IoT in civil engineering
Internet Of Things

How IoT Is Transforming Civil Engineering

The smarter technology gets, the more interactive and interconnected larger systems become. That’s certainly the case with IoT in civil engineering, as sensors that monitor and transmit data are showing up everywhere in society. Utilities, manufacturers, and supply chains were early pioneers of this empowering digital technology, and now many other industries are following suit. Here’s a look at how IoT is advancing civil engineering.


IoT Integration with Civil Engineering

Not only has IoT expanded to the retail and healthcare sectors, IoT is gaining increasing momentum in civil engineering as well. Economic analysts expect the global market for IoT will reach $1.5 trillion by 2030, which will reflect exponentially more usage than today. About 20 billion interactive devices are currently connected to the internet. Civil engineering, which involves design, construction, and maintenance for public and private projects, already plays a huge role in this evolution. Renovation of infrastructure elements such as roads, bridges, and airports will be the norm in this ongoing digital transformation.

Prior to the industrial revolution, the terms “civil engineer” and “architect” were generally synonyms that referred to the same profession, as usage was based on geography. During the technological age, a civil engineer is someone who resolves problems in society with scientific or technological solutions through project management. Many of today’s civil engineers work for construction companies, helping with project planning.

The construction industry has many reasons to integrate with IoT technology. It may involve construction of smart buildings that are embedded with countless sensors or it can even be used for construction companies to monitor their own projects in real time. Going more digital empowers any type of organization, as it can collect data on its operations to determine how to achieve greater production efficiency.


Civil Engineering Applications for IoT Technology

Adopting proactive steps toward preventative maintenance – The civil engineering industry is working toward reducing waste and enhancing efficiency. IoT devices give civil engineers the data they need for evaluating system strengths and vulnerabilities. Detecting and fixing technical problems early is the best path for achieving preventative maintenance.


Construction management streamlining – Project management is all about monitoring supplies, labor, and other factors that affect meeting deadlines on time. Decision-makers can analyze real-time data on supply chain inventory and prices to determine building strategies as the project unfolds. IoT technology can also be used to track specific workers, supplies, vehicles, or equipment.

Agility, accuracy, and transparency of automation – Despite the steady transition to a paperless society, construction projects still involve plenty of handwritten forms and paperwork. Automation technology resolves the problem of when paperwork piles up too high, as cloud tools add data automatically to continuous reports on expenses, scheduling and progress. By making project data immediately available to stakeholders, construction firms are becoming more reliable and accountable to project funders.

Project safety improvements – Since construction sites have many dangerous elements, it’s crucial for project managers to be informed immediately when an injury or property damage occurs. IoT sensors and smart cameras can collect instant data on site conditions, including security breaches. Individual workers can be monitored at all times through a shared connection to ensure safety as well as productivity.

More intelligent IT support – IT support only gets better the more relevant data it collects. Ultimately, the IoT revolution is all about putting value and trust in analytics, which can then help you refine your operation by weeding out wasteful inefficiencies. The more you’re able to identify problems in your production process, the faster you’ll be able to resolve them using your own analytical skills or with the help of AI technology.


Conclusion

Adoption of IoT in civil engineering has helped accelerate society’s digital transformation. Integrating data sensors in construction projects help avoid costly mistakes and improve the final product. Essentially, construction companies that invest in IoT today will have significant operational advantages over competitors of the future.

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Internet Of Things

How IoT Sensors Are Paving the Way Toward Smart Cities

Populations around the world keep growing in urban areas as a United Nations report projects that 68% of the population will reside in cities by 2050. To prepare for this growth, smart cities are emerging to make life more sustainable.

At the core of this digital transformation are IoT sensors placed in devices, vehicles, and buildings to monitor processes. Here’s a look at the role IoT sensors is playing in this revolution.


The Essence of Smart Cities

One of the main objectives of a smart city is to optimize resources to achieve cost efficiency with minimal impact on the environment. Technology that comprises IoT sensors and other modern advancements, such as AI and automation, carries the “smart” label. A smart city is one that has embedded wireless interactive sensors throughout its infrastructure to improve the quality of life for its residents. It includes smart meters that deliver real-time data to customer apps.

Smart cities are steadily evolving around the world, usually involving the deployment of tens of thousands of sensors just within a Downtown area. In fact, in some metropolitan areas, smart parking and smart streetlights have already been in use for years.


Utility Sensors

Aside from local government and large manufacturing plants, power and water utility companies are among the earliest pioneers to use smart technology. The proliferation of smart meters has helped utilities cut production costs and avoid waste, turning them into more sustainable firms. Sensors can detect real-time deficiencies in a power distribution system, which trigger automation software to draw electricity instantly from alternative backup sources, such as solar energy.

