IoT is the Internet of Things! Explaining the mechanism, what can be achieved, and implementation examples

“What is IoT?”
"I want to know what can be achieved with IoT"

I'm sure there are many people who don't know exactly what IoT is and have questions like these. IoT is a technology that connects and utilizes things with the Internet.You can remotely issue instructions to objects and accurately grasp the condition of objects through the Internet. This allows machines to replace humans in situations that previously required direct human operation or relied on human experience.

By enabling automation and leveling with IoT, various issues such as improving business efficiency can be resolved. On the other hand, it must be noted that IoT has issues such as high power consumption and the need for security measures.

This article explains the meaning and definition of IoT, how it works, what it can achieve, challenges, implementation examples, and frequently asked questions about IoT technology. Please refer to it if you want to deepen your understanding of IoT.

I will explain what exactly IoT is in the following two sections.

• What is IoT? Brief explanation of meaning, definition, and official name
• Easy-to-understand explanation of how IoT works

IoT is an abbreviation for "Internet of Things" and refers to a system that connects various things to the Internet.

Previously, only computers such as personal computers and servers could connect to the Internet. As IT technology advances, computers have become smaller, making it possible to incorporate computers into objects used in a variety of situations. As a result, more and more objects that can connect to the Internet are appearing.

Products that connect various everyday objects such as home appliances and cars to the Internet are called IoT devices. For example, with IoT devices, you can remotely control the lights in your home using your smartphone. IoT devices are being incorporated into various settings such as homes and workplaces, contributing to improved convenience.

Please refer to the article below for specific examples of IoT.
10 concrete examples of IoT! It is used not only in everyday products but also in agriculture and medicine.

Easy-to-understand explanation of how IoT works

IoT equips devices with communication devices, sensors, etc., and allows them to operate according to instructions via the Internet.The following five elements are mainly required for an IoT system.

IoT devices are basically equipped with communication functions to connect to the Internet and sensors to receive commands. There are various types of sensors, including those that respond to images and sounds.

The data acquired by the sensors is stored in a server or cloud via a network. At this time, a gateway relays and converts the data, bridging the gap between different networks and devices.

Data collected by IoT devices is stored, analyzed, and processed on the cloud. The data is then sent to the application, which operates the device as instructed. Depending on how data is used, it may be possible to create new services or use it to solve problems.

Please refer to the article below for details on IoT gateway.
IoT gateway is a communication relay device! Explaining the mechanism and examples of implementation in industry

Explaining what can be achieved by introducing IoT

There are four main things that can be achieved by introducing IoT:

• Manipulating things
• Understand the status of things
• Detect the movement of things
• Communicate between things

operate things

By introducing IoT, you will be able to control things.Since instructions can be sent via the Internet, you can operate the device remotely without having to operate it directly.

For example, in addition to operating the lights mentioned earlier, you can also use your smartphone to open and close the front door of your home. Operate your smartphone to issue instructions to the device, and the device executes the instructions via the Internet. This way, you can operate it on the go.

In addition, for industrial applications, it may be possible to remotely move factory equipment or operate security cameras. If there is an abnormality in factory equipment, a message can be sent to the equipment owned by the administrator.

What used to be possible to operate and monitor equipment directly on-site can now be done remotely, which will lead to improved operational efficiency and productivity.

Understand the status of things

The introduction of IoT makes it easier to understand the status of things.You can understand the status of things by acquiring information with sensors and analyzing the information stored on the cloud.

In IoT, sensors detect and accumulate data on the movement and usage of things. For example, vital signs such as a person's breathing and pulse can be measured using IoT. This will allow doctors to accurately assess the patient's physical condition.

The ability to understand the status of things is also used for infrastructure maintenance and management. When transportation infrastructure such as roads and bridges deteriorates, it can cause accidents and traffic jams. However, regular inspections and maintenance take time and effort, and it is also necessary to secure personnel with specialized knowledge. However, by understanding the status of things using IoT, it is possible to maintain a certain level of quality while significantly reducing the time and effort that would previously be required.

Detect the movement of things

IoT can detect the movement of things.Sensors installed in the device allow us to obtain data about the device's operation. Sensors installed in IoT devices can obtain the following information.

• sound and light
• temperature
• movement of people or objects

Communicate between things

With the introduction of IoT, communication between things is also possible.Objects can communicate with each other via the Internet and operate based on the communicated content.

For example, conventionally, to operate an office air conditioner, a person would be present and use a remote control to turn it on, turn it off, change temperature settings, etc. However, with IoT, data acquired by temperature sensors in office buildings can be automatically sent to air conditioners, and the temperature can be changed based on the received data. Things that were previously operated by humans can now be automated through communication between things. This makes it possible to automatically maintain a comfortable temperature without any human intervention.

Even in situations where different people may make different decisions, IoT allows them to make decisions based on accumulated data. Also, depending on how it is used, it can make decisions and activate them faster than humans can, so it can be very useful when a quick response is required.

For more details on the benefits of using IoT, please refer to the following article.
What are the benefits of IoT? Introducing it will improve the efficiency of your work and data collection!

