The automotive industry is one of the biggest manufacturing industries in the world. In order to meet consumer demand as well as stay ahead of the competition, automakers and other stakeholders in the wider automotive industry are utilizing IoT technologies to facilitate everything from improved efficiency and advanced vehicle management capabilities to offering a superior driving experience. And that’s just for the cars themselves. When it comes to the wider ecosystem, IoT is enabling things like smart manufacturing and add-on services.

IoT has already revolutionized any number of industries, and the automotive sector is no different. IoT is propelling the automotive industry into unprecedented innovation and transformation, with the benefits far-reaching. From enhancing vehicle connectivity and improved safety and security to value added systems and the impact on the larger automotive ecosystem, IoT solutions are unlocking the full potential of connected vehicles, smart manufacturing, and fleet management. To use a well-worn pun, the road ahead is full of exciting developments that promise to shape the future of transportation.

With IoT technology, the way we design, manufacture, operate, and interact with our vehicles has already transformed in significant ways.

What is automotive IoT?

Automotive IoT is the integration of devices and sensors into vehicles, creating a system for connected cars, which in turn enables things like predictive maintenance, fleet management, OEMs, and insurance.

Vehicles are increasingly complex and previously, the only way to update cars was to return them to the dealer, something that was inconvenient for the consumer and costly for the manufacturer. IoT connectivity allows manufacturers to update a car’s many software-reliant components over-the-air, including many of the vehicles electronic control units.

Additionally, evolving technology allows manufacturers to address new liabilities, deploying fixes remotely rather than dealing with issues on a case-by-case basis. When a new vulnerability is identified, IoT connect onboard software allows manufacturers to immediately address that vulnerability quickly and remotely.

And as embedded automotive IoT solutions continue to evolve, more complex innovations will make their debut. The continual advancements in both the speed of mobile communications and the technology inside vehicles will allow automotive manufacturers to offer even more new services as we go forward.

Benefits of automotive IoT

The IoT brings benefits to both the automotive manufacturer and the consumer include:

• Optimized manufacturing

IoT technology enables a high level of automation and predictive maintenance during the manufacturing process, eliminating or significantly reducing the likelihood of human error. After sale, manufacturers can draw on IoT-generated data to know when servicing is required and alert the customer about this. Manufacturers can also gain a competitive advantage by leveraging IoT data to tailor future vehicle design based on customer needs.

• Enhanced safety

Connected vehicles can contribute to greater road, driver, and pedestrian safety by utilizing real-time analysis of data from multiple sensors. With IoT, drivers are always aware of the condition of their car and thus can avoid roadside breakdowns or malfunction-related accidents. Additionally, the car’s system can alert drivers to pedestrians, cyclists, or other potential hazards and even initiate emergency braking.

• Personalization

Connected cars can offer a more customized experience to consumers through personalized in-vehicle infotainment systems, connecting with smart home systems, and even car settings such as music choice, seat position, and optimal temperature.

• Cost savings

IoT-connected cars save money for both consumers and manufacturers. Predictive maintenance isn’t just for the factory – IoT data can alert drivers to when their vehicle needs service, as well as any unexpected faults or problems. Additionally, connected vehicles increasingly reduce insurance premiums, which we’ll discuss next.

• Reduced insurance premiums

The evolution of telematics makes it possible for insurance companies to offer more personalized policies. By using real-time driving data, insurance companies can now price their policies more accurately, moving away from a pricing model that largely relied on general demographic information.

Sharing that data also allows consumers to better understand which factors contribute to their insurance costs.

• Reduced emissions

Optimizing the car manufacturing process with IoT is one way the automotive industry can help reduce emissions and air pollution. When it comes to the vehicles themselves, connected cars can leverage data to optimize fuel consumption and energy usage levels, as well as reduce traffic congestion by allowing drivers to maintain optimal speed without unnecessary acceleration or stops.

• Road and traffic management

Leveraging data from IoT-enabled cars to detect congestion, road conditions, or even air quality allows cities to adjust and/or improve thinks like traffic light timings, road surfaces, and pathways, which ultimately leads to better urban infrastructure.

If you would like to learn more about how IoT can enable your automotive solution, please get in touch. 