Smart meters also help consumers track their energy and water consumption in real time through mobile apps. This capability eliminates the chances of surprise energy bills. Many homeowners have weatherized their homes to include smart thermostats that can be controlled remotely through the cloud. IoT technology has also helped big cities cut water waste in half now that they can quickly locate pipe leaks detected by wireless sensors throughout the water distribution system.


Toward a New Digital Infrastructure

Local officials around the world need to rethink their infrastructure and move toward smart technology. Not only can smart cities be based on interconnected services within an ecosystem, but they also offer motorists current data on road conditions at their fingertips to make decisions on commute routing, detours, and parking. Instead of driving around in circles and wasting gas looking for a parking slot in a crowded part of town, drivers can now make parking plans and payments through their smartphones.

Another dimension to smart cities is public transportation. Smart technology allows traffic officials to study driving patterns on city streets from a central location. They can monitor speed levels and other driving behavior to ensure public safety. Each bus from an entire fleet can communicate its exact geolocation through GPS to headquarters, along with fuel levels and a wide range of other data to ensure the vehicle is safe to drive.

One of the most important challenges of this digital transformation will be to reduce various forms of pollution in the environment. Agricultural businesses particularly need to invest in smart technology for the sake of monitoring water consumption and soil condition. Officials can monitor Ambient Air Quality (AAQ) and send alerts to citizens in high-risk areas. Sensors will further detect dangerous chemicals and toxic substances in indoor workplaces, contributing to a healthier workforce. City planners are forced to face the challenge of a growing population that will put more strain on the environment and resources. The inevitable solution for cities is to adopt smart technology and maximize it to lower costs and boost productivity as much as possible.

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Personalized Travel: How IoT Is Changing the Flying and Hotel Experiences

The travel industry has proven quick to implement tech advances. In particular, smart travel is becoming popular. IoT is making travel customer-centric, environmentally friendly, and affordable. Companies that are going all-in on IoT solutions will reap the rewards in the short term and also in the years ahead.


IoT’s Impact on Travel

Think back to all those times you decided not to take a trip due to the inconvenience of travel. Picking out a flight and following through with travel arrangements is inherently stressful. From issues with the travel agency to poor accommodations and beyond, plenty can go wrong. Now IoT is changing the way in which people enjoy vacations, business trips, and other forms of travel.

IoT, short for the ‘Internet of Things’, has spread to the majority of industries. The businesses that implement IoT solutions ultimately prove to be that much more competitive. Companies that are making use of IoT are winning over customers, providing the most enjoyable traveling experience possible, and developing an essential rapport with clients.


IoT Starts Making an Impact Before the Trip

The days of meeting with a travel agent are long gone. Nowadays, everything has shifted to the web. It is now possible to search for flights and accommodations from the comfort of home. Furthermore, computer algorithms understand traveler preferences based on prior vacations, the use of social media, feedback, etc. This abundance of data is collected and studied through connected devices, ultimately making it that much easier for the travel agency to provide the optimal match in terms of suggestions for hotels, flights, destinations, cost, etc.


Stress-Free Travel

Today, you’ll no longer have to sweat too much for your travel transactions. Tech advances provide information about the status of flights, gate directions, guidance in terms of luggage, and even information about the closest spot for breakfast. Lost baggage is now a thing of the past thanks to electronic tags for luggage that can be used over and over. The in-flight experience is also being improved with IoT. Sensors within passenger seats are now capable of identifying elevated heart rates and comforting those who are nervous or fearful. Even hydration levels, temperature, and anxiousness can be monitored and addressed.


IoT Will Make Travel Quite Luxurious

If you struggle to settle in while flying, riding a train or traveling in another manner, you will love the tech advances being made in the industry. Those who find it difficult to sleep in a hotel or simply cannot relax while away from home are raving about IoT-empowered apps customizing settings in hotels. IoT-driven apps from hotels customize settings for each individual guest. Everything from the TV to the room temperature and illumination can be established and controlled in a remote manner.

Smartphones are now capable of unlocking hotel room doors with an electronic key. This key only provides access to authorized parties. IoT even makes it possible to obtain additional food, towels, and other sundries while relaxing in a warm bath in your hotel room. IoT sensors also notify staff when hotel rooms are occupied or empty, making that much easier to provide hospitality services.

All of the information necessary to gauge the level of individual hotel room supplies along with guest experiences is collected through IoT devices. Such connected devices really do make it quite easy for hoteliers to provide customers with tailored services. If you would like your hotel experience personalized, take full advantage of IoT technology, letting the internet track your preferences, behavior, and needs.


Digital Transformation is Taking Place in the Travel Industry

IoT is proving to be a game-changer. Even if you have avoided travel in the past due to inefficiencies or the lack of comfort, you should know times are changing. Everything from pre-flight information to the in-room hotel experience and the time you spend in the airport waiting for your flight is being enhanced through IoT technology and it is only going to get better from here moving forward.