Challenges of IoT (internet of things)

IoT has two challenges:

• Demand for power-saving IoT devices
• Security measures are required

Please refer to the article below for details on IoT issues.
IoT issues (issues) include security measures and power supply! Explanation of the benefits of introduction

Demand for power-saving IoT devices

Power-saving IoT devices are required to realize an environmentally friendly IoT.IoT requires a lot of electricity for long-distance communication, operating on-board sensors, data communication, etc.

As power consumption increases, the burden on your electricity bill increases proportionately. Although it may not be a huge burden for one device, if you install multiple devices, it could become a burden that cannot be ignored. This can be a major challenge when implementing it in industrial applications, as it increases the cost burden.

Furthermore, if power cannot be secured for some reason, IoT devices may stop working. It is particularly important to be prepared for power supply cuts caused by natural disasters such as earthquakes and heavy rains. To ensure that devices can continue to operate even in emergencies when power is unavailable, it is essential to make them energy-efficient.

When introducing IoT devices, you should check the power consumption of the devices. In some cases, you may need to build a low-power network such as NB-IoT. It is recommended that you consult with your provider for details.

Security measures are required

Another issue is that IoT devices require security measures.Since it connects to the Internet, there is an unavoidable risk of cyber attacks. In fact, there is the following case where an American company suffered a cyber attack.

[Dyn (USA)]
・A DDoS attack reportedly reaching 1.2 Tbps occurred against Dyn's DNS server from approximately 100,000 IoT devices infected with Mirai* and involved in the attack.

- Various major client sites around the world (Twitter, Netflix, Spotify, UK government websites, etc.) experienced intermittent access issues for several hours.

* Mirai is malware that automatically infects IoT devices and has functions such as executing DDoS attacks using the infected devices as a springboard in response to instructions from the attacker.

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications | Current status and issues related to cyber security, etc. October 2017 | Page 2 (as of January 10, 2024)

Useful for business! Explaining IoT implementation examples

We will explain four examples of IoT implementation.

• Examples of implementation in agriculture
• Example of implementation in a factory
• Examples of implementation in manufacturing industry
• Examples of use in logistics

Example of implementation in a factory

This is an example from Germany, but by introducing it to a factory, the following effects can be achieved.

○International standardization of communication standards
○Share and analyze data in real time with the supply chain and customers
○ Enables equalization of equipment utilization rate, high-mix low-volume production, early detection of abnormalities, demand forecasting, etc.

Source: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry | Reference materials collection ① Advanced examples from Japan and abroad | Page 13 (as of February 21, 2024)

Examples of implementation in manufacturing industry

There are also cases where it has been introduced in the manufacturing industry.

<③Data analysis/learning>
A function for the quality control program computer of the production line to receive inspection result data representing the results of inspecting each of the predetermined inspection items on the product after the predetermined manufacturing process from the inspection equipment via the network, and to store it in the database. A function of receiving manufacturing condition data from manufacturing equipment via a network and storing it in the database in association with the test result data, A function that causes a neural network to learn the relationship between the manufacturing condition data and the manufacturing condition that caused the nonconformity using deep learning, a function that monitors the inspection result data accumulated in the database, and detects nonconformity inspection results through the monitoring. A quality control program for a manufacturing line for realizing a function of estimating manufacturing conditions that caused the nonconformity by using the trained neural network when the nonconformity occurs.

Source: Japan Patent Office | Regarding enhancement of case studies related to IoT-related technologies, etc. | Page 32 (as of February 21, 2024)

Examples of use in logistics

There are also cases where it has been introduced in logistics.

Logistics example) Real-time tracking

Source: Japan Patent Office | Enhancing case studies on IoT-related technologies, etc. | Page 5 (as of February 21, 2024)

• Please tell me the development cost of IoT.
• What is a beacon in IoT?

Please tell me the development cost of IoT.

IoT development costs range from several hundred million yen to several hundred million yen, as follows:

*Costs vary depending on development content and scale.

Costs vary depending on the content and scale of development, as well as whether you outsource or develop in-house. Therefore, it cannot be generalized. If you would like to know more about costs, please contact us.

What is a beacon in IoT?

A beacon in IoT refers to a device or technology that transmits a signal wirelessly.Beacons can transmit information about the location of the object they are installed on, and can also transmit data from the beacon to a receiving device.

One of the reasons why beacons are being used in IoT is the emergence of beacons that utilize BLE*, a type of Bluetooth.

*BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) is a type of short-distance wireless communication standard.

summary

IoT is a system that connects all kinds of things to the Internet and is used in a variety of situations.This technology is widely used in business because it allows you to grasp the status of things even when you are far away and allows you to operate them remotely. It will also help improve work efficiency and productivity because it can automate tasks that previously required human intervention.

However, IoT has issues such as high power consumption and difficulty in security measures. If it is difficult to secure electricity, there is a risk that IoT devices will not be able to be used, so it is important to understand these issues when introducing IoT.

If you have any IoT-related concerns, please feel free to contact us.