INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT) - SENSORS & DEVICES, PLATFORMS & INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS:

The technology of IoT often encompasses these elements:

1. Sensors and devices, located where an activity occurs that we wish to monitor and collect data from
2. Communication systems, often wireless, so that data can be sent back to an internet-connected application
3. Data management, the collection, storage, and analytics of the collected data
4. Applications, the algorithms, and the presentation of data so that decisions can be taken either autonomously or by a human user.

The collection of different technologies that make up an IoT system is sometimes called a technology stack:

Designing IoT Systems:

The process of designing IoT systems involves decisions of which technology components are most appropriate, effective, and efficient at producing the desired outcome.

The purpose of the IoT application has to be clear for all involved. There should be clear objectives of user outcomes, system design, and operating costs, lifecycle management, and administration and maintenance procedures. Selecting which technologies to use in the design of IoT applications can be complex as there are a lot of competing options to select from.

A key decision in the design of IoT applications is how a remote device will communicate data to the central computer system. Often this will be a wireless system and there are many alternative systems to choose from.

The decision will be determined by criteria such as:

• The region of operation, how far from a gateway receiver the device will be
• The volume and frequency of data collection, more data has greater requirements on system capability
• How the remote device will be powered, e.g. mains supply, battery or renewable sources.
• The expected service life of the device and how it will be maintained
• Security of device and data throughout the system operation

There are many other design requirements to be made and critical to these decisions are user expectations and what will make the operating system fit for purpose.

Technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning allow insights and decisions from large volumes and disparate sources of data. Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Digital Twins allow users, especially non-technical people, to understand and use data in a context that is accessible and meaningful to them.

Three key impacts the IoT will have on the supply chain industry:

Designers and operators of IoT solutions should take account of the impact during the manufacture, supply, operation, and disposal of their technology system. 

1) Pervasive Visibility

Mark describes this as the ability to track and monitor a shipment in real-time using a combination of sensors (RFID), connected devices, and communication channels (3G/4G, GPS, internet). It provides the ability to have real-time transit status, including location, temperature, and diagnostics far more information than legacy informatics provided.

2) Proactive Replenishment

It’s the capability to automatically recognize the need to order and restock a product on a “machine-to-machine” basis, reducing the need for human interaction. The most common example is that vending machines will know when it’s out of or low on Snickers bars and immediately trigger an alert to reorder them, instead of waiting for a service person to check on the vending machine and reorder products manually. 

3) Predictive Maintenance

This application is closer to the true machine-to-machine communications the IoT was intended for. From large-scale manufacturing to diagnostics on the family minivan, predictive maintenance utilizes sensors and connected devices to monitor and react to issues. This self-diagnosis capability can detect a potential issue before there’s a failure, order a replacement part, and even schedule maintenance to avoid costly downtime.