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Internet Of Things

Business Applications of IoT and Digital Twin Technology

Think of digital twin technology sort of like team practice prior to a game. A “digital twin” is essentially the “scrimmage” before a game with a competing team. Like practice, the digital twin can be used to run a variety of scenarios which tell those who program, design, and launch IoT apps what they need to know to get the balance right.


So How Exactly Does It Work?

Essentially, a digital twin is a virtual representation of hardware or other configurations of systems and objects that can be modeled. Owing to technological advances, digital twins can be designed virtually on an increasing scale of complexity.

Physical devices, a network array, the IoT configurations of an entire building or factory; all can be modeled digitally. Even cities can be modeled and explored. Beyond networks and objects, processes can be modeled, and the list goes on. An integrated metropolis with buildings, objects, networks, and operational processes can be digitally modeled as a reference point for city planners, engineers, and more.

Keep reading: Exploring the Importance of Digital Twin Technology

On a more intimate scale, you can model what it will look like to implement new tech at a branch location in another town. Perhaps you run simulations for network processes throughout your tech company. There are many notable applications worth exploring. According to some technologists, there will be billions of potential applications for this tech in the near future.


Why Does It Work?

It’s unlikely the best mathematical models would operate in any effective way if there weren’t some sort of actual “device” providing information to “feed” its digital sibling. Essentially, digital twin technology aggregates and interprets that data so you can put the virtual version of the device through its paces without worrying about physical damages.

As you do this, software facilitating such digital doubles provides information that can help you determine if there will be potential issues, what sort of performance you might expect, and other relevant data.

More info: Using IoT Solutions to Streamline Business

Something a lot of engineers do is use digital twin technology to push through the prototyping phase. Instead of spending time, energy, and resources destroying physical components, the virtual doppelgänger can take the abuse, and refinements can be added to the physical version of the product after the fact. With that in mind, we’ll explore a few ways this tech has been put to use in recent years:

The Automobile Industry

One of the biggest things on the horizon for the automobile industry is automation. Already, digital twin technology has been used for the purpose of helping designers determine stresses, operational thresholds, and design best practices for vehicles.

As IoT begins to take over vehicular operation, this will become another area where having some sort of virtual double to play with becomes paramount for safe, efficient, cost-effective designs.

Cargo Vessels

Digital twin technology for cargo vessels can reveal what level of weight vessels can bear in diverse nautical environments, such as calm or choppy seas. Additionally, new methods of propulsion can be explored, as can new vessel designs.

NASA Exploration

NASA is credited with the first practical definition of digital twin application, and it’s easy to see why: in space, the costs of mistakes are a lot greater than they are on earth. Accordingly, spaceship design and operation became integral in assuring the greatest amount of safety and affordability in extra-planetary vessel design.

Related: How Digital Twins Impact Smart City Design


Working with Tech Professionals to Determine Digital Twin Applications for Your Business

Digital twin technology has helped NASA design spacecraft and model how components will act in the real world. Applications range from vehicular design to optimizing cargo vessel loads, including storage configurations and their associated stresses.

Healthcare applications, security process optimization, network configuration, and more–all on a massive scale–are additionally possible through this increasingly efficient tech innovation. If you haven’t explored digital twin technology, it may be worth doing. There are likely more than a few places where it just might help optimize processes within your business.

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Digital Pollution and the Greening of the IoT Environment

To coincide with Earth Day, IoT Marketing produced a webinar focused on sustainability and efficiency called “Going Green with IoT.” While the term “green” has become a marketing buzzword, the team at Industry Insights Webinars brought together a solid panel of technology experts to flex their industry knowledge and take a deep dive into what it means to bring sustainability to the digital domain. Even more than monitoring and mitigating the GHG output of multiple industries, green IoT and green computing practices can help reduce the carbon footprint of IoT itself on the environment.


WHAT IS DIGITAL POLLUTION

As if the world didn’t have enough challenges, there is an interesting conundrum brewing from the proliferation of electronics and smart devices.

Digital transformation has brought many positives to the fight against pollution and environmental destruction. Connectivity and the internet have reduced dependence on paper (saved trees), enabled remote work (saved gas), and helped families and businesses stay in touch (saved jet fuel). But, instead of solving our emissions problems with digital technology, it seems we have only traded one problem for another.

Perhaps it’s best to start with the bigger picture and think about each of our modern conveniences that requires infrastructure. Cars need highways, gas needs pipelines, access to clean water requires aqueducts and water treatment facilities, and besides off-grid living, access to electricity requires electrical grids. Additionally, most people don’t have to raise sheep to make a sweater or grow apples to make apple sauce due to an unimaginably large and complex system of producers, manufacturers, and supply chains that took center stage during the global disruptions of 2020.

The internet and the subsequently connected IoT devices, which have become increasingly integral to all the preceding conveniences and more, are entirely dependent on information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure.


