The Internet of Things is continually affecting our everyday life. From our home to our office and car, we are surrounded by smart devices that help us live a more peaceful and organized existence.
Everyone is a winner in the IoT industry: whether you’re an oblivious consumer who takes some facilities guaranteed by the IoT devices for granted, or a tech startup whose looking forward to developing its first IoT device, being part of the IoT phenomenon is a win-win for all of us.
In this article, we’ll list some of the most impressive IoT examples of the past years, which not only affect the everyday life of consumers and industries but have made, out of some tech startups, the most influential companies globally. Let’s take a look!
Smart home: 3 IoT examples
The main aim of many IoT devices is to efficiently combine everyday life with routine tasks. This winning combo was the origin of the concept of Smart Home. In this scenario, connected devices and cloud systems facilitate the life of many. Here are some examples.
Echo
Introduced by the catchy slogan “Always ready, connected, and fast. Just Ask,” ECHO is Amazon’s most successful IoT device. A digital personal assistant which supports users in everyday life, evolving as habits and routine do. With its advanced voice recognition, the connection with Amazon Web Services and the compatibility with different devices and cloud systems, ECHO is a must-have support in everyday life. Alexa, the brain behind ECHO, that actually interacts with users, is capable of selecting ones favorite music, offer support in grocery shopping, make hands-free phone calls, read the news and much more! All of these functions are based on users’ past behavior and preferences. For example, did you order certain type of paper towels during your last purchase on Amazon Prime? You can ask Alexa to re-order that exact item for you, without any further effort! This all-in-one device is what we call the ultimate IoT miracle.
TP-Link
This IoT company offers a wide range of products that combine efficiency, smart features and energy saving goals. Especially TP-Link’s Smart Wi-fi LED bulb, which signals the rise of reducing energy consumption in homes worldwide. These bulbs not only contribute by reducing costs and helping to save energy, but the control of all these features is a matter of one “tap”. Oh yes! TP-Link looked further and connected its IoT devices with the app, Kasa, through which users can set different preferences of lighting and even create specific “moods”. Are you at work all day, but you know that your children are coming back from school at 2 pm? You can set you smart LED bulbs to be set to that exact time. Are you having unexpected guests? Set the right lighting to create a party mood!
Stringify
Don’t be tricked by the playful name! Stringify is an award-winning app, that, from automation, created a proper lifestyle for families all over the world. The 2014 startup might be seen as a paradox since its main goal is to “allow people to connect all their physical products and digital services together in one place so they can take better care of themselves, their families and their homes”. Stringify comes as an app, that through the connection of all physical and digital devices, helps users set different types of “workflows”. For example, there’s the popular workflow, “Dinner time”: the user can regulate the lights, turn off the cell-phones of other family members and switch on the oven. Finally, an IoT solution that improves get-togethers and families’ everyday lives.
3 IoT examples in healthcare and family safety
As we’ve seen, IoT is spreading all over different industries and markets. Even in more delicate fields, such as healthcare, the Internet of things “is bringing new applications, tools, and workflows into the mix that are not only ensuring better patient care and treatment outcomes but are also bringing new efficiencies that are reducing healthcare costs“.
Let’s see some Internet of things examples that actually improved healthcare and boosted family safety systems, that might inspire the development of your first IoT device!
MyMBBand
This IoT example is one of our favorites. MyMBBand is like having your doctor with you all the time, whether you’re traveling or going for a jog. It’s a medical band with a unique QR code for every user, providing medical information once it’s scanned. It’s a proper revolution for people who are affected by chronic diseases such as allergies or are under medical treatments for one reason or another. This innovative IoT device stores users’ medical data in a secure file system, that can be accessed only by authorized medical personnel in case of necessity, through the use of the unique pin code on the bracelet. Imagine a tourist having an allergic reaction to a local dish during a trip to Spain. The EMT personnel will be able to scan the QR code on the owner’s bracelet and access all the needed information, before proceeding with any further intervention. A smart medical device that reduces the risk of compromising an already delicate situation.
Talkies
A true revolution in the relationship between technology and kids. With a promotional video, boasting more than 500.000 views on Youtube, Toymail gives an interpretation of a hot topic that is discussed a lot on a daily basis: how to manage the encounter between children and smartphones, apps, etc.?
How to give kids access to these tools, without exposing them to the dangers of the web sphere? We are pretty satisfied with Toymail’s answer, which is Talkies. Talkies are IoT devices that allow children to chat with family and friends without the exchange of proper cell numbers. On one hand, parents can communicate with their child via the Talkies app, on the other, kids can get in touch with each other through the Talkies, which are proper walkie-talkies, connected via Wi-Fi. It’s a great way to keep children safe, decreasing the use of smartphones among the youngest, without denying them the joy of being in touch with friends and just letting them be kids! If Toymail isn’t an innovative tech company, we don’t know who else might be!
