TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read): The Internet of Things (IoT) represents a transformative shift in business operations, introducing intelligent devices that enhance efficiency and decision-making. These devices, ranging from sensors to cameras, are interconnected and capable of gathering valuable data, automating tasks, and solving complex problems. By integrating IoT with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, businesses can achieve unprecedented insights. One key advantage of IoT is its ability to address diverse business objectives, from simple tasks to complex operations. For instance, IoT sensors in a restaurant's refrigeration units can monitor temperatures in real-time, preventing spoilage and minimizing losses. The scalability of IoT solutions offers substantial Return on Investment (ROI) potential, especially when deployed across multiple locations. Furthermore, when combined with physical security measures like access control and alarms, IoT provides comprehensive security solutions, ensuring the safety of assets and personnel. Embracing IoT not only keeps businesses competitive but also creates a safer, more efficient, and intelligent future.
The Internet of Things (IoT) has been commonly defined as anything being a "smart" device. The definition of smart is a something that has some form of intelligence and connected to a central hub; also known as the internet. There are many types of smart devices used today from cellphones, tablets, appliances, sensors, etc and their common functionality is that they communicate some form of information. Most people use some form of IoT within their personal lives but there is a big push along with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning as to how to leverage IoT within the enterprise or business space.
The value of IoT is that these devices can be used to gather information or perform a task that someone has to manually complete in order to achieve a business objective. These objectives have a wide range of use cases and can be either complex and large or simplistic and small. For instance, let's say a restaurant worker has to continuously check the refrigeration units to ensure food and other perishable items are kept within a certain temperature parameter. How often do they check this? What happens if the door was kept open immediately after they checked the last time? What happens overnight when someone isn't working? What happens if the person scheduled to check is too busy or forgets? These are the problems than can be solved with IoT.
IoT can be used by placing an open/shut sensor at the door as well as a temperature sensor in the refrigeration unit. These sensors can be programmed to perform hourly reads and send that data to a business intelligence tool to display as a dashboard and they will notify if a problem is occuring and either the door is left open or if the temperature falls outside of the required parameter. The person or persons completing this task can now be leveraged for something more complex and the ROI can be calculated by finding the total cost of the product loss and lost employee(s) time and cross referencing the cost of the solution. This was just a simple use case but imagine the ROI if this is scaled across many locations, or a remote location where it takes someone over an hour to drive to, this is when the ROI is very compelling.
On another side of IoT are smart cameras. Camera solutions can be as simple as a video stream that goes to a local Digital Video Recorder (DVR) and then viewable from the cloud via an application or webpage, or a Network Video Recorder (NVR) where the data gets sent to cloud storage whether the camera stores the feed on an internal drive or there is a DVR onsite. Many NVR solutions have some Computer Vision capabilities to where they can perform object, attribute or entity recognition. We will dive more into Computer Vision in the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning page. The cool part about this is you don't need to procure new cameras in order to get this functionality. Generally, as long as the cameras support HD (>1080p) video then the quality is high enough for the software to perform identification features.
Cameras can be in a standalone solution or come as part of a physical security service. This is where other devices such as access control, window/door sensors, alarms, etc come into play to fulfill other needs. These solutions can be leverage in unison to provide complete visibility and response to mitigate physical security threats. Most companies use some form of automation and identification to minimize false positives then they are sent to a 24x7 human monitoring operation to validate. Once validation occurs then the workflow dictates, depending on the level of severity, if someone internally is notified or authorities. Quick note: Physical Security is also a part of cybersecurity and can be used as a part of this budget and utilize computer vision features for other tasks as well like operations, marketing, etc.
As you can see, the Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized the way businesses operate by introducing smart devices that enhance efficiency, streamline processes, and optimize decision-making. By connecting various devices to a central hub, businesses can collect valuable data, automate tasks, detect anomalies, and solve complex problems that were previously time-consuming and prone to human error. The integration of IoT with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, also known as AIoT, further amplifies its potential, enabling businesses to achieve greater insights and outcomes. As we move forward, IoT devices and use cases will expand and create more use cases and features including transportation, medical, warehousing, wearables, and many other interactive household and office devices.
To summarize, The true value of IoT lies in its ability to address a wide range of business objectives, from simple tasks to complex operations. Through sensors and cameras, businesses can monitor critical parameters, detect anomalies, and respond swiftly to potential threats. Take, for example, the scenario of a restaurant ensuring the proper functioning of refrigeration units. IoT sensors can continuously monitor the temperature and alert staff in real-time if an issue arises, preventing food spoilage and minimizing losses. Moreover, the scalability of IoT solutions offers significant Return on Investment (ROI) opportunities. By implementing IoT technologies across multiple locations or in remote areas, businesses can enhance their operational efficiency, reduce costs, and improve overall productivity. Additionally, the integration of IoT devices with other physical security measures, such as access control and alarms, provides comprehensive security solutions, ensuring the safety of both assets and personnel.