WHY DIGITAL POLLUTION IS A PROBLEM

ICT infrastructure has remained below the pollution radar for so long because many of the services it enables are intangible. While things like Wi-Fi, cloud storage, and emails saturate everyday life, they are less tangible than a physically overflowing mailbox, a garage full of stuff, or telephone wires lining the highway. But ICT infrastructure is hidden in plain sight, and it contributes as much pollution as any other industry.

Smart Phones
Perhaps the worst offender, manufacturing makes up 80 percent of their emissions impact, including mining for rare earth minerals. Billions of people have at least one smartphone, and thanks to industry business models, none seem to last longer than two years.

Data Centers
Just because most individuals don’t have to kick out money for a server doesn’t negate that millions of these facilities are running 24/7 worldwide, providing everyone constant access to thousands of pictures of their dog, their lunch, or themselves. And that’s just personal use for billions of people, let alone industrial and enterprise data storage needs.

Cellular Networks
While tower structures often disguised as pine or palm trees have become familiar, they too are drawing power 24/7 along with other pieces of support equipment that we don’t see.

While the preceding list is just the tip of the ICT iceberg, it is worth pointing out the lynchpin between all those services is the need for electricity. And as much as we like to think electricity comes from thin air, it is produced from the burning of fossil fuels and the running of nuclear power plants. Renewables, unfortunately, are only available for a small portion of those who have access.

The dream of renewable energy is a good one, but the technology is young, and the need for power rises exponentially each year. To keep up, we would first have to match current needs with renewable sources, add proportionate energy storage, and expand each year to accommodate rapidly developing nations chasing the westernized lifestyle that leads the world in global power consumption.


INTRODUCTION TO GREEN IT PRACTICES

As our reliance on smart technology and its related services grows, so does our need for energy to manufacture and power these devices. Early in the conversation, the panelists started with foundational aspects around green computing, green networks, and their importance for sustainable IoT deployments.

Ramesh Elaiyavalli, CTO of SourceLogix, had plenty to say on green networking. “On the one hand, we have expanding requirements for more connectivity, better bandwidth, and lower latency, but there’s also a lot of innovation happening with networking on the edge, which is minimizing the amount of data packets that need to be exchanged between the device and the controller.” Given that data transmission is 70% of power consumption for IoT devices, designing networks that reduce energy use and power requirements for network equipment is ultimately, a good thing.

On the topic of green computing, Bill Pugh of Smart Connections Consulting talked about the strain on the grid from big data. “Grid resiliency is a huge deal, and we have to be smart about how we’re processing data, what devices are being put out on the edge, and what their consumption is on the grid overall. You think that it’s small, but the volume and magnitude of devices that are out there create a significant impact from an energy efficiency and environmental perspective.”

The moderator, Tiffani Neilson, wrapped up the importance of these aspects with a salient point around the deployment of IoT solutions. “When you look at reducing power consumption, you have to take into account the more sensing capabilities a device has, the more power it’s going to take to get the data, so it’s not necessarily about more data. It’s about the right data at the right time.”

Deployments around use cases for leaks, chemical detection, or other hazardous conditions will likely be programmed to transmit data on a more consistent basis. But for business cases around simple activity patterns that let operations and maintenance crews know when something is on or off, open or closed, data transmission can be reduced to once or twice a day.


WHO SHOULD DEPLOY GREEN IOT

The fundamental elements of IoT technology are communication, real-time monitoring, and big data. These aspects make IoT technology poised for such significant growth over the next decades due to its usability and far-reaching applications in multiple industries and verticals.

IoT technology is being applied everywhere, from smart homes to connected healthcare, smart factories, and of course, smart cities. When it came to deployments, the moderator turned the conversation to the application of Green IoT as a method of developing the smart environment sustainably.

Kerry Babb of Paradise Group for Sustainable Development was very insightful when it came to IoT in societal applications. “A lot of people ask, what is a smart city? My definition of a smart city is one that engages the community, moves it forward in a sustainable fashion, and uses available technologies as needed to maintain and correct the balance of local ecosystems.”

This strategy is also crucial when it comes to agricultural resources. Alexander Conrad of Conrad Agrar Consulting spoke on the hot topic of smart irrigation and the dwindling water resources available in the southwestern US to grow crops. He gave a unique example of a moisture sensor the size of a staple that clips onto the leaf of a tree to measure its chemical and physical composition. In this way, it can send a signal to an IoT platform that lets the farmers know how thirsty the tree is to properly adjust the irritation to supply no more and no less than the perfect amount of water needed for optimal growth.

For any IoT deployment, whether it is around agriculture, traffic monitoring, or even remote healthcare, gathering tons of data requires lots of computing power which necessitates a small army of always-on devices.


WAYS TO GREEN THE IOT ENVIRONMENT

When it comes to green design, this is the point where environmentally-conscious OEMs, hardware, and software developers can make a difference. When conceptualizing the idea for any new technology, it is imperative to begin with a green mindset. From initial design through manufacture, utilization, and disposal, before anything reaches the factory floor or even prototype stage, all components and devices need to be designed with efficiency and sustainability in mind.

