This week I look at:

• How 5G connectivity will change IOT device adoption
• Amazon’s IOT button released in May 2016
• Blockchains and IOT
• Intel focusing on IOT and cloud
• Vodafone building smart stadiums for Qatar World Cup
• The problems created by the Internet of Things and the companies springing up to solve them 

I love reading about Internet of Things tech – the range of uses that IOT can be harnessed for is unimaginable and will change our day to day lives.  No other enterprise technology present at the moment will sweep across our homes, our pets, our children, our cars etc – in the way that the Internet of Things will.

Here is a quick round-up of what we have been reading this week on Internet of Things developments down at C24 HQ.

5G connectivity – unleashing IOT

It’s rather obvious, but as consumer connectivity gets better, so does the ability for IOT devices to be used.  Whether that’s in a restaurant, at a stadium or in a library, the ability to deliver high-speed networks and connectivity to many devices at a relatively low cost will mean that IOT devices can be integrated into many different processes – often replacing expensive legacy technology.

With 5G connectivity coming closer, IOT devices will be able to be connected to you whether you’re on a Wi-Fi network or in the park.  Streetlamps could have better connectivity than your current office does – so what info can we collect and what can we do with that info?

At the push of a button

Amazon has launched its AWS IOT button – a small device that comprises of literally a button – but it is a very clever button.  It can be programmed to enact a command, meaning that developers can repurpose it for almost any requirement.  Want a button to put on your couch that sends a message to your loved one to make you a cup of tea?  It’s now possible.

Launched earlier this month and now reportedly sold out, the Amazon Dash button could revolutionise how we work and use devices.  For the elderly, a button could be programmed to phone an emergency number or a button could be used to re-order drinks in a bar (if the button was programmed to your table etc).  The possibilities are endless, and could shape how we order, pay, engage, communicate and also build machinery.

Blockchains and the IOT

We’ve been reading up on blockchains and bitcoin and it scrambles our brains however we recognise it is an incredibly important market and could change not only how finance institutions operate, but also how law firms handle contracts.

One idea raised by InformationAge suggests that blockchains will provide a way for IOT devices to interact with each other and share information securely – an issue that is a growing concern in the IOT space as we start to recognise that being able to collate information about ourselves is a good thing for us, but that data could get into the wrong hands or be used by companies to manipulate our buying decisions or worse.

Blockchains could be a way of storing the data that is collected without the data being readily available to hackers.  It is an interesting idea, and an example of two relatively new technologies coming together to deliver a solution to a problem we don’t yet have.

Intel is prioritising the Internet of Things and the Cloud

Intel has reported that it is focusing its efforts on IOT and the Cloud (it also reported it is making a huge amount of its staff redundant but we will gloss over that for now…).

Intel sees IOT devices as “transforming everything and every experience”, and as a chip manufacturer, it is in their interests to align with the IOT trend in a bid to ensure their future processors work in an IOT-enabled world.  They see the future of tech being split into IOT devices and sensors on one side, and Cloud and data centres on the other side – providing the compute, storage and connectivity to enable these front end IOT systems.

Nearly every large tech corporation has an IOT strategy right now, and many are launching IOT ‘platforms’ to prepare for further IOT device integration.

Vodafone – Qatari smart stadiums

Vodafone has announced it will be designing ‘smart stadiums’ for the Qatar World Cup, following on from the success realised at Turkey’s first smart stadium that it designed - called the Vodafone Arena.  During the latest match at the stadium, nearly 12,000 people used a total of 413 GB data through Vodafone’s 4.5G network – any, even more, data was consumed through the Wi-Fi system within the ground.

As our previous articles have outlined, there is some incredibly interesting technology being employed across stadiums to enhance the fan match-day experience – from HD screens broadcasting a range of content, through to apps for fans to access within the stadium to give them queue information and live action replays.

Eight stadiums at the 2022 Qatar World Cup are set to receive the ‘smart stadium’ experience from Vodafone – will football be changed forever?

New technology = new problems = new companies created to fix those problems

A company called Pwnie Express Inc has just raised a considerable amount of funding to launch its service offering dashboards to organisations to show all wired, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices in the vicinity – to help companies better control the proliferation of IOT devices, tablets and mobile devices that are trying to connect and interact with its networks and locations.

This will be useful for businesses with BYOD policies where staff devices need to be closely monitored, or by public organisations who need to understand what devices are in use nearby at any one time.  This technology could be incredibly useful in increasing security, being better aware of customer device requirements or understanding the flow of people if devices can be used to represent individuals for crowd management and footfall.

The technology was utilised at the 2016 Super Bowl game at Levi’s stadium (who we’ve profiled before due to their smart stadium and connectivity tech) – to monitor access points.

This is a great example of a company being created to respond to the issues created by new technology – a fascinating view into the ecosystem of technology as inventions move from being opportunities through to becoming potential threats.

If you’ve seen any interesting #InternetofThings developments recently then please let me know – I’m always on the lookout for interesting IOT snippets.