5G has launched, while at the same time some of the 2G and 3G networks are being phased out. But while the need for high bandwidth, speed, and reliability is growing, the majority of IoT connections, such as solutions for alarm systems, asset tracking, and smart meters, don’t have requirements for maximum speed and throughput. Instead, they need simplicity and network efficiency. This is where LTE-M comes into play. 

What is LTE-M? 

LTE-M is a low power wide area cellular technology specifically designed for IoT. It prioritizes low power, minimal infrastructure, powerful reach over long distances, and scalability for large or growing deployments, allowing the connection of simple devices that transmit low volumes of data over long periods of time with low power consumption.  LTE-M also supports relatively fast data throughput, mobility, roaming, and voice services.  

Top benefits of LTE-M include: 

• Long battery life 
• Better coverage for remote/hard to reach devices
• Lower power consumption

Why LTE-M? 

From a technical standpoint LTE-M has a number of advantages, and is particularly useful for devices without access to a power supply and thus require a long battery life. With long standby times and at least ten years of battery-powered operation, it is well-suited to remote solutions without easy access to power,  such as underground meters. 

LTE-M also offers significantly better indoor coverage in locations where it is difficult to connect devices using standard GSM technology, which means devices can still upload data in real time. It uses 4G, so when it comes to speed and latency, performance is good, and it also has access to data/voice/SMS communication channels. This is of particular importance when it comes to things like emergency equipment such as elevators and remote assistance devices. Even more importantly, LTE-M will eventually become an integral part of 5G, which guarantees its longevity, so you won’t need to change your device as technology evolves.  

When it comes to costs, LTE-M offers excellent value. Modules are less expensive and with extended stand-alone power, you will see a significant reduction in things like technician call outs, while also limiting the number of devices you need to replace.  

Unlike other technologies LTE-M handles hand-over between cell towers, making it ideal for mobile use cases. For example, if a vehicle crosses different network cells, an LTE-M device behaves just like a mobile phone, never dropping the connection – it doesn’t need to re-establish a new connection. 

Key LTE-M applications:

Smart meters

LTE-M easily enables monitoring utility applications via regular and small data transmissions, while its extended range means better coverage in hard to reach areas

Automotive & transport

Full hand-over between networks makes LTE-M ideal for use cases with medium data rate needs, such as connected cars, asset tracking and fleet management

Smart healthcare

With its extended in-building range, mobility, and voice support, LTE-M is particularly suited for connected health applications, including out-patient monitoring and stay-in-place solutions

Smart cities

LTE-M can facilitate a number of outdoor city needs, such as controlled street lighting, waste management, parking and traffic management, and monitoring of environmental conditions. If we move inside, LTE-M can support building automation, such as controlling access, lighting, and security and alarm systems

If you would like to learn more about what LTE-M can do for your business, please get in touch.

Cities across the globe have already implemented any number of smart city solutions, leveraging IoT technology to connect everything from public transport to healthcare to waste management. But unlocking the full potential of a smart city remains a challenge. To be truly successful and to fully reap the benefits of IoT, smart cities cannot simply adopt digital technologies in silos – they need to leverage and combine the strengths and diverse capabilities of their different departments across the entire smart city ecosystem.

To avoid the myriad challenges silos bring, it’s important that cities create transparency between various city services. Too many teams still operate in solos as they manage various needs such as traffic, utilities, power, water, and parking. Each of these departments generate massive amounts of data – and IoT technology can enable each area to increase productivity, improve processes, and leverage that data to allow for better decision making and cross-departmental collaboration.

The good news is that many cities are working to remove barriers to a truly connected smart city. The result is a collaborative approach that leverages IoT to mitigate risk and optimize assets, resulting in improved systems and enhanced quality of life.

Here’s what breaking down the silos could mean in practice: imagine a driver on his or her daily commute. They are stuck in traffic and wondering why. Suddenly, they are alerted by the city of an accident 20 km down the road. They are also given information on alternative routes, which allows them to quickly adjust their plans and make it to work on time.

Now let’s add some more to that picture. By leveraging IoT and related technology, the driver isn’t the only person alerted to that accident. First responders and people working with public safety and public works are also notified, oassengers using public transport are alerted and nearby police officers are quickly re-routed and re-assigned.

Suddenly, through IoT, you have all interested parties mobilized and aware and a potentially difficult situation is brought under control much more quickly. Additionally, data from the incident can be utilized to understand if the place of the accident is one where accidents happen regularly. Data can also be used to measure response times and how systems are working.