“It really starts with the use case,” Bill Pugh commented. “What problem are you trying to solve? Part of what I’ve seen in the space is technologies looking for a problem to solve instead of identifying the problem or the actual use case that they are trying to go after. In many situations, you don’t need a device that is always on. But even in that instance, what is the materials science applied to the sensor being used? It is efficient, is it green? When does it need to wake up and send information?”

Unchecked growth in the ICT industry could seriously undermine any efforts to curb climate change. Thankfully, there are many studies, methods, and strategies to learn from that theorize and proffer the best ways to bring efficiency and sustainability to various aspects of ICT infrastructure.


HOPE FOR A GREENER, CLEANER FUTURE

After discussing the environmental issues and technical challenges to going green, the panel reviewed several technologies, including energy harvesting for overcoming emissions issues and the need to incorporate more eco-friendly processes and components into IoT deployments.

Beyond serving the IoT ecosystem, Alexander commented on the need for a shift in mindset. “IoT is a vehicle that can support tackling climate change, but it cannot solve it. To solve it requires a total shift in the mindset of the consumers, the people who work in farming, and the political buy-in to enable and catalyze those initiatives.”

When it comes to choosing a technology, Ramesh recommended using battle-hardened models and software instead of starting from scratch because of the steep learning curve. He gave examples of solutions like AWS IoT Greengrass, which is already highly optimized for efficient communication between edge devices and the cloud.

“Always start with the problem you’re trying to solve. If the device is not always on, that takes a very different architecture path compared to something that needs to be on all the time.”

Keeping these things in mind will help companies be eco-friendly and create cost-saving opportunities in power consumption through reduced data transmissions.

IoT is an effective tool for monitoring and mitigating the carbon footprint of individuals, companies, and government entities. This is why the event was bookended by the Green, Lean, Machine2Machine contest, which honored two categories of solution providers:

The Most Sustainable IoT Solution recognized businesses that have developed an IoT product or service geared towards achieving a greener, cleaner, and more sustainable future. Winners include Xylem Water Solutions, Ship Shape Urban Farms, and Webee.

The Most Efficient IoT Solution recognized businesses that have developed an IoT product or service that enables organizations to improve operational or energy efficiency. Winners include Blue Planet Energy, Atmosic, and Ragno Electronics.

During the “Going Green with IoT” event, the conversations had were essential to fulfill the promises of what technology aims to bring. The connected ecosystem must continue innovating towards sustainability if we want a future that brings an increased quality of life not to a few but for everyone around the world.


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Green IoT and Agriculture: Building Greener, More Sustainable Farming

Now that IoT has helped organizations become more efficient, the next stage in its evolution is focused on sustainability through green IoT. Since it takes electricity to power computing equipment, from sensors to mainframes, a greener internet involves cutting energy consumption, tapping clean and renewable energy sources, and reducing waste. And as a typically energy- and resource-heavy industry, agriculture is one sector that could certainly benefit from green IoT.


Keys to Making IoT Greener

Large data centers can contribute to a toxic environment. As a result, there's growing interest in the adoption of more sustainable technology.

Reducing IoT energy usage is an important step in the quest toward a cleaner environment. The essence of green IoT is the strategic placement of sensors that monitor environmental conditions such as temperature, moisture, and humidity. IoT sensors can also measure pollutants in the ground, water, and air. One of its most helpful applications in agriculture is to cut costs on energy, water, and other resources. Data can help pinpoint waste, as machine learning software generates automated solutions for efficiency and deficiency issues.

Another advantage of using data monitoring for improving the environment is that it can lead to better quality food production. It further paves a path toward less dependence on fossil fuels while making greenhouses even more modern and efficient. In fact, a 24/7 intelligent greenhouse is giving modern farmers a higher degree of quality control than ever before. Drones are another type of technology contributing to smart agriculture, as farmers can monitor crops from the sky.


Green IoT-Based Agriculture

As IoT devices are beginning to be embedded in farming equipment and across farms, the concept of smart agriculture is transforming farmlands everywhere. The use of smart sensors is helping farmers see greater crop yields while cutting costs. It's also making the irrigation process more efficient.

