Four more industries being transformed by IoT:
Last week, in part 1, I introduced the subject of industries being transformed by the Internet of Things (IoT) and further explored the Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Retail vocations. Today I will expand on how IoT is impacting the Transportation, Government/Public Sector, Agriculture, and Environmental industries.
Transportation
The trend in transportation is to be faster, easier and more efficient. According to Report Linker, the global market for IoT in transportation is projected to reach nearly $144 billion by 2020. Traffic congestion, whether vehicular or pedestrian, is monitored and warning systems alert travelers to impending climate conditions and accidents or traffic jams. Here’s some examples:
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- RFID-based ticketing
This becoming more and more common for public transportation, such as in Parisian Metro stations. Paris’ Navigo transportation cards are embedded with a personalized RFID chip, so travelers don’t need to rummage through their pockets or purses to find the card at the turnstile. The RFID readers simply detect the signal nearby and allow travelers to proceed through the turnstile.
- E-ZPass® toll collection system
Travelers set up a prepaid account for tolls and attach a small RFID-enabled device to their vehicles, which is quickly detected as they pass through specified toll lanes on the highway. For my family, E-ZPass has provided a convenient means of traveling faster from point A to point B – and all without the hassle of scanning the ticket to determine our toll and searching the car for coins as the toll booth approaches!
Government/Public Sector
Government smart buildings are saving money by reducing energy consumption through connected energy systems that self-monitor. The same type of technology is expanding to citizen applications. Here’s how:
- Garbage Can sensors
Connected, weight-measuring sensors are attached to garbage cans to let officials know when they need to be emptied – and then efficient routes for trash collectors are planned. Learn more.
- Connected lighting/ smart lighting
This a great example of an IoT application that serves many purposes. Smart lighting is convenient for pedestrians (i.e. walking down the street at night), saves the government money (i.e. turning off when nobody is around), and contributes to public safety (i.e. crimes are less-likely to be committed in well-lit areas). See an example of how San Jose, CA implemented this solution.
Agriculture
The days of the Little House on the Prairie-type farms are long gone. Today’s farms are using IoT technology to:
- conserve water,
- monitor soil conditions
- measure energy usage
This enables farmers to analyze data and become more efficient during future crop seasons. Farmers are able to track the location of grazing cattle and monitor air quality and ventilation within their barns, as well. Learn how John Deere is already ahead of this trend and implementing some of these technologies.
Furthermore, as the public places increasing demands on farmers for less pesticide usage, wireless sensors are being put into place to monitor pest counts and delivers pheromones to disrupt the mating patterns of pests, minimizing pesticide use. What an innovative idea!
Environmental
Along the same lines as many of the other industry solutions I’ve mentioned, sensors are able to conserve vast amounts of energy and resources across the globe. What’s more is that IoT allows the monitoring of drinking water quality, water and air pollution levels, and even noise pollution in urban areas, protecting us and the world around us.
Regardless of which industry sector you are in, the integration of IoT devices can be complex and difficult to achieve. Global technology companies, such as Advantech, specialize in IoT development. As pictured below, Advantech has an advanced IoT Cloud Structure that incorporates every phase of IoT integration, from IoT devices and sensors to IoT cloud and software services.
If you work in transportation, government, agriculture or environmental conservation, let us know how has IoT begun shaping your profession on Twitter @L-TronCorp.
About the Author:
Carmella Giancursio is L-Tron’s Public Relations Specialist & Content Editor. When she’s not working, spending time with her husband, or taking care of her 3 young kids, she can be found in the kitchen, channeling her Italian heritage! Email info@L-Tron.com with questions, or call us at (800) 830-9523