Sometimes, as new technologies emerge, we are surrounded by them so quickly, they become ubiquitous.
That’s the case with the Internet of Things – or IoT – and we will only become more immersed in the world as time goes on.
Smart devices
At its simplest level, IoT refers to devices which can be connected to the internet and collect data. They may be programmable to perform in a certain way – like a smart light which turns on as the sun sets – or even simpler sensors which measure just about anything one would want to measure.
Even in a “dumb house” (as compared to a smart house), one may have a few security cameras and a doorbell connected to the internet, with the video feed available to the user at any time via smartphone. Or, you may not have lights which can turn on remotely, but many people have home assistant devices. It could be possible to have no smart home devices, only to look down on your wrist at that smart watch which records when you sleep, your steps, exercise and so much more.
And in the future, adoption of smart devices will only continue to rise.
IIoT
On the business side, or the Industrial Internet of Things, data sensors and monitors have helped revolutionize manufacturing.
As manufacturers have turned to more automated processes, these sensors work to do an almost unlimited number of operations.
One example is a beer bottling line.
Every single bottle needs to be poured to the same level. There can’t be too much oxygen in the bottle when the top is screwed on. If the bottles vibrate too much, the beer will foam up and lose not only carbonation but volume, also. Then, the tops need to be tightened, the bottles need to be cleaned, and then boxed up.
Oh, and quickly too!
Besides the bottling line, there are other needs for IoT at a brewery, too.
We put that in motion at Crazy Mountain Brewery in 2021.
Crazy Mountain Brewing and IoT Ensemble
At Crazy Mountain, in Denver, CO they needed to know the temperature of their beer when it was brewing. There are certain thresholds, and if they’re exceeded, the beer will have to be discarded.
We were able to quickly put together a simple temperature sensor, an online dashboard and website to view the information. And when their boiler got too cold, the brewmaster was alerted and they saved their batch.
Report: Businesses aren’t using IoT data effectively
The above example is only one of a myriad of possible businesses who could be positively impacted by using IoT more effectively. Perhaps a trucking company which monitors refrigeration trailers, as well as engine wear and tear etc. Or a massive warehouse which needs to always know the location of everything inside it.
According to Inmarsat, a majority of businesses they interviewed are not using their IoT data to its fullest. Note: Report found here.
Inmarsat interviewed over 450 businesses from across oil and mining, transportation, agriculture and other sectors, with 86% saying they don’t use IoT data well enough.
“While our latest research shows that the majority of today’s organisations are now gathering IoT data, there is still plenty more that businesses need to do to derive the maximum benefit from it.
The ultimate measure of an IoT project’s success is how it improves the way a company and its partner eco-system operates. This is largely resultant on the type of data extracted and how it is shared and turned into practical and actionable business insights in a timely manner.”
More specifically, 46% of respondents said there was a delay between data collection and delivery, while another 33% cited a lack of IoT strategy completely.
IoT Ensemble as the solution
If delivery is a problem – or security is a worry, as with some of the respondents – IoT Ensemble can help with both issues.
Our platform is able to collect and visualize sensor data in real-time. And dashboards can be outfitted with wonderfully flexible interactivity. Users can select data points and see how they relate to others, or where they land in terms of time and date etc.
And in terms of security, dashboards are so easily customizable, managers can be assured the data is only being shared with the personnel who absolutely need it. By using micro frontends, we can limit the accessibility to sensitive information. For example, each dashboard will basically act as its own website, and each dashboard can have its own password to log in.
For a company which works with multiple other businesses, each one of those associations can have their own “site” within your larger, comprehensive website that handles all the IoT data.
Or businesses can open the information up – which is the current trend per the report – and allow anyone in the company to not only view, but make suggestions for improvements, too. Beyond that, companies can even share the information with third parties and more, as the report argues should be done.
“Four out of five businesses currently share the data created from their IoT projects only within their organisation, due to concerns around security or privacy, limiting their ability to extract real business value from this data,” explained Inmarsat president Mike Carter.
At Fathym, we give companies the freedom of choice to do with their information whatever they’d like. We help you gather that data – from one or 1,000 sensors – and help you display it in a way which helps you better understand and use that data.
Join Fathym
Fathym is currently free to try, not only on the IoT Ensemble side, but also with the Fathym platform. Businesses and individuals are encouraged to sign up today, start managing their data in IoT Ensemble and then flashup real-time dashboards and visualizations to monitor the IoT data.
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