Another scenario could involve a big event in your city, such as a sporting event or a concert. By connecting your various systems and departments and sharing information, traffic lights and public transport can be coordinated with event timings to help manage and disperse crowds in a safe and efficient manner. Connected parking spaces can help people easily identify where to park through an app, while an integrated cashless payment system can ease processes.

So, how do you develop a truly cohesive smart city that is responsive and integrated? While the best advice is to integrate your solutions right from the start, that might not be possible, given that many cities already have smart city solutions up and running.  No matter what stage your smart city is at, collaboration between the various players across the smart city is pivotal in developing the right suite of smart solutions to meet the unique needs of your city.

Linking legacy systems, including IT systems, with IoT sensors and data architectures is crucial. It’s also important to not see implementing IoT purely in terms of just technology. Implementing IoT is also an operational transformation that will impact a wide range of stakeholders, even if they are not directly involved. And don’t forget about data: know how you’re going extract, analyze, and store data. You may not be using all of the data right away for things like AI, but you may want to in the future, so have a plan.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What does ‘smart’ look like/mean for your regions?
• Which smart solutions will solve which challenges – and how can they work in harmony?
• Which technologies, policies, and strategies will be needed?
• How will you finance your projects?
• How will you address security?
• How will intelligent systems work together across departments and even with other regions?
• How will you measure outcomes for different stakeholders?

At the end of the day, employees will come and go, so developing an interconnected, interoperable smart system that is built to last will benefit both the city and any future employees in the long run. Historical data will be crucial to future city planning, as well as key to continued optimization and improved efficiency across the smart city ecosystem.

If you would like to learn more about how Tele2 IoT can help you integrate your Smart City solution, please get in touch.

IoT has opened up a world of possibilities when it comes to healthcare. Ordinary medical devices can now collect extremely valuable and additional data, which in turn gives more insight into symptoms and trends and enables remote care. The result is more autonomy for patients and better monitoring of often serious conditions. Here are just a few of the ways IoT is creating smarter healthcare.

Remote Medical Assistance

One of the biggest and fastest growing areas of healthcare and IoT is remote medical assistance, in which connected devices monitor a patient’s conditions at their homes. Smart devices take readings and observe behavioral patterns (often automatically) and can alert medical professionals when there is a discrepancy. This is particularly applicable for elderly patients, as well as vulnerable patients or patients with long term chronic conditions. It reduces in-person visits and lets patients manage their care from home.

Smart Glucose Monitoring

Around one in ten adults are affected by diabetes, requiring continuous monitoring and treatment.  A Continuous Glucose Monitor helps diabetics monitor their blood glucose levels by taking readings at regular intervals. The data is then sent to a smart phone app and allow for remote monitoring – perfect for parents of diabetic children or relatives or elderly or vulnerable patients. Smart insulin pens automatically record the time, amount, and type of insulin dosage, and store long-term data on a smartphone app.

Connected Inhalers

Asthma kills around 1000 people each day and affects around 339 million people globally – a number that is rising steadily. Smart inhalers offer increased insight into and control over symptoms and treatment, helping those who suffer understand what might be causing their symptoms, tracking use of medication, and also allergen forecasts. One of the biggest benefits is that people using connected inhalers take their medication more consistently and are more likely to use their medication as prescribed, which leads to improvements in their condition.  There is also a wearable asthma monitor that detects symptoms of an asthma attack before its onset.

Connected Pills

According to the World Health Organization, around 50% of medicines are not taken as directed, which can lead to serious health consequences. Ingestible sensors are pills containing microscopic sensors – about the size of a grain of rice – that send a signal to an external sensor worn on the body, ensuring both proper dosage and usage. The data is then relayed to a smartphone app, which helps patients keep on top of their meds. This not only improves adherence to doctor directives, it also allows patients to have a more informed dialogue with their healthcare provider about treatment. Making sure patients take their medication at the right time is also an issue, particularly among elderly patients, who tend to be prescribed a cocktail of medications that are to be taken at certain times of the day.  Connected pill dispensing machines ensure that not only does the patient take the pill at the right time in the right dosage through the use of prompts, it also alerts healthcare providers if something is wrong.

