information collected at the edge and the user-facing SaaS and applications.

Benefits of IoT platforms include:

• Implement the Smart Home.
• Help monitor things in the industrial sector.
• It helps to collect data gathered from different devices and generates alerts in case of any threshold.
• Intelligence Industries.
• In healthcare, IoT might be valuable in monitoring patients remotely and performing the right treatment from a remote location.

What IoT Means to the World’s Business technologies?

Better Business Insights & Enhanced Customer Experience

Since IoT connects equipment in manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and many other spheres, it enables more data streams and analytics opportunities. This means that brands can gain much better and more specific insights into their business processes and the way their users buy products and services.

When a company knows its customer behavior patterns, it can quickly fulfill their needs and enhance the customer experience. For example, the shopping environment – IoT advancements help reduce friction in the buying experience and help clients to interact with products by using virtual or augmented reality technologies. 

The US service Amazon is adding more advanced solutions into its physical Amazon Go store. The system detects items that have been moved, then places them into a virtual cart, and gives the companies the exact time when they leave.

Cost & Downtime Reductions

One of the benefits of IoT new insights is often a cost and downtime reduction. The presence of digital twins (models of physical assets built from real-time data) has become a key competitive differentiator in various applications. By connecting different technologies, including big data analytics, enterprise asset management, supply chains, AR, and AI, digital twins allow an emerging world of maintenance.

It’s like when a small failure appears in an industrial installation requiring hours and days sometimes to find and fix. IoT can store every minor but critical component and tell engineers that this particular item is going to fail in weeks, as well as where it is, and the time it should be replaced. 

Opens New Business Models

Even though the most popular benefits of IoT revolve around efficiency, monitoring, and productivity, businesses can also benefit from this technology as it allows them to get detailed information about their customers and how they use their services.

Those companies implement the IoT into their workflow, they may reap huge benefits from both the customer and their own inner processes. The IoT also helps businesses find new revenue streams and go away from traditional ways. Even though the data collected is valuable on its own, companies can offer consumers subscription-based services that draw on the connected nature of the products, usually overcoming the initial cost of entry.

Examples of the Most Popular IoT Devices

Since this technology boomed over the last few years, let’s take a look through a list of IoT devices:

1. Smart Watches 

Although the popularity of the Internet went from the computer to the mobile age, there are some signs we are going to see an absolutely new era — wearables or smartwatches. Experts believe that smartwatches are now in third place among all connected devices, trailing only phones and laptops.

2. Smart TV and Content Streaming Gadgets

Over the last few years, smart TVs and other streaming gadgets have established an efficient position in the market, although the growth seems to be slow. Research shows that TVs, as well as other regular entertainment systems, will not become the most famous IoT products in the upcoming future. However, the VR headset trends have quickly become one of the most popular devices all over the world.

3. Voice Control Devices

We all know voice control devices as they took the world by storm a few years ago. In 2020, these gadgets gained immense popularity after the holidays. They are implemented in almost every home, being available in various shapes and colors. Therefore, it can be safely said they took a stable position in the IoT market.

4. E-readers

According to statistics, E-readers gained a massive +150% increase in the second quarter of 2020. Even though they make up only a small portion of the overall connected device population (about 0.3%), these devices gained quite significant popularity, although they seem to lose popularity this year.  

What are IoT Apps?

Whether you are considering developing IoT devices or adding this technology into your business, below, we will show what such apps mean and what their examples are.

Home Security

The Internet of Things represents a key driver of a smart and highly protected home. There are many IoT-powered applications that allow users to connect a variety of sensors, alarms, lights, cameras, and microphones that ensure 24/7/365 security. It is one of the most popular apps with this technology as users tend to convenience and can guarantee the security of the home from their smartphone.

Activity Trackers 

It is also a popular app that is designed to help people lead an active, healthy lifestyle to stay informed about their activities. Powered by sensors, devices connected with apps can be worn during the gym session or day to monitor and transmit vital health indicators in real-time. They always include blood pressure, appetite, physical movement, oxygen levels, and compliance with medications consumption.  

Self-Healing Machines

Relying on arrays of million sensors, companies and healthcare organizations use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), manufacturing devices can be crafted to identify variances in their own operation, resolve them before they gain so much weight to require downtime and repair. This can significantly benefit companies, as it allows them to reduce time and money while also freeing up employees who would normally monitor equipment.

Sports & Entertainment 

IoT apps can quickly become a great tool for event organizers. It is especially valuable when talking about crowd management scenarios during large concerts. Getting detailed insight about traffic patterns during such events can create many opportunities and reduce issues that usually happen during events. However, for this sphere, you will need full-cycle app development solutions and a whole team to achieve success.

How Interexy can Help with the Development?

As a modern app development company, our team is made up of driven minds that are ready to jump into your project. With a great experience in over 15 spheres and an in-depth understanding of the Internet of Things, we are guaranteed to become a trusted development partner. 

Since we have a whole team of net engineers, UX/UI designers, and QAs who have already worked with the IoT industry, we always guarantee compliance with rules, guidelines, and the latest protocols for enhanced security and better performance.

Whether you need Machine Learning and AI App Development Services or want to enter the most thriving industry today, Interexy is here to take your idea and bring it to reality.

Final Thoughts

IoT is one of the most popular spheres for app development as it brings numerous business opportunities, allows almost any industry to enter the space, boosts the security and efficiency of vital business processes, and supports overall success. If you are interested in gaining revenue and differentiating your app from competitors, let’s talk and learn about your idea.

FAQs

What is IoT technology, and how does it work?

This is a term used to describe an internet of things – a system of interrelated computing devices, machines, objects, animals, and even people that are provided with unique identifiers (UIDs). These sensors help transfer data over a network without human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.

What are examples of the Internet of Things?

There are many examples of these things starting from tech gadgets ending with people. Most popular are connected appliances, smart home devices, wearable health monitors, and wireless inventory trackers.

How long does it take to develop an IoT app?

There is no correct answer to this question as it depends on many factors. However, when hiring an entire team with relevant experience and with moderate app complexity, the development may take somewhere from 4 to 7 months.