IoT in the Age of Smart Machines

Overview

Technology research firm Gartner Inc. predicts that smart machines will enter mainstream adoption by 2021. Furthermore, it expects smart machines to be the most disruptive class of technologies over the coming decade. Gartner puts cognitive computing, AI, intelligent automation, machine learning and deep learning under the smart machines umbrella. Researchers, analysts and technology leaders agree that smart machines will profoundly change how work is done and how value is created. This presentation focused on how IoT interfacing with knowledge bases and machine learning will impact our lives, our jobs and society as a whole. 

This presentation was conducted at the IoT Peoria MeetUp. IoT Peoria MeetUp brings together innovative thinkers and profound problems to find new ways to overcome many of the greatest challenges. We’re taking a deep look into the role of the Internet of Things and its effect on confronting problems, making our community and the world a better place. From education, energy, water, and health to job creation, food and agriculture, crime, and business; we’ll bring together people and technology to define how applying instrumentation and systems to our problems can redefine how we approach them.

Highlights of the presentation included:

IoT an Enabler for Smart Machines

• An Internet of Things (IoT) – prepared business can follow and record at every step of the supply chain, machine-to-machine interaction; as well as people-to-machine interaction.

IoT enables smart machines by supporting

• Efficiency: Through the use of sensors, providing the ability to monitor key components and environmental conditions.
• Safety and Security: Built in data security within IoT designs to maximize safety and minimize the security risk.
• Flexibility: IoT architectures are compatible with many of the existing installations or machinery from multiple OEMs
• Connectivity: IoT connected devices enable data sharing across multiple machines as well as making data available for various management uses.

IoT and Knowledge Management (KM)

• Infusing KM with IoT is about going from data to information to knowledge (sense-making, organizing, interpreting and acting on data) IoT will influence the flow of knowledge
• Leveraging KM, IoT platforms have the potential to activate insight from data to improve processes, use resources more efficiently and improve revenue.
• Tie incoming data to validate and drive business process models. (Examine what decisions can be better made based on IoT data, such as moving from preventative maintenance to condition-based maintenance in a factory).

IoT and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Boosting Operational Efficiency: AI can predict the operation conditions and detect the parameters to be modified to ensure ideal outcomes.
• Better Risks Management: AI with IoT helps businesses to understand as well as predict a broad range of risks and automate for the prompt response.
• Triggering New and Enhanced Products & Services: NLP (Natural Language Processing) is getting better at allowing people to communicate with devices.
• Increase IoT Scalability: AI-powered IoT ecosystem analyzes and summarizes the data from one device before transferring it to other devices.

IoT Current Landscape

• Gartner Inc. predicts that smart machines will enter mainstream adoption by 2021.
• Smart machines will be the most disruptive class of technologies over the coming decade.
• IoT is recognized as the backbone of Smart Machines
• IoT integrated with Knowledge Management and Artificial Intelligence (machine learning) will impact how we interact with machines and how machines will interact with us!

IoT Future Landscape – Living with IoT

• IoT will provide a wide variety of interconnected devices. These devices can unlock our homes from afar, peer into our living rooms using cameras, and collect our most sensitive and personal data. Manufacturers are putting their R&D behind home-monitoring and security of the smart-home. According to market-research company IoT Analytics there are already at least 7 billion connected IoT devices.

• Our homes will learn more about us and keeping them secure will become extremely important. Every device that’s connected to the Internet is a potential target for hackers so cybersecurity will become even more vital.

To learn about more about the Peoria IoT Meetup and the various events, I encourage you to join and attend.