Hand Hygiene Compliance

Proper hand hygiene is the single biggest defense against spreading disease, yet research shows that one out of every 20 patients in the US get infections from lack of proper hand hygiene in hospitals, with some losing their lives as a result.  Connected hand-hygiene stations monitor hand hygiene compliance in real time: any time a healthcare professional comes near a patient without washing their hands a sensor beeps, reminding them of their duty to treat their patients with clean hands.

Hospital Operations

Optimizing a hospital or healthcare center can take many forms; cutting unnecessary costs and streamlining daily functions are just two ways IoT has real value in a medical facility. Millions of dollars are lost annually due to lost or stolen equipment, which has a real knock on effect when it comes to patient treatment and resources. Attaching sensors to equipment allows hospital staff to track any piece of equipment in real time, which not only reduces theft but also allows tracking of the overall use of equipment. And by tracking usage, administrators can more easily understand when to replace or perform maintenance, thus avoiding equipment downtime.

Research

Much of today’s medical research lacks critical real-world information, instead using controlled environments and volunteers.  IoT opens up a sea of valuable data and information through analysis, real-time field data, and testing, delivering far superior, more practical, reliable data. This, in turn, yields better solutions and discovery of previously unknown issues.

Healthcare is one of the fastest growing IoT areas. If you’re interested in creating smarter healthcare, get in touch.

According to the International Water Association, more than 400 billion liters of potable water are lost through leakage each year, largely due to ageing and crumbling infrastructure. Furthermore, while a one-day water mains break will lose roughly 75 thousand liters of water, an unreported service connection break can lose more than 4.5 million liters of water during the six months that, on average, it takes to be discovered. From reservoirs to water mains to indoor plumbing, leaks can spring up anywhere along water’s piped journey, costing time, money, and resources, and it’s never been more critical to conserve water. The UN estimates 2.3 billion people already live in water-stressed countries and globally, water use is growing at more than twice the rate of population increase.  

This is not great news for municipalities and other concerned parties, who are dealing with the double whammy of increasing urban populations and the resulting water stress. So, what can be done to address the challenges around this increasingly scarce resource? This is where IoT can make all the difference.

There are any number of benefits in using IoT to better manage water systems. Here are just six of the top takeaways:

• Better transparency
• Fewer incidents
• Enhanced control
• Data-based decision making
• Cost control
• Improved sustainability

Utility companies are of course already widely using IoT for digital metering solutions, but IoT water leak detection technology can play an invaluable role for facility owners and operators in developing a comprehensive plan for mitigating leakage. Advancements in IoT technologies such as LPWA (low-power, wide area) allow for the efficient management and maintenance of ageing water supply infrastructure through remote monitoring.

Advanced IoT sensors allow detailed, accurate, and real-time analysis of water systems, including potable water, wastewater, and waterways. Additionally, IoT technology enables utility companies to monitor various parameters remotely, including:

• Water quality & pressure
• Temperature
• Turbidity & suspended solids
• Water levels

The reduced visibility of water mains and pipes means monitoring can be challenging. The introduction of small IoT sensors and devices makes leak detection simpler and faster. These sensors and devices, often using LPWA technology, can be used to measure vibrations, pressure, flow rates, and in some cases even sound waves. They monitor water flow patterns and immediately detect when this flow deviates from normal patterns bases on data from the sensors. Early detection of leaks and even the level of damage can be very beneficial in terms of sustainability, time savings, cost estimates, understand the scope of repairs, and thus better use of manpower.

IoT sensors and the data produced can also contribute to decision making by predicting potential leakage. Predictive maintenance allows you to take precautionary measures, as well as direct your resources more precisely, addressing challenges when they are still manageable. In other words, instead of having to deal with a major water main break, which can interrupt service and potentially create gridlock on the roads, you can find and fix a smaller leak with minimal disruption. By deploying IoT technology for predictive purposes, you reduce schedules or time-based checks. Instead, data will tell you where you have a challenge, allowing you to make informed decisions so you can protect your assets by addressing challenges quickly and efficiently and minimizing potential further damage.

Taking a closer look at the cost cutting benefits, while IoT sensors can save time, alleviate stress, and save money by preventing or minimizing challenges, they can also help when estimating damage. Sensors can often detect how much damage has been caused by a water leak and can potentially stop a leak as soon as it starts by sending an alert, which triggers a shutoff valve to close the main supply line. This quick response saves you money in myriad ways and the data will help you understand the scope of the problem and what it’s going to take to fix it.