Here are the three areas of smart agriculture technology:

  • Precision agriculture - This idea works with a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) to improve crop yields by reducing risks in the production process. The sensors are placed in fields and livestock breeding environments to monitor various data that affect growing conditions. A major component of precision agriculture is 3S technology, which encompasses Remote Sensing (RS), a Geographic Information System (GIS), and a Global Positioning System (GPS). Precision agriculture also provides better use of pesticides, improves land usage, and helps to maintain the best conditions for growth.
  • Facility agriculture - Used for industrial agricultural production, this practice aims to improve crop quality and yield driven by capital investment and high output. It embraces crop production technology to meet market demand. The two main areas of facility agriculture are facility horticulture and farming. Some of the technologies that integrate with this farming mode are biotechnology, engineering, and meteorological devices. This management control system helps farmers predict crop conditions. It also utilizes an "intelligent greenhouse", which is full of sensors to monitor internal climate data.
  • Climate monitoring - IoT solutions enable farmers to understand weather condition in real time. Sensors placed inside and outside of agriculture fields collect data from the environment, which is then used to choose crops that can grow and sustain in particular climate conditions. Additionally, these sensors can send alerts when disturbing weather conditions are discovered. This eliminates the need of a physical presence during possibly dangerous weather events.


Conclusion

New concepts in green IoT are helping farmers run their facilities more efficiently than in the past, leading to greater output of higher quality food production. Innovations, such as automated greenhouse technology and precision farming, are changing the way farmers manage the growing conditions of crops. This smarter ecosystem, based on wireless sensors, can give farmers the data they need to steer toward less waste, a safer environment, and greater profitability.


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How Green IoT Will Improve the Environment

Although it might not make headlines, green IoT transformation is underway for many businesses responding to pressures for adopting more eco-friendly practices. The pressures are coming from economic conditions, legislative action, and social concerns. Here's a deeper look at how IoT devices are helping businesses of all sizes go green.


Keys to Green Transformation

Several industries have begun shifting to new green IoT infrastructures. Watching the following industries evolve with sensor technology will help lead to a clearer understanding of IoT technology. Early adopters are paving the way to setting future standards and models for companies to go green:

  • Agriculture - Smart sensors can be deployed in fields to measure environmental conditions for improving crop cultivation. This technology can further help farms conserve energy, water, and other resources. Through precision agriculture methods such as optimizing irrigation systems through continuous soil moisture monitoring, less water, electricity, and fuel for farming equipment will go to waste.
  • Automotive - Automakers are increasingly competing for fuel-efficiency. The next generation of cars will be equipped with AI technology and sensors for every mobile and mechanical metric imaginable. Autonomous vehicles will become more visible in industrial applications, while electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining momentum in the race toward carbon neutrality. This combination of innovations will significantly cut greenhouse emissions.
  • Commercial Aviation - Airlines are helping pioneer IoT use in airspace while aiming to improve connectivity and data transmission. The key to contributing to sustainable solutions will be using IoT analytics to plan the most efficient flight paths. The aviation industry is currently exploring a concept to convert food waste into jet fuel, which can reduce CO2 emissions by 165 percent.
  • Industrial Automation and Manufacturing – Leading industry analysts have identified manufacturing as a crucial innovation driver leading the IoT revolution. Automation and machine learning software are combining to create self-correcting solutions to factory vulnerabilities such as indoor pollution. Monitoring production processes with IoT devices will lead to a safer work environment with greater productivity and healthier employees.

Smarter Energy Usage - Investing in smart technology will pay off for competitive enterprises aiming to cut costs on energy and create healthier environmental conditions. Smart buildings with LEED certifications will become more common, allowing operators to have more control over environmental impacts, along with heating, cooling and lighting.


Evolution of Smart Technology

Current green pioneers in the tech industry include Apple, Google, and Facebook. According to Apple, the tech giant's facilities ran on 93 percent renewable energy in 2016. All three companies power massive data centers and have ambitious goals to achieve 100 percent renewable energy solutions. In recent years, these companies have been able to claim achievement of their goal through the use of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).

IoT technology is still somewhat in its infancy, but it's evolving rapidly in the direction toward improving business efficiency in real-time. Machine learning technology can already make valuable predictions based on the analysis of accurate historical data. The capability of sensors monitoring indoor and outdoor weather conditions combined with automation allows room temperatures to be automatically adjusted to optimum levels. Over time, advancements in this technology will help drive efficiency by monitoring more granular environmental factors within office buildings and manufacturing operations.

Some of the key challenges for the world to overcome in the next few decades are reducing greenhouse gases and dealing with a growing global population accompanied by rising energy and agricultural demands. By 2030, the world is expected to generate up to 40 billion metric tons of CO2 emissions. The Paris Climate Agreement is helping governments around the world rethink how they produce energy and how to reduce pollution.


Conclusion

An increasing number of businesses are poised to embrace green IoT methodologies to reduce waste and adopt more eco-friendly strategies in the next decade. Manufacturers are particularly under pressure from their communities to cut toxic waste and venture into more sustainable solutions. As more companies enter this new realm of environmental responsibility, they can share actionable evidence from IoT use cases that inspire others in the business community to go green.

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5 Steps to Set Up Shopify Fulfillment for Your E-Commerce Business

Are you ready to take your e-commerce business to the next level? Learn how to easily set up Shopify Fulfillment with our 5-step guide!

