What is the Internet of Things ( IoT)?
The Internet of Things is the smart system that collects and shares data across the Internet. It consists of a network of physical object devices, vehicles, buildings, and other items embedded with sensors, software, and connectivity that enable them to collect and exchange data over the Internet.
The concept of IoT to the internet first emerged in the 1980s and 1990s. The use of IoT technology is widespread and continues to expand rapidly across various industries and sectors. Some of the important applications where IoT can be used are given below:
- Healthcare
- Agriculture
- Smart cities
- Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
- Smart Homes
According to Statista, the number of IoT-connected devices worldwide was projected to reach 35.82 billion in 2021 and is expected to increase to 75 billion by 2025. The adoption of IoT continues to evolve as technology advances which can lead to a change in modern engineering. With the emerging innovation, the IoT helps to offer huge advantages as it enables designers and engineers to gather new insights into the inner workings of infrastructure, machines, and much more.
IoT devices typically consist of three main components:
- Sensors and Actuators: These components help with the collecting of data from the environment or the device itself. some of the common types of sensor devices are temperature sensors, humidity sensors, Pressure sensors, light sensors, gas sensors, GPS sensors, etc. where actuators allow the device to respond immediately based on received instructions.
- Connectivity: IoT devices are connected to the internet, which allows them to send and receive data. They use various kinds of communication technologies such as cellular networks, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or specialized IoT protocols to establish connections with other devices or cloud-based platforms.
- Data Processing and Analytics: IoT devices can process and analyze the collected data locally or transmit it to a cloud-based platform for further analysis. These steps consist of cleaning the data, removing noise or outliers, and at the end transforming it into a suitable format for the analysis. And data processing helps to ensure that the data is reliable and ready for further analysis.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a potential way to bring about significant changes in modern engineering. Here are some of the ways that IoT can impact and change the field of engineering. They are given below
1. Advanced connectivity and communication
Enhanced connectivity and communication are the key benefits of the IoT. IoT increases connectivity and communication between devices, systems, and stakeholders. This helps engineers to collect real-time data from the sensors and devices which facilitates better monitoring, control, and decision-making, allows machine-to-machine communication, and provides cloud-based platform, and devices interconnectivity.
2. Fact-based decision making
IoT can be very helpful for making fact-based decisions. IoT generates multiple data from interconnected devices and systems which can be very helpful for engineers to gain valuable insights from the data and can be very useful for making fact-based decisions. Data analytics and machine learning algorithms can be used to extract valuable insights from the data.
3. Distance monitoring and control
IoT allows the engineer to access remote data and can control the devices from anywhere, at any time. Remote monitoring and control enable engineers to diagnose issues, troubleshoot problems and minimize downtime. IoT allows engineers to remotely monitor, control and process the data.
4. Safety and Risk Management
IoT can be very useful in the field of education for safety and risk management. IoT devices like sensors are used to monitor the environmental condition and are used to indicate the risk and hazards in such a way they can be used for safety and risk management purposes.
5. Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing
IoT can be used to provide collaboration among engineering teams and stakeholders. Such as real-time data sharing, communication platforms, and providing a knowledge-sharing platform where engineers can share their knowledge and information and can coordinate the task.
6. Smart Infrastructure and sustainable engineering
IoT can be used to develop smart infrastructure which can be very useful to create a more efficient, resilient, and friendly environment for engineers while working with technology. Smart infrastructure can be used to build sustainable engineering in the following way
- Water management
- Energy management
- Sustainable material and design
- Traffic management
- Air Quality Monitoring
- Waste management
- Structural Monitoring
In such a way we can say that smart infrastructure can be very important to build sustainable engineering.
7. Integration with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)
IoT Can be combined with artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms which enables data analysis and help for decision making. Artificial intelligence and machine learning can be used to process large volumes of data to identify patterns and help for making predictions. These integrations allow for intelligent automation which can be used to bring about significant changes in modern engineering
8. Automation and Efficiency
IoT helps to provide automation in various engineering processes which helps to reduce manual efforts and human error. Connected devices, system, and sensor can be combined to automate routine tasks, optimize operations and increase the overall efficiency in the engineering process which help to modernize the engineering task.
9. Innovation and New Opportunities
IoT opens up new possibilities for innovation and the development of new products, services, and business models which brings about significant innovation and creates new opportunities in the field of engineering. In this rapidly evolving landscape, where IoT can change modern engineering in various ways, it remains crucial for professional engineers to stay updated with the latest advancements and industry trends.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, the Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to significantly change modern engineering in various ways, such as advanced connectivity and communication, fact-based decision-making, automation, and process efficiency. The changes brought about by IoT offer numerous advantages in terms of efficiency, productivity, sustainability, and innovation in engineering, creating new opportunities in the field.