Ultimately, water is a finite resource and of all the water on earth, only 3% is fresh water. With growing populations combined with water stress, it is critical that the growing gap between supply and demand is addressed. Streamlined water processes and minimizing wastage are key elements to ensuring this. Real time monitoring alerts and maintenance alerts can be key factors in doing this when addressing water leakage. Additionally, an integrated approach can include monitoring reservoir levels and monitoring ground water levels, creating a framework for smart cities, while promoting improved coordination and management of water resources and processes.

If you would like to learn more about how IoT can help you better manage your business and operations, please get in touch.

Anyone who spends time in cities won’t have missed the rise in popularity of micromobility (aka urban mobility). Small, lightweight vehicles such as e-scooters and e-bikes provide affordable, accessible, and eco-friendly transportation that is also cost-effective, and are seen as the answer to gridlocked cities and urban air pollution. Ernst & Young has called e-scooters the ‘fastest growing mode of transport ever documented’.  In fact, the micromobility market is expected to enjoy CAGR of 16 percent from $3 billion in 2019 to $12 billion by 2027. This growth is due to both changes in consumer sentiment, where micromobility solutions are increasingly seen as viable commuter options, and the industry itself willingly tackling some of its more pressing issues, such as parking. Micromobility is also getting a boost from city planners, who are prioritizing greater sustainability and efficiency and the reduction of car use within city boundaries.

IoT and digitalization continue to impact nearly every industry and retail is no different. While retailers have been working with RFID for quite a long time, new and improved IoT technologies are giving retailers the opportunity to improve operations and enhance customer experience, whether that’s in your brick-and-mortar operation or your e-commerce side of things. From reducing inventory error and optimizing supply chains to decreasing labor costs and reducing theft, IoT can benefit both customer and business owner in myriad ways. 

Here are seven ways IoT is enabling and enhancing retail:

In-store data collection

Smart sensors allow retailers to track foot traffic and shopping behavior, which offers a number of benefits. First, understanding traffic flows allows businesses to evolve store layouts and stock placement to data-driven merchandising, as well as pairing products and placing them where they can easily be found by the customer.  Brands also have the opportunity to identify traffic hotspots, allowing them to strategically place promotional material or advertising in spaces where shoppers frequent, creating more awareness with less effort.

Automated checkout

Let’s face it: no one likes to stand in long lines waiting to pay. Long lines not only lead to lost customers in the moment, they can also deter customers from returning to your store. That said, adding more staff to handle the problem isn’t always the optimal solution. While self-checkout has helped ease the problem to an extent, IoT-enabled checkout systems are the real game-changer. An automated checkout system reads tags on each item a customer has put in their basket as they leave the store. So, instead of checking out at the counter with an employee or going through a self-checkout line, the automated checkout system takes note of the items and deducts the cost from the customer’s mobile payment app. The result is quicker purchases, happier customers, and reduced costs for the retailer.

Smart shelves

Inventory management is a time-consuming task, but a vital one in order to make sure that items are not out of stock, misplaced, or stolen. Smart shelves help you track inventory and get an alert whenever stock levels are funning low or when an item is misplaced/placed on a shelf incorrectly. IoT sensors allow you to gather information and data on each product, which not only helps you monitor stock levels, but also detect in-store theft.

Personalized discounts

Loyalty programs and discounts are an ideal way to show appreciation for returning customers while also ensuring their loyalty. IoT sensors placed around a store can distribute loyal discounts to loyalty program members via their smartphones when they stand near discounted products. Additionally, IoT can track items that a customer has been looking at online, sending them a personalized discount when they visit the store. So, instead of offering general discounts on numerous random products, each discount can be tailored to individual customers, maximizing conversion rates.

Optimized store layout

Planning store layout can be tricky, but through the use of IoT data and analytics, a store’s layout can be optimized not just for the retailer, but for the customers too. This not only enhances customer experience, it also increases profitability. Deploying sensors across aisles can help retailers place products in relation to customer behavior, including placing the least in demand products front and center and the most popular ones further to the back. The data gathered also provides insights into customer behavior and shopping preferences.

