What is your IoT Thing?

IoT means connecting Things to the Internet and derive value from the data, information and control of the Things. So, what is your IoT Thing OR how do you make your Thing IoT?

In the IoT world, a thing is any device, product, machine, piece of equipment, system or even site that is part of and used in your business. It is also any of the above that you sell or provide to or use with your customers. Many words to describe Things – how about some examples:

• A Producer of Industrial Monitoring Systems wants to know that their monitoring system is working the way it is supposed to. In this case, the Monitoring System is ‘the Thing’ and connecting it to the Internet can be implemented using an IoT Gateway receiving status information and delivering relevant information to an IoT solution implemented in the cloud. The right IoT implementation will let the customer provide better uptime and save time and money.
• A Security Company wants to monitor opening and closing of gates in geographically disbursed fenced locations across the country. In this case the gate is ‘the Thing’ and an IoT device sensing an open/close state delivers the relevant information to an IoT solution implemented in the cloud. The right IoT implementation will let the customer provide new security services.
• A Pest Control Company wants to monitor the traps that they deploy with customers across an urban area so that they only visit when the trap has been sprung. In this case the trap is ‘the Thing’ and an IoT device sensing an open/close state delivers the relevant information to an IoT solution implemented in the cloud. The right IoT implementation will let the customer only visit traps with animals in them.
• A Manufacturing Company wants to monitor the production cycles and efficiency of manufacturing equipment and processes in their plant or plants. Modern machinery may have industrial networking interfaces that provide this information, but older equipment may not. In this case, each piece of manufacturing equipment is ‘the Thing’ and the challenge is to decide how to harness relevant status, operational and control information from each and deliver it to an IoT solution implemented in the cloud. The right IoT implementation will let the customer monitor uptime and save money by reducing down time.
• A Manufacturer of Commercial and Residential Elevators wants to monitor their use and detect problems before the customer does. It also wants to provide their distributors with a better way to provide preventive and ‘just in time’ service to their customers. In this case, each elevator is ‘the Thing’ and the best way is to integrate an already available IoT enabled embedded computer with the existing control electronics using available GPIO and serial inputs/outputs. With this solution incorporating edge computing, integration with a cloud based IoT solution is mostly done. The right IoT implementation will let the customer provide better customer service by scheduling in-time service calls and also perform better preventive maintenance.
• A Manufacturer of Medical Devices and Monitors is looking for a way to differentiate their products in a competitive environment. In this case, each device and monitor is ‘the Thing’ and the challenge is to decide how to turn them into IoT Things by adding embedded processing and connectivity into their existing or new designs so that they can be integrated with IoT web and mobile application solutions. The right IoT implementation will let the customer provide premium product solutions improving competitiveness.
• An Unknown Company looking to enhance their existing business by incorporating IoT is looking for a way to do it. At Tirotos, our goal is to make it happen by turning ‘your Thing’ into ‘an IoT Thing’ and then put together the cloud based IoT solution that will grow your business and create new and better customer experiences.

You probably know what your IoT Thing is. If not, Triotos will help you identify it and advice how to make your Thing IoT and create IoT business opportunities around it.