A REMOTE CONTROL TO LIFE

Manilka Ediriweera discusses the impact of the Internet of Things on life

The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the most disrupting and defining technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and it’s transforming the way we live and work. IoT is defined as the interconnection of physical objects through the internet by facilitating linkage and exchange of data between devices and systems.

A survey by Forbes Insights concludes that senior executives consider IoT to be the most significant technology initiative from among AI, robotics and others. And Bain & Company, one of the top global management consulting firms, expects the IoT market to grow by over US$ 500 billion in 2021.

From smart homes and cities to healthcare and manufacturing, here’s a peek into how IoT impacts our businesses as well as lives. It helps reduce costs, waste and inefficiency while leading people to a better quality of life through the creation of smart homes, cars, healthcare wearables and appliances, and even smart umbrellas!

So how comfortable and convenient would life be if you could adjust the temperature of the air conditioner at home when leaving the office or use smart locks to unlock your home from your car when it’s pouring with rain outside?

How helpful would it be if smart gardening systems could automatically know whether to increase or reduce the supply of water to your plants and lawn based on weather patterns?

Advancements in such technology have led to a connectedness that has made all this possible.

IoT also facilitates remote monitoring of health through smart healthcare technology – examples include smart wearables; the automatic generation of grocery lists through smart refrigerators that sense when staples are low and need to be replenished; and monitoring a baby’s breathing activity and temperature through smartphones.

These are only a few possibilities of how IoT can change our way of life. Smartphones will play an even more vital role in the future andeventually become the ‘remote control to life.’


The Internet of Things is also transforming the way we do business with many sectors cashing in on the benefits. This ever growing network of connected devices also includes a mixture of sensors, AI, cloud technology and analytics that generate zettabytes of data.

Businesses then use this information to produce and deliver precise insights, enhanced efficiency and safety. The flexibility of this technology ensures application across sectors ranging from agriculture to retail and healthcare with each of them having the potential to reap rewards from IoT.

Here are several ways that IoT can be leveraged across all operations of a business to better manage the processes concerned.

Its application in manufacturing is becoming a high priority for enterprises. By placing IoT sensors on their manufacturing units, organisations can measure, record and manage the performance of equipment and processes.

These sensors can identify waste, substandard raw materials and the effects of environmental factors, and enable enterprises to enhance the quality of products and gain cost savings easily, all of which lead to product optimisation.

Supply chain management is another area that’s being impacted by IoT. Global retail giant Amazon has automated its supply chain process with IoT enabled robots and is one of the best examples of how this technology has transformed its efficiency.

This move has resulted in improvements in warehouse management and lower operational costs, and saved the company US$ 20 million a year to boot. In addition, IoT enabled solutions can also help streamline distribution and manage logistical costs.

Asset tracking and management using comprehensive IoT solutions help organisations monitor efficiency, health and location of assets. Organisations can then use this real-time data to optimise the use of assets, maximise ROI and reduce downtime.

Moreover, IoT has had a notable impact on customer experience by drastically altering how they obtain and consume industrial equipment.

For instance, Rolls-Royce uses IoT in its engines on commercial aircraft, which supplies data about the performance of these engines. When businesses pass on such data to their clients, these organisations can proactively schedule maintenance operations, and save themselves time and money.

However, even as IoT supports businesses and individuals to improve their quality of life, it does bring with it certain privacy and security issues as well. Nevertheless, it is revolutionising the way we work and live, and no matter where we are – in a crowded metropolis or the mundane countryside – it will connect us to a better and safer future.

With IoT drastically reshaping our lives and businesses, it will be fascinating to see what the future holds for the Internet of Things.