The Five Main Benefits of the Internet of Things

Just a decade ago, the internet was still a fledgeling invention, with only a handful of devices able to connect. Now televisions, kettles, toasters, and more, are all able to connect to the internet of things and with technology constantly developing, the possibilities for internet-enabled appliances is only set to grow.

The internet of things is the connections between devices that allow them to collect and share information and communicate with each other via the internet. It’s a development that has many benefits that will make life easier and simpler, improving the world around us, especially as more devices become able to connect. It’s estimated that by 2020 as many as 30 billion objects (excluding computers, laptops, phones, and tablets) will be connected to the internet of things.

With such a large number of expected connected objects, it’s important to know what impact the internet of things – something you may never have heard of before – will have on your life. Here are the main benefits that the internet of things will have for you.

Car Safety

The World Health Organisation estimated that 1.25 million people died from traffic-related fatalities in 2013, and a large number of those deaths are due to human error. One of the most talked about uses for the internet of things is autonomous (or driverless) cars. A recent study suggested that if such vehicles were just 10% better than the average American driver, then thousands of lives would be saved.

The development of the internet of things and the ability of cars to connect will cut out human error and the damage caused by that. Humans will be cut out of the driving process by putting autonomous cars, connected to the internet and collecting external data, in control.

Home Automation

It’s thought that by 2025, 50% of all internet traffic in and out of homes will be related to appliances such as kettles, toasters, washing machines, and other kitchen devices. This is because our homes will become increasingly automated and many objects will able to function without a human operator.

The internet of things is already starting to have an influence on the home, with British Gas allowing customers to alter their heating while away from home, Sky allowing viewers to record television remotely, and Smart Meters allowing you to analyse the electricity use of your appliances.

Future developments will also allow users to programme appliances to operate while they are not home, meaning you could boil your kettle on your way home from work, and have it ready to make your cuppa by the time you get home!

Health Improvements

The growth of the internet of things will see more medical devices connected. This will mean that if the worst were to happen and you have to be taken to hospital urgently in an ambulance, the paramedics will be able to use machines to carry out the necessary checks that will then transfer your data to the hospital instantly.

The doctors waiting at the hospital will then know in advance exactly what treatment is required when upon your arrival, making your visit more efficient, and increasing your chances of survival. The internet of things will also improve doctors ability to observe patients who are recovering out of the hospital, with internet connected devices being used so doctors can track a patient’s progress through the remote collection and transmission of data by internet-connected medical equipment.

Safer and better workplaces

The internet of things will improve safety at work by allowing the development of smart, work-safety clothes that will be able to collect data from the surrounding area and decide if conditions are safe to operate. The clothes can then alert the wearer to any danger, such as toxic gasses.

The internet of things will have other benefits for the workplace, such as allowing employers to analyse more data about the working environment and easily improve it remotely. Production lines, which perform monotonous jobs, will also become more efficient and easier to programme, as their connection to the internet of things will allow real-time, remote programming and reconfiguration to overcome issues.

Faster Airports

The growing internet of things will also allow the quicker and more effective collection of data in airports. London City airport is using internet of things connected technology to collect data about the speed of passengers and planes passing through the airport. By using facial recognition scanners at key points throughout the airport, officials can track passengers’ passage and see how long it takes.

Immediate access to previously unrecordable data will allow airports to take actions to reduce the amount of time it takes for passengers to pass through and speed up the turnaround of planes. Staff and manages will then be able to analyse the effect of those actions in real time. Airports will also be able to remotely track the location of equipment and coordinate the running of the airport more efficiently.

Those are just some of the many benefits of the internet of things. There are some really exciting and world-changing possibilities that are thrown up by the continued development of the internet of things that will likely make life more efficient, easier, and generally better.