In today’s data-driven world, IoT is the latest buzz word and its implementation into the workplace is an evolution, we are moving towards a highly connected world. This trend will continue to spread in favor of SMEs and allow them to discover innovative ways to work.
Although we have many connectivity options like smartphones, tablets with productivity apps, new IoT tools like vehicle streaming cameras, weather APIs, user’s fitness/behavior monitoring etc could make your workplace smarter and stay ahead of the competition.
If you Google What is IoT?
Someone says
IoT is a system of inter-related computing devices, an ecosystem of physical objects accessed through the internet, a network of devices….
Let’s have a look at what Kevin Ashton says about IoT?
Kevin, a visionary technologist named the term IoT in 1999 and describe it as a system where the Internet is connected to the physical world via ubiquitous sensors.
In an Interview Kevin said IoT meant using the Internet to empower computers to sense the world for themselves.
When put in simple terms this is how IoT works
Sensors present in the devices/wearable collects the data from the environment and sends to the cloud via internet, once it reaches, the software analyzes and process the data, finally the information is made available to the user in the form of a notification or alert.
Thanks to the advances in technology, we’ve been experiencing varying levels of smart offices.
The current IoT-enabled smart office environment changed the way people do things in the workplace thus making offices more comfortable and collaborative.
Through the decades, a number of new ideas and technology entered into the company’s innovation pipeline and opened new possibilities.
As long as a company is embracing latest technology it has a smart office.
A brief history of smart office — Then and how a decade changed the workplace.
IoT in the workplace has many benefits and is globally trending mainly to increase work flexibility, improve connectivity and enhance overall employee productivity., a good IoT strategy to add several other use cases.
Zion Market Research estimated that the potential for future growth of IoT devices in the workplace is massive. Global smart office market which was valued around USD 21.2 billion in 2017 is expected to increase by more than two times and reach USD 49.7 billion by 2024. The demand for IoT solutions has propelled with the increased dependency on cloud computing technology.
Here are three specific applications of IoT to showcase how it can transform the workplace into smart office.
Augmented-Reality Workplace Environment
What comes to your mind when you hear Augmented Reality?
Pokemon GO?
Yes, Pokemon Go has become the most successful mobile game in the Augmented Reality (AR) space and has broken all the records of popularity.
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality (VR) have focused primarily on gaming and entertainment but now AR devices & applications are finding their way to the workplace and soon it will completely reshape the way you work.
AR via head-worn wearable devices like a pair of smart glasses and a little space to wiggle your arms enables the user to comfortably work in the virtual office, function better, significantly increase speed, accuracy, efficiency and productivity.
An AR technology based headsets can replace desktops and laptops, it’s no wonder by issuing a vocal command user can get the needed information in a fraction of seconds.
For instance, AGCO an agricultural company got benefited from IoT, it could successfully increase its productivity and improve product quality.
AGCO adopted a smarter and better IoT solution to conduct in-depth quality inspection of its finished product in their tractor manufacturing site in Jackson, Minnesota, USA.
Earlier quality check sheets were accessed through papers, with the development of technology they started using computers and later replaced it with smartphones/tablets.
They then faced the problem of broken tablets and the cost of replacing them was high. It was in 2014, AGCO started using smart glasses connected through IoT to assist their staff with quality control.
AGCO was pleased with the results and considers IoT as a win-win solution.
Smart Lighting
Smart lighting is the best way to go with if you have plans to deliver visual comforts with lighting that suits the tasks your employee does.
Connect the smart lights to a smart device and control them, eliminate unnecessary lighting hours and create good ergonomics, the smart control systems when senses there is no movement automatically turns off the lights thus saving energy and your electricity bills up to 40%.
The light intensity sensor integrates the daylight and the artificial light, adjusts it in accordance with natural light to provide a pleasant quality lighting throughout the day and of course everyday.
Improve the time, experience and quality at workplace by letting IoT into the workplace.
Virtual Assistant
You can coolly call it as your cyber secretary or an intelligent personal assistant.
Virtual assistant is an internet connected voice enabled application powered by artificial intelligence to understand your voice commands and get your everyday tasks done faster, better and more easily.
Virtual Assistant rely on speech recognition technology to listen and understand your every word. You can ask by saying their name (Eg: Hey Siri…) to wake you up, search queries, send text messages, make a phone call, book a meeting room, set up reminders and appreciably more.
Whether you’re using Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri or Samsung’s Bixby they all have great potential in the workplace.
AI enabled text-to-speech and speech-to-text hosted services to help engineers and medical practitioners quickly find solutions for complex tasks they perform.
The other IoT applications in the workplace to gain momentum in the near future includes Sensitive Planters, Smart Door Locks, Climate Control, Water Gauges, Window Shades, Motion Sensors, Audio Video Conferencing System, Fire and Safety Control System and much more
IoT is a unique opportunity for businesses to retain employees, add customer value and loyalty.
IoT platform can be optimized with various features as per the user’s requirement.
