The Internet of Things (IoT)is a group of electronic devices that are connected and share data using sensors and software. These devices are typically smart devices, including smartphones, voice assistants, smart locks, smart switches, and smart refrigerators.

But the IoT is not limited to devices people can find at home since they also include equipment retrofitted with smart sensors to allow them to connect to the network. These equipment include livestock trackers, heart monitors, and jet engines.

The IoT has a huge impact on different industries and has changed the lives of people around the world. Here are some of the changes people experienced in their lives due to the IoT.

Smart Homes

A smart home is a home setup where different devices connect to allow homeowners to automate some functions in the house while controlling others remotely. Smart homes have become ubiquitous as people have started to automate their homes to make home life convenient.

While a smart home isn’t affordable for everyone, its components are readily available to many people. These components include smartphones, smart refrigerators, smart locks, smart thermostats, and other smart appliances at home.

Owners of smart homes can easily turn on the air conditioning unit in their homes even if they are still on the road. They can also pre-heat the oven to prepare it for the dish they will cook once they arrive. Once they are at the driveway, they can open the garage door automatically and set the smart alarms once they are inside their home.

The convenience offered by smart devices has made these types of homes appealing for people who are looking for houses for sale. It also increases the resale value of homes for people who intend to sell their homes in the future.

Health and Fitness

Another way the IoT changed the lives of people is in health and fitness. People who use fitness trackers and similar wearable devices. A fitness tracker is a wearable Internet of Things device that collects the biometric information of the user. It also monitors their sleep-wake rhythms every day and measures the distance they walked or run. These devices also have sensors that measure the heartbeat and calorie consumption.

Aside from monitoring the health and fitness of the user, these wearable devices also warn the user if it does not monitor any movement for a long time. These devices can help its users stay fit and healthy, which is quite important during a pandemic.

Medical Care

Medical wearables and smart technology allow medical professionals to provide long-term care to patients who are staying in their homes. This will enable hospitals and other medical facilities to free up bed space for patients who require hospital care.

These virtual hospitals are currently being tested in different parts of the world, including the UK, Australia, and the Middle East. It is ideal for the pandemic since it can reserve hospital bed space for severe coronavirus cases. Doctors can monitor the patients remotely using a pulse oximeter to measure oxygen saturation levels and armpit patches that allow them to measure body temperature. These devices transmit data to the virtual hospital staff through the phones of the patients.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention of the United Arab Emirates also has virtual clinics offering outpatient services through digital communications systems and smart technology. These virtual clinics also provide other health services, including pediatrics and cardiology.

These virtual hospitals may be the future of medical care as some patients can stay home while being monitored by medical professionals from a hospital.

Transportation

IoT also has a lot of applications in the transport industry. One of these applications is toll and ticketing, where IoT-enabled vehicles connect to the toll station that will automatically lift the barrier once it identified the car. For older cars without IoT capabilities, the driver can use an app on the smartphone to do the same thing.

Traffic management also benefits from Internet of things – IoT as data collected through traffic cameras to help cities manage traffic in their areas. The data can facilitate the operation of traffic lights and provide the necessary assistance when accidents happen on the road.

Additionally, cars with sensors facilitate monitoring different parts of the vehicle, including the engines, brakes, and tire pressure. These cars can also use radars and cameras to allow them to detect and communicate with other vehicles to facilitate smooth traffic flow and prevent collisions.

While (Internet of Things) IoT isn’t widely used at the moment, it has started to benefit people who are already using it in their daily lives.