Shopify Fulfillment by Thill Inc is a great choice if you’re looking for a fulfillment service that integrates with your Shopify e-commerce store. With Shopify Fulfillment, you can handle all aspects of order fulfillment from one central location. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the 5 steps to set up Shopify Fulfillment for your business!


1: Start by creating a Shopify account and setting up your store.

The first step to setting up Shopify Fulfillment is to create a Shopify account and set up your e-commerce store. If you already have a Shopify store, skip this step and move on to the next one. But if you’re just starting out, head over to the Shopify website and create a new account. Once you’ve created your account, follow the steps to set up your store by adding products, selecting a theme, and customizing your storefront. It’s important to have a fully functional online store before integrating it with Shopify Fulfillment.


2: Choose the right products for your business and add them to your store.

The second step to setting up Shopify Fulfillment is to choose the right products for your business and add them to your store. Your products should align with your business goals and target audience, and be selected based on factors such as profitability, popularity, and demand. Additionally, it’s important to ensure that all product descriptions are accurate, with clear images and prices that reflect their value. Once you have added your products, you can assign them to different collections within Shopify so customers can easily navigate through your products.


3: Determine the best shipping strategy for your products.

The shipping strategy for your e-commerce business can greatly impact customer satisfaction and the success of your business. It’s important to research shipping carriers, compare pricing, and select the best option for your budget and customer needs. Consider factors such as delivery speed, package dimensions, weight restrictions, and insurance options when choosing a carrier. You should also determine if you will offer free shipping or charge customers based on weight, destination or order value. Once you have decided on your shipping strategy, input your shipping rates into Shopify so that customers are aware of the costs beforehand.


4: Set up shipping rates and configure taxes to ensure that orders are processed accurately.

When it comes to setting up Shopify Fulfillment for your e-commerce business, configuring shipping rates and taxes accurately is crucial. This ensures that orders are processed correctly and customers are charged the appropriate amount based on their location and order value. To do this, go to the Shipping and delivery section in your Shopify settings and select the zone or location you want to configure rates for. You can choose from a variety of shipping rate options such as flat rate, weight-based, price-based or carrier-calculated. It’s important to also configure taxes by selecting the tax region where your business is located and setting up applicable tax rates for different regions or products. By taking care of these steps upfront, you can ensure a smooth fulfillment process for your customers and avoid any confusion or errors down the line.


5: Install the Shopify Fulfillment app and connect it to your store.

The first step to setting up Shopify Fulfillment is to install the app and connect it to your store. This can be done by going to the Apps section of your Shopify dashboard and searching for Shopify Fulfillment. Once you find it, click on “Get” to start the installation process. Once the app is installed, connect it to your store by entering your account information and authorizing access. This will allow you to manage inventory, order fulfillment, and shipping directly from within Shopify. With just a few clicks, you’ll be on your way to streamlining your e-commerce fulfillment process and providing seamless service to your customers.


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Internet Of Things

Capitalizing on the Value of IoT in Transportation

More and more companies are embracing IoT technology as a way to refine their business models to operate with greater efficiency based on data analysis. The growing use of IoT in transportation accentuates this digital revolution that empowers companies to maximize profit margins. Here are ways IoT adoption is transforming various aspects of transportation.


Catering to the Smart Transportation Market

Modern technology keeps producing new terms to go along with the latest trends. "Smart transportation" refers to the use of IoT technology in transportation systems. There are several advantages for transportation operators who adopt smart technology to integrate with emerging intelligent infrastructure. IoT devices that contain sensors can alert fleet managers when vehicle wear and tear calls for maintenance, leading to a longer life span and safer conditions.

Many trucking companies have already made the transformation to a digitally-interconnected infrastructure that collects high volumes of data from fleet vehicles. Recommendations to improve operations by fixing vulnerabilities can now be generated from machine learning tools. But human analysts are also still needed to evaluate the data to make real-time decisions for system improvements.

The smart transportation market is expected to exceed $130 billion by 2024 as it will revolutionize the rail and air industries. IoT adoption will affect the following components of the transportation industry:

  • Improved Fleet Management - Fleet managers will have access to real-time data on truck locations so that they can make quicker decisions when adjustments are practical. Data analysis will further help reduce inefficiencies to make travel more economical.
  • More Reliable Transit Management - Real-time tracking solutions are constantly evolving to allow for greater data collection from diverse sources, including mobile units. Today's tracking technology helps route vehicles more efficiently.
  • Smarter Inventory Management - The use of IoT devices can track the status of any fleet vehicle in real-time. Tracking can include a wide range of parameters such as temperature and humidity.
  • Asset Leveraging and Tracking - The transportation industry can use IoT devices to leverage and track assets. Organizations can use the tracking information to predict arrival times and confirm government compliance. Tracking can also be done by suppliers to monitor cargo conditions to ensure perishable items are well protected.
  • Geo-Fencing and Drones - As an advancement from GPS technology, geo-fencing sends an alert to the organization when assets deviate from assigned routes to avoid loss and delivery delays.

