Operational efficiencies are improving by leveraging “Internet of Things” (IoT) devices, allowing companies to collect data from systems, devices, etc. that was previously difficult or even impossible to obtain. Nowadays, with the evolution of data storage, networks, devices and technologies, data streaming is becoming a key factor to consider while designing architectures and applications due to the increased possibility of ingesting new sources of data to combine it with social media and other streaming data sources, managing them all together alongside traditional batch-based.
However, there are some aspects of the streaming of data by IoT devices that are different from other sources. It tends to be more time sensitive, the volume is typically quite large, it may not have value in the long term, and, generally speaking, you get the most value when it’s combined with other enterprise data to complement the business view. Some other challenges, examples, and possible solutions are listed below.
How are companies using streaming data from IoT devices to improve operational efficiencies? Can you provide 2-3 examples?
Some companies are using IoT sensors to collect information from mailboxes or cities' trash cans. These devices sense how full the containers are and, based on the information being streamed to their platforms, they can input the data and leverage optimization algorithms to analyze the best route for their trucks. These algorithms also include other data sources like traffic status so the route can be further optimized, suggesting drivers a route as well as the best time schedule. In this example, companies can save money on both fuel and transportation maintenance. Other companies create efficiency indexes based on historical data. Data from vessels such as speed, wind speed, route, and temperature is collected, processed and then compared with historical data, allowing the creation of real time energy efficiency tracking. Additionally, it is possible to do prescriptive recommendations on how to reduce costs.
