There are more devices capable of connecting to the internet hitting the market every day. While this statement may not be shocking to anyone with an interest in technology, what may be interesting is what some of the connections are.
One example of what people are connecting to the internet are cows.
Old MacDonald and the Internet of Things
In China, dairy farmers are using the internet to keep track of their cattle. They attach collars with wireless capability to the cows and these collars transmit biometric data to the farmer. Useful biometric data collected includes heart rate and body temperature. With this data farmers can improve the cows’ milk production, and thus, increase their yearly profit. In some cases, their profit increases by $420 per year or 50 percent.
IoT: An Increase of Things
This technology also has the capability to lift productivity, increase efficiency and economic growth, as well as help to reduce waste. Additionally, the McKinsey Global Institute study concluded that a “fully networked internet of things” by 2025 would be capable of increasing the global economy by $11 trillion each year.
To achieve this kind of benefit from the IoT, it will require changes in both data management and delivery. Since the current broadband networks we use exist to serve people (i.e. to make phone calls, surf the internet, play online games, video chat, etc.) they are more limited than you’d think. This will mean the network capability needed is much greater. Moreover, this will mean that there are even more big changes in the future for IoT.