The IoT versus the IIoT… What’s The Difference?

Do you remember the cartoon TV show “The Jetsons”? The titular characters live in a house equipped with holographic entertainment, a cleaning maid robot, a giant machine that spews pancakes and bacon. They travel propelled inside tubes or safely nestled in their flying car, and they have gadgets like smartwatches equipped with video chat and drones children can fly around on.

In the 1960s, when “The Jetsons” aired, those gadgets sounded far-fetched. Today, much of it has become a reality thanks to the IoT, or Internet of Things and its little sibling, the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things). What is the difference between the IoT and the IIoT? How do they help us, and how are they changing the world we live in? Most importantly, when will they finally give us that flying car? 

What is the IoT?

 According to TechTerms.com, this is the definition of the IoT:

 The Internet of Things, commonly abbreviated "IoT," is an umbrella term that refers to anything connected to the Internet. It includes traditional computing devices, such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones, but also includes a growing list of other devices that have recently become Internet enabled. Examples include home appliances, automobiles, wearable electronics, security cameras, and many other things.

Because of the convenience of controlling devices remotely, much of the technology we use every day is now connected to the Internet. This includes everything from your Wi-Fi printer to the lights in your hallway to wearable glucose monitors for diabetic patients. There are even high-tech refrigerators equipped with internal cameras so their forgetful owners can see how much milk they have left while they are at the grocery store.

 Common IoT items

• Computers
• Smartphones
• Wearable Fitness Trackers
• Cars with Wi-Fi
• Printers
• Voice assistances like Alex and Google Assistant

Weird household IoT objects

• An egg tray that tells you when eggs are nearing expiration
• A toothbrush that films video of the inside of your mouth
• A cookie baker that notifies you via smartphone message when your cookies are done
• A machine that lets you talk to your dog and give it treats via app
• A smartfork that warns you if you’re eating too fast

What is the IIoT?

 The IIoT, or Industrial Internet of Things, is a subsection of the larger IoT. I like ZDnet’s description:

The IIoT refers to the billions of industrial devices -- anything from the machines in a factory to the engines inside an airplane -- that are filled with sensors, connected to wireless networks, and gathering and sharing data.

Like the general IoT, the IIoT is rapidly growing. Utility companies (say goodbye to the person who checks the gauge on the side of your house), retail companies (hello, automated checkout), manufacturers, and transportation companies all routinely use them, and more and more healthcare and government organizations are jumping aboard.

IIoT applications are endless, ranging from monitoring machinery wear-and-tear to tracking the efficiency of a semi-truck fleet. But the real beauty of the IIoT comes in data form. For example, a transportation company using tracking sensors on its transportation fleet may discover that a certain route is congested. It could inform other drivers headed that way of the backup and ask them to take a different route.

Common IIoT devices

• Tracking sensors that can be attached to shipments or vehicles
• Robots that can automate tasks on an assembly line
• Industrial machinery that monitors its own maintenance needs
• Security devices such as video monitoring and sensors
• Building monitors that automatically adjust temperature and lights

Innovative IIoT applications

• Smart machinery providing metrics to a cloud dashboard for monitoring while providing direct access to maintenance tutorials and information
• The AutoBed, a GE device that tracks patient bed use and helped a hospital halve its wait time
• Self-monitoring wind turbines built for extreme conditions
• Sensor-enabled pills that, when swallowed, can help doctors monitor the efficacy of medication
• Kashiwa-no-ha, Japan, a “smart city” designed to be energy-efficient, profitable, and an overall good place to live

 The IoT, the IIoT, and data

 All these connected devices don’t just make life more convenient for the consumer; they create vast amounts of data. The companies that make the IoT devices often analyze this data for the benefit of both the consumer and the companies themselves. Consumers can view their own analytics and learn from them—for instance, a parent using a smart baby changing table (yes, they exist) can track changes in their child’s weight, stools, appetite, and more.

 Many companies perform larger analytics across their customer base, which customers can use to compare themselves to the average. For example, that parent with the changing table could see how little Violet compares in weight, appetite, and more with other babies her age. On the corporate side, the data allow companies to track their consumers, anticipate their needs, and improve their products.

 Within the IIoT, data can help business streamline their processes, reduce waste, improve the customer experience, and much more. The only caveat is that mass data isn’t the answer. It’s the right data that counts, and companies are still learning what data isn’t useful and what data can make all the difference. By avoiding equipping every miniscule piece of machinery with internet capabilities and sticking to what really matters, companies can use the IIoT to transform their businesses just as consumers are using the IoT to transform their lives.

 What about the flying car?

 It’s here...but you’ll have to wait until 2030 for a ride. Japan’s NEC Corporation managed a one-minute flying car test flight, and plenty of other models have been in testing stages by other companies as early as 2016. Perhaps in another 10 to 20 years, we’ll all be living that Jetsons life—and you can bet that flying car will be part of the Internet of Things.