Famil.care
In terms of family safety and emergency warning, Famil.care is the right IoT product. Their device is basically an SOS emergency button and has been developed in order to manage two different situations that might affect every family:
- Famil.careJunior created for parents who want to keep an eye on their children. The button is connected to the parents’ cell phone and, in case of emergency, the kid can press it to signal a danger by sending a proper SOS signal. In these unfortunate events, the connected GPS gives information such as the location, so the parent can take action immediately. Familcare Junior is not only a device that prevents and supports the youngest in risky situations, but monitors the use of social media and web surfing through the cell phone app, in order to limit the unhealthy use of smart phones among children and teenagers.
- Famil.care Senior is the variant for our beloved and wiser relatives. We all know how difficult is to teach elderly people to effectively use smart phones and apps, especially as a warning tool in an emergency. Also in this case, the Famil.care solution provides help and support. As an evolution of the Junior version, the wearable waterproof button is able to detect a fall or a sudden sickness and to send warnings and messages to family members so that they can act immediately. The selected contacts are previously chosen and they receive the warning through the Familcare app. It’s a great way for older people to face a brand new and simplified approach to technology, especially when it comes to their own safety.
Last but not least…our favorite IoT examples
Buddy
“Smart cities are made of smart buildings, owned by smart people. Make your building smarter, with Buddy Ohm.” This is the slogan that concludes the Buddy Ohm explicative video. The Buddy Ohm experts and collaborators take the connection between different devices on the next level. Through connected devices and collection of data, the idea behind Buddy Ohm is to contribute by building smarter cities, based on smart energy consumption and waste reduction. Due to the possibility of consulting updated dashboards, based on the individual consumer’s behavior, building operators manage to track the actions that actually cause the waste of energy and improve them. Data storage and interconnected devices make, out of Buddy Ohm, the ultimate IoT solution for a better future in smart cities.
Hemgi
Hemgi is specialized in the development of IoT data-collection devices and is the only company we are listing. The reason is pretty obvious: Hemgi’s wide series of products is amazing! Hemgi’s product line “covers the whole spectrum of requirements of the Digital City”. In fact, the main aim of these IoT devices is to monitor and collect data, in order to provide waste reduction, warn in case of emergency or increased air pollution, and improve tracking among logistics industries. Here are some examples of Hemgi’s most successful devices:
- ATMO’s task is pretty simple and basic: “to sense your home and work environment”. Beyond measuring indoor temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure, ATMO is able to detect dangerous quantities of CO and CO2 in the air, in order to prevent risky situations;
- uTRAX is one of the smallest fully functional tracking solutions on the market, aimed at specific vertical markets where space is everything. With uTRAX, IoT becomes ToT (Tracking of Things): for example the user can locate bikes, cars, drones, smaller objects or bigger containers. With a customizable lifetime, anything is possible.
MagicAir
This is a proper Swiss development example. Not only is the country of origin a warranty for great quality, but MagicAir has satisfied an actual demand. The very strict Minergie standards for new and existing buildings require high insulation and optimal energy saving methods. The MagicAir System, allows correct air flow control, using very low energy and improving the life quality for the inhabitants. This technique has also been confirmed to improve sleep quality by many!
In fact, Magic Air comes as an IoT device that guarantees the correct ventilation of indoor spaces and even the regulation of temperature and levels of humidity in different rooms. Its options as a stand-alone device or as an interconnected domotic element, make anyone happy. Not only this product delivers great results for the inhabitants, but it safeguards the local environment and acts on a low energetic impact.
1. Be aware. Being constantly updated on what concerns your community or what the hot topics are is a great start in order to invest in the development of an IoT device that can actually solve a problem. We’ve seen that big problems, such as cyber security or pollution, now finally have a solution, thanks to the intuition of ambitious tech startups, who had great ideas and satisfied actual social demands.
2. Make it simple…for the final customer. A few of our examples confirmed that one of the basic principles of an IoT device is to be intuitive and easy to use for your potential customers. Yes, my friend, you have to invest time and energy doing the “dirty work”, letting your customers enjoy the results of your great efforts.
3. Think big but start small. We all know ambition is a key element for succeeding in every industry. But before thinking of expanding globally, take acting on a smaller scale into consideration, in order to evaluate the audience’s reception to your IoT device.
4. Ask for some support. Some of the brains behind the exceptional IoT examples we’ve mentioned don’t even have a tech or engineering background. But they happen to have a great idea. The support from qualified team and pros in the field is a key element in order to succeed with your first IoT device. So don’t be shy, just ask for some support from experts!
You’re not sure you have it all? Have a look at our free checklist and discover more before starting your journey in the development of an IoT device.