The use of IoT in transportation will create greater customer loyalty as airlines and rail services will develop a closer connection with passengers. Ticketing to pay for transport will increasingly involve smartphones as transactions become more seamless.


How IoT Benefits Transit Systems

  • Improve the traveler's journey - Passengers can receive more personalized services, as well as reliable transportation, thanks to IoT. Direct communication between the transportation firm and consumers helps nurture a positive relationship.
  • Create a safer environment - Monitoring vehicle speeds and making sure journeys are compliant with traffic laws will contribute to a safer environment. Tracking other data, such as road conditions, can help make trips go more smoothly by avoiding interruptions.
  • Use less energy and reduce congestion - Collecting data on gas mileage, traffic patterns, and driving behavior help determine energy costs. Traffic control officials can use advanced tracking tools to reduce traffic congestion through rerouting strategies.
  • Boost operational performance - Monitoring fleet data for each vehicle at a central location helps a transportation company know the exact status of every vehicle in real-time. This knowledge empowers the company to make necessary changes in scheduling to cut waste.


Conclusion

The growing use of IoT in transportation is a strong signal that society is moving toward omnipresent digital interconnectivity. Transportation companies will increasingly feel the pressure to accept IoT as a new norm to remain competitive and maintain customer loyalty. Ultimately, the use of data-collecting sensors will be the key to a more efficient and personalized environment in the transportation industry.


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Industrial IoT
Internet Of Things

How Industrial IoT Is Paving the Way to a Smarter World

New names are emerging from the modern industrial world such as "Industry 4.0," which comprises Industrial IoT and smart manufacturing. The term refers to factories with digital infrastructure that collect big data on production processes. As smart factories continue to demonstrate the benefits of digital transformation, society will begin to enjoy the improvements these new technologies bring to their surroundings.


The Link Between Industry 4.0 and Smart Cities

At the foundation of today's smart factory is Industrial IoT, in which core processes are monitored by machine learning software through a network of interconnected devices. This new paradigm opens the door to merging physical and digital activity so that equipment and processes can be better managed.

The technologies that will help define smart cities beyond sensors will include AI and 5G. More smart cities will surface when early players can quantify the enormous cost savings from monitoring software used to refine operations. Another dimension to smart city success will be how well robots and self-driven vehicles are integrated into local infrastructure to benefit the community.


Manufacturing and Logistics

Global spending on IoT has increased over the past couple of years and is predicted to surpass the $1 trillion mark in 2022. The fuel behind this momentum has been in the form of cybersecurity, automation, machine to machine (M2M) communications, and device connectivity through an intranet-based infrastructure. Data protection has become a high priority in factories and warehouses from the need to meet government compliance and establish robust security protocols.

By installing IIoT sensors in factories and warehouses, manufacturers will pioneer new ways to make factory floors safer for human workers. The use of robots to handle higher-risk assignments will further contribute to a safer workplace. Through the use of IIoT, sensors can deliver data to partners in real-time, allowing for improved efficiency throughout the supply chain.

While many may worry that robots will replace human jobs, the truth is that automation and machines are freeing up time for humans to work on tasks that computers can't do yet. For example, machine learning software cannot close a sales deal, and AI, while helpful for decision making, cannot replace decades of experience and cultured relationships. These examples illustrate that technology's role is not to take over but only to enhance the workplace by relieving humans of repetitive tasks.


Heading Toward a Smarter Future

The smart revolution will pick up momentum with the deployment of 5G, which will allow for broader connectivity and the capability of delivering more data at once. Large manufacturers are in a position to influence the development and deployment of smart technology by reporting how the analysis of big data has helped create safer working conditions and increased productivity.

One of the biggest contributions to city infrastructure IoT technology can make is in traffic control monitoring systems as a measure to reduce traffic accidents. The use of smart lighting systems can track traffic data, which can help officials decide where to reduce speeds or create detours. The use of portable solar-powered digital signs can also help direct traffic with messages. In the future, the more cars that connect wirelessly with the internet, the better they can be monitored for traffic safety.

Manufacturers and city governments have much to gain by collaborating on the development of smart infrastructure. Learning from each other's data will help lead to more efficient technologies and devices. New ideas for efficiency that improve the community can develop from brainstorming when engineers are aware of local leaders’ needs.

The future of manufacturing and logistics will likely be influenced by 3D printers, eliminating the need for a large factory for production. Not only are these machines designed to reduce production waste, but they also allow for the elimination of certain traditional supply chain components, which can help significantly cut costs.


Conclusion

Production factories that have implemented Industrial IoT solutions are leading the way toward mass implementation of smart technology. Not only does IIoT cut costs and waste but it also strengthens productivity and efficiency. You can expect increased discussion over the next decade about this evolution and how it will help improve the quality of life for industrialists and society as a whole.


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