How the Internet of Things is Changing Even the Most Traditional Industries

Smart devices and the Internet of Things are changing even these unexpected industries.

If you think the Internet of Things (all those smart devices popping up in the market) can’t benefit your business, think again! Today’s smart devices are more efficient and business-friendly than ever before. As more and more parts of business get the IoT treatment, more benefits are being revealed. Don’t believe us? Take a look at what the Internet of Things is doing to even low-tech companies…and how it could be helping your business, too.

Agricultural Data

Today’s smart sensors are small and resistant enough to be planted in and around the soil. This has many farmers interested in the possibility of an IoT agricultural management system, where they can use software to monitor moisture, chemical balance, the presence of pets, and much more. It’s no surprise to see vineyards and other agricultural companies working with IBM tech to create these smart fields where everything can be monitored from a distance.

Construction Maintenance

The IoT is making two significant changes to the construction industry. The first is focused primarily on equipment: While RFID tags and other essential uses of smart devices have been around for years, newer sensors are being used in conventional construction materials and tools – the larger pieces that contractors must either invest in significantly or rent when a project requires their use. As a result, owners tend to be especially interested in how this equipment is performing and what sort of maintenance it needs (oil checks, safety checks, brake pads, fan belts, and dozens of other things). This led to the creation of rigorous checklists for this equipment, but the IoT has a new solution – hardware that comes with smart devices that monitor critical metrics and report immediately if anything needs attention. This makes equipment maintenance far easier and working with that equipment safer.

The second construction aspect benefiting from IoT is infrastructure repair. While it’s easy to get reports about potholes, actual engineering concerns are much harder to test. How do you know when a bridge is weakening, or when a concrete support is showing signs of internal crumbling? You equip them with sensors. In the future, new infrastructure will be increasingly likely to include sensors that provide reports on structural integrity so that governments and contractors know when they need attention.

Restaurant Energy

All companies can benefit a little from primary light sensors that turn off on schedules or based on motion detection to save energy. However, restaurants in particular benefit from more advanced electrical sensors. A smart restaurant can turn lights, ovens, heaters, refrigeration and water heaters on or off as needed based on the number of customers and the time of day, saving as much money as possible.

Site note: Web hosts and other data-hungry companies can save even more money by using the IoT to monitor temperatures, but this isn’t exactly a new application, so we’re not going to give it a separate heading. But if you have a server room, you should be using smart devices to save energy!

Vehicle Tracking

A lot of vehicle smart tech has been marketed toward parents and families, for obvious reasons: But businesses also have an invested interest in monitoring how their company vehicles are being used, where they are, and how they are performing. This applies to everything from vehicles provided to on-the-go marketers or realtors, as well as freight companies, so vehicle tracking is a typical investment in a variety of industries.

Ultimately, the IoT specializes in saving energy and tracking certain metrics, which can be useful to any company. But data security and proper implementation are necessary, or the investment will yield low ROI. ✅ Boston HelpDesk - Managed IT Services Provider in Boston can help you find the right Internet of Things solution for your Boston company. Give us a call at (617) 848-9393 or send us an email at info@bhdmsp.com and let us know how we can help!