IoT / Internet of Things
Connecting physical devices to the internet. IoT enables data collection, remote control and automation in Industry 4.0, smart home and logistics.
The Internet of Things connects the physical and digital worlds. Sensors in machines, buildings, vehicles and everyday objects collect data that is analysed in the cloud – for predictive maintenance, energy optimization, logistics and automation. Estimates suggest over 30 billion IoT devices will be connected globally by 2030.
What is IoT / Internet of Things?
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the networking of physical objects (things) with the internet to capture, exchange and act on data. IoT devices range from simple sensors (temperature, humidity) and smart home kit (thermostats, lights) to complex industrial systems (robots, production lines). Key parts: sensors/actuators (measure and act), connectivity (Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, LoRaWAN, 5G, NB-IoT), IoT platform (ingestion and processing) and analytics (dashboards, alerts, ML).
How does IoT / Internet of Things work?
Data flow in IoT: 1) Capture: sensors measure physical quantities (temperature, vibration, position, power). 2) Transport: data is sent via MQTT, HTTP or CoAP to a gateway or the cloud. 3) Process: edge handles time-critical data; cloud handles history and analytics. 4) Analyse: dashboards and ML for patterns and anomalies. 5) Act: automated responses (e.g. shut down on overheating) or alerts to staff.
Practical Examples
Predictive maintenance: Vibration sensors on a CNC machine detect wear weeks before failure – planned maintenance instead of unplanned downtime.
Smart building: Motion, temperature and CO2 sensors control lighting, heating and ventilation – significant energy savings.
Fleet management: GPS and OBD in delivery vehicles for routing, driving behaviour and maintenance prediction.
Smart agriculture: Soil and weather data control irrigation – less water, same yield.
Asset tracking: BLE beacons and RFID track inventory and assets through the supply chain.
Typical Use Cases
Industry 4.0: Machine monitoring, quality control and production optimization in real time
Logistics: Real-time tracking, cold-chain monitoring and warehouse management
Building management: Energy, access control and facilities
Healthcare: Wearables and remote medical devices
Agriculture: Precision farming with soil, weather and plant data
Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- Data-driven decisions: Real-world data for better business decisions
- Automation: Physical processes automated from data and rules
- Cost savings: Predictive maintenance, energy and efficiency gains
- New business models: Pay-per-use, equipment-as-a-service, data-based services
- Scale: Cloud IoT platforms scale from tens to millions of devices
Disadvantages
- Security: IoT devices are often targeted and hard to patch
- Interoperability: Many proprietary protocols and standards
- Complexity: Hardware, firmware, connectivity, cloud and analytics
- Data volume: Millions of events per day need storage and processing strategy
- Reliability: Wireless links can be unreliable
Frequently Asked Questions about IoT / Internet of Things
How secure are IoT devices?
Which IoT protocol should I use?
What does an IoT project cost?
Related Terms
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