The Internet of Things is the key driver behind a completely smart and secure home. IoT connects a variety of sensors, alarms, cameras, lights, and microphones to provide 24/7/365 security—all of which can be controlled from a smart phone. For example, the Ring doorbell camera security system allows users to see, hear, and speak to visitors at their door via a computer, tablet, or mobile phone.

Smart home security cameras provide alerts and a peace of mind. Photo: Ring

These sensor devices are designed to be worn during the day to monitor and transmit key health indicators in real time, such as fatigue, appetite, physical movement, oxygen levels, blood pressure, fall detection, and compliance with taking medicine. At-home health monitoring reduces the number of emergency doctor or hospital visits and helps elderly or disabled people live more independent lives.

In the manufacturing world, a digital twin is essentially an identical digital copy of a physical object. Using technologies including IoT, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, the digital twin can update itself as the physical object changes in response to its surrounding conditions. Engineers can use the digital twin, instead of the actual physical object, to make adjustments or test updates.

Relying on arrays of thousands of sensors, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, manufacturing equipment can be designed to recognize variances in its own operation, and correct them, before they turn into problems that require downtime and repair. This saves companies time and money and frees up employees who would normally monitor equipment and undertake maintenance to work on higher-level tasks.

Google Glass is essentially a small, lightweight computer that is worn like a pair of eyeglasses for hands-free work. The information is presented within the “lenses” of the glasses, which can access a variety of Internet applications, including Google Maps and Gmail. In industrial settings, workers often use them to pull up blueprints or product specifications. The latest edition of these smart glasses allows workers to stream clear “point of view” video from expert assistants in other locations using wi-fi.

Ingestible electronic devices, roughly the size of a pill and outfitted with a power supply, microprocessor, controller, and sensors, can be swallowed to monitor disease conditions and transmit data from within the gastrointestinal tract—for example, to detect bleeding or absorption of pharmaceuticals. Abilify MyCite was the first pill will a digital tracking system that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Farming can be a very high-tech endeavor these days. An increasing number of farmers are using IoT-enabled tools to monitor weather, soil composition, soil moisture levels, crop health and growth, and livestock activity. The data can also be analyzed to determine the best time to harvest plants and create fertilizer profiles and schedules.  Drones can also be used to collect photos and atmospheric data.

Considerable research is being done on developing smart contact lenses that can collect health information or treat specific eye conditions. Swiss company Sensimed has developed a noninvasive smart contact lens called Triggerfish that has a sensor embedded in a soft silicone contact lens that detects tiny fluctuations in an eye’s volume, which can be an indicator of glaucoma. The device transmits data wirelessly from the sensor to an adhesive antenna worn around the eye.