Today, there are billions of connected devices communicating with each other and also the edge and the cloud. Factories, farms, manufacturing, facilities, mines – you name it, are all benefiting from industrial automation. Smart interconnected devices help ensure safety and rapid emergency responses of energy grids, critical infrastructure, and even cities.
Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT), which earlier used to operate in silos are being rapidly transformed with an extensive infusion of IoT technology, which provides common
platforms for integrating IT & OT, in turn changing the way businesses operate. This brings new challenges in terms of securing the network of autonomous machines and a wide variety of sensors. Maintaining and monitoring these devices bring new challenges to optimize and secure these devices. The huge amount of data generated by these intelligent devices required new tools
to provide insights from this data.
IoT will impact every industry
According to different estimates, by 2030, the number of connected devices in the world will be somewhere between 25 billion and 125 billion. No matter which estimates you believe, that’s still a lot of IoT. The number of potential use cases we are addressing is virtually unlimited. Here are a few examples:
Energy
That’s just a small sample of how connected devices are transforming virtually every industry. This change is happening in real-time. All enterprises need to start thinking about how IoT can accelerate their digitization initiatives and drive business outcomes.
Transportation
By taking advantage of wireless network communications technologies, container terminals can be operated remotely, lowering costs while boosting safety. IoT can also help shippers track cargo, navigate more efficiently, and reduce losses from damaged goods, saving them billions of dollars.
Manufacturing
IoT is the heart of Industry 4.0 and Digital Factories. Connected devices on the factory floor cut production cycles by well over 20% and helped reduce defects and downtime by half in some cases.
Mining
Connected mining solutions have already been installed in thousands of locations worldwide, allowing mine operators to boost equipment reliability, reduce maintenance costs, respond more quickly to emergencies, and increase employee safety.
Smart cities
Municipalities are using connected devices to reduce pollution, cut costs, and deliver better services to citizens. In dozens of cities around the world, sensors embedded in traffic lights and roadways work to regulate the flow of cars, while automated lighting systems have been shown to reduce energy bills and crime.
Security and safety
Thousands of office buildings, airports, roadways, and other facilities are protected by safety and security products, which include IP cameras, industrial gateways, and cellular connections, as well as the software to manage them.
That’s just a small sample of how connected devices are transforming virtually every industry. This change is happening in real-time. All enterprises need to start thinking about how IoT can accelerate their digitization initiatives and drive business outcomes.