Internet of Things

Paying with your credit card in a taxi or at the supermarket? That’s no longer a problem these days in many countries. Portable payment terminals can be easily connected using a mobile network – meaning you no longer have to worry about running out of cash while on the go.

Did you know that more than a third of all food worldwide ends up in the rubbish before it even gets to consumers? That’s because the path to your plate isn’t always optimal. And here’s where the Internet of Things comes into play: Food firms can use networked refrigerated logistics to keep complete control of the cooling chain – from farmer to final consumer.

Leaky pipelines don’t just waste a lot of money – they’re also damaging to the environment. That’s why they need to be monitored closely. But that’s not so easy, since they’re often deep under the ground or sea. Yet networked sensors can help detect even tiny leaks and raise the alarm. Oil and gas operators can then quickly shut down the affected part of the pipeline and repair it.

As a manufacturer with full order books, you simply can’t afford to have broken machinery. As soon as a faulty part has to be replaced, an expensive shutdown can’t be avoided – or can it? These days, networked sensors monitor the wear and tear on machinery around the clock. A computer calculates the remaining work life of a specific part so you can replace it during production downtime.

Even agriculture is at the vanguard of the networking movement. Sensors tell you as a farmer exactly when you need to water your crops and how much fertiliser your plants need. That saves resources and increases yields. And in a world with almost nine billion people to feed, smart farming is needed now more than ever.

Conventional street lighting accounts for more than 40 per cent of cities’ energy expenditure. By using smart street lighting systems in combination with LED lights, you can cut a city’s electricity costs by 30 to 70 per cent and its maintenance costs by 10 per cent. Once connected, you can switch the street lights on and off, and program lighting patterns and dimming behaviour remotely.