Food safety monitoring

Food and beverage retailers know that efficient operations are crucial when it comes to offering their customers products that are fit for consumption. Establishing and maintaining an efficient operation, though, can be challenging and one impacted by any number of factors. Anything from an electrical outage to staff error can lead to stock contamination, spoilage, and loss – costing you money. IoT sensors can prevent loss and mitigate human error by monitoring perishable goods in real team. They can automatically log temperatures in prep areas, fridges, freezers, and other equipment, setting thresholds for each sensor and receiving an alert any time a threshold is breached. This helps protect inventory by ensuring food storage areas remain temperature compliant.

Supply chain optimization

Managing customer expectations is crucial in retail and IoT allows retailers to do this through up-to-date insights into inventory availability. Starting in the warehouse, IoT-enabled sensors on product shelves can monitor weight fluctuations that signal when products are running low. This ability to recognize the popularity of particular goods – such as the ones that are flying off the shelves – allows retailers to proactively restock in good time. This is increasingly important as more and more customers move to online shopping – physical inventory isn’t visible, so the ability to know when to restock before someone purchases an item that isn’t available lowers the risk of transactional error. Additionally, warehouses are big and finding a particular product can be like finding a needle in a haystack – deploying sensors in your warehouse leads to greater overall visibility and streamlined processes.

IoT is one of the driving technologies behind the smart city concept and is poised to be a key component in facilitating sustainable urban development. More than half of the world population lives in urban areas today and cities account for more than 70 percent of global carbon emissions and 60-80% of energy consumption. As urban populations have increased, services have overall deteriorated in terms of both quantity and quality, with rapid urbanization giving rise to increased challenges around things like traffic congestion, water contamination, and most importantly, social inequality.

Municipalities are leveraging IoT technology to connect devices, infrastructure, and people. It is being used to address challenges that range from waste management and water conservation to traffic, air pollution, and power grids. By leveraging IoT technologies, cities are able to successfully manage their growing populations by improving quality of life and the efficiency of urban operations and services, while also increasing competitiveness and addressing economic, social, environmental, and cultural needs.

Let’s take a closer look at a few areas where cities are leveraging IoT technology to address challenges, and how things could play out as solutions evolve:

Transportation & traffic

Among the key goals of any public transport system are greater efficiency and reliability – and smart technology is the key to enablement. There are a number of areas where IoT is particularly helpful:

• Toll & ticketing

More people in our cities means more vehicles on our roads – and an increase of vehicles means queues at toll booths. While automated tolls, using an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag, have already improved the flow of traffic, further improvements are possible through the use of IoT technology. Many of today’s vehicles come equipped with IoT connectivity, which allows a car or truck to be detected up to a kilometer away from a tolling station. What this means in practice is that the car or truck can be identified long before it approaches a toll booth – so when the vehicle finally gets there the barrier automatically raised for the vehicle to pass through. For older vehicles, a registered smart phone could serve the same purpose, taking automatic payment from the phone’s digital wallet.

• Connected vehicles

As mentioned, many vehicles today are already connected and are equipped with sensors and devices that monitor everything from brakes and the engine to tire pressure and exhaust. Going forward, connected vehicles will use in-vehicle networks, radar, and cameras to help detect and communicate with one another, prevent collisions, and promote smooth traffic flow. Vehicle tracking systems are already being used within the freight and rental segments, monitoring driver behavior and collecting data on things like idling time and fuel consumption.

• Public transport management

IoT technologies are already widely used in public transport, including for integrated ticketing and automated fare collection, passenger information, and display systems. IoT can also be used for real-time vehicle tracking, which allows public transport agencies to communicate better with customers about things like arrival and departure times. Datal analysis and real-time management allows transit agencies to monitor progress in real-time and make adjustments for unpredicted incidents, such as accidents, roadworks, station closures, etc.

Smart lighting

The majority of city dwellers spend more time indoors than outdoors, which can have a significant impact on energy consumption. The use of electricity for lighting can be significantly optimized with the use of intelligent systems. Natural light cycles can be mimicked by incorporating light and temperature sensors, while light sensor-based applications can be used to manage the orientation of solar panels for optimal usage of natural resources.

If we look at street lighting, the savings and benefits are clear:

• Dynamic dimming

Intelligent streetlights adjust light levels based on specific times and events. When paired with motion sensors, light levels can be further refined. Dynamic dimming based on time, event, or human presence can result in a more than 60% reduction in energy consumption, while the use of motion sensors means when no human presence is detected, streetlights illuminate at a low, predefined level, reducing energy usage, CO2 emissions, and light pollution.

• Maintenance optimization

Intelligent streetlights mean near real-time information on each light, allowing almost instant notification of faults or errors, which allows city managers to take informed actions, while at the same time reducing the need for manual checks. This can reduce maintenance costs significantly.

• Increased public safety

Smart motion sensors trigger streetlights only when humans are detected, for example when a pedestrian or cyclist passes by, encircling them in a ‘circle of light’.  This increases overall public safety, as statistically speaking criminals avoid committing crimes in well-lit areas.

Additionally, smart streetlights offer an ideal point from which a diverse range of smart city applications can be launched, collecting a wide array of data on everything from air quality to street security to traffic patterns. Streetlight poles have an uninterrupted power supply, making it easy to power IoT devices and sensors. They are also generally spread uniformly across cities and are consistent in height, making them idea for hosting all kinds of IoT sensors and systems, removing the need to set up ad hoc infrastructures.

Healthcare

Combine a global pandemic with ongoing populations growth, inefficient patient flow, swindling staff, and a host of other challenges in healthcare and it’s clear that healthcare can use all the help it can get. Through the use of IoT, authorities can collect data to gain valuable insights, which in turn can be used for better public healthcare planning.

For patients, devices such as smart insulin pens, connected inhalers, asthma monitors, blood pressure monitors, etc. allow them to better manage and address their own health needs, as well as provide more accurate data to their healthcare providers – and also quickly access help if there is trouble. Additionally, data collection allows observation and treatment to take place, something that was previously only possible in an institutional setting. Smart devices and other connected sensors can also help with early detection.

Here are several of the ways IoT can enable better healthcare:

• Remote monitoring

Customized software and devices gathers data from remote devices in real time, allowing for a better analysis of patient’s health – and thus improved outcomes.

• Enhanced supervision & reporting

Remote supervision through connected devices can collect essential health data and transfer it to a health professionals in real time, allowing a quick response to medical emergencies such as heart failure or asthma attacks.

• Reduced costs

Connected devices and other IoT devices such as tele care allow patients to connect with their health professionals from how, reducing the need for visits to the doctor’s office for tests and checkups.

• Medication Management

There are a number of IoT solutions already helping patients better track their medication schedule, including smart pill bottles and in-home medication dispensers that also alert both healthcare professionals and concerned friends and family if there is a problem.

• Data Analysis

Data-driven insights not only speed up the decision-making process of healthcare professionals, they also allow for better public health decisions overall, whether that is where to allocate money or where to build a new hospital.

Essentially, IoT can play a pivotal role in the future of healthcare, with many solutions already available today.  It is a vast area, though, so please download our IoT & Healthcare White Paper to learn more.

Retrofitting existing building stock

Every year, nearly 5 billion square meters of buildings are retrofitted. Retrofitting existing building stock is an effective approach when dealing with limited budgets, aging structures, and energy accountability, as it helps reduce energy costs, improves equipment performance, and extends the lifetime of the building.

If we look closer at energy, in the EU, buildings are responsible for 40% of total energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions. Retrofitting ageing building stock presents a major opportunity to not just reduce carbon emissions, but to also reduce operating costs and provide more comfortable and healthier buildings for citizens. Retrofitting also has significant job generation potential.

Before IoT, tracking and collecting building performance data was a manual job – and it was tedious, inaccurate, and a slow process. Now, with IoT sensors and the data generated, it is possible to monitor and track a building’s performance in near real-time, giving crucial insights on the go, which leads to better outcomes.

When IoT sensors and smart technology are introduced into the picture, you can monitor and control the use and operation of building equipment, such as HVAC systems, lighting, and plug loads, you also get real-time data, all of which leads to detection and diagnoses of faulty equipment, energy efficiency, and even enhanced profitability.

These are just a few of the ways IoT is enabling smart, sustainable urban development. To learn more, download the Tele2 IoT Smart City White Paper, which covers this topic in depth. You are also welcome to contact us to learn more about how IoT can help your community address your challenges.