As consumers get connected with devices, the world today has an enhanced focus on these devices or “things.” The Internet of Things (IoT) is most definitely revolutionizing the way we live, with connected edge devices becoming an integral part of our future. Machine-to-machine communications and data analytics are enabling the transformation of multiple industries around the world, generating new products, services and business models. Devices are becoming smarter in terms of predictive and prescriptive maintenance. From smart cars to homes, connected technologies are fueling the growing expectations of consumers. IoT is in the driver’s seat, connecting businesses with the new generation of internet-enabled edge devices through cloud infrastructure and affordable, scalable storage.

Honeywell is playing a key role in this technology shift. For us, IoT is a natural progression. Be it a miniature sensor that detects changes in temperature to complex and sophisticated systems such as radar and airplane engines; our innovative technologies are connecting workers, buildings, aircrafts, homes, industrial plant to provide various solutions ranging from energy efficiency to increased worker safety.

IoT is being driven by the exponential growth of smart devices, a conflux of low-cost technologies such as miniaturized sensors, wireless networks, scalable storage, and computing power in handheld devices. Smart sub-components and modules are expected to be a major part of IoT as they detect and measure changes in position, temperature, light, etc. and they are necessary to turn billions of objects into data-gathering “smart things.” The next obvious step is using augmented intelligence so that systems can generate actionable insights from a huge pool of data through comprehensive analytics. For example, predictive models are expected to produce more accurate results through machine learning. Intelligent systems today learns user habits and then adjusts their settings to fit the users' preferences and usage patterns.

As IoT grows, the biggest challenge is transferring data and getting various devices to have a digital conversation with each other. Honeywell’s diverse product portfolio enables efficiency in the Internet of things and help these devices to converse with each other. The customer’s demand for connected devices will have an overlapping effect across different industries and market segments. For instance, the government and administration is looking at making cities smarter. Residential and commercial buildings are looking to reap the benefits of machine-to-machine communication on a smaller scale. Honeywell is helping to achieve these goals through our Enterprise Building Integrator; a software suite consisting of several solutions that efficiently streamline building systems. Another application is in the area of energy efficiency. Increasing demand to improve energy efficiency and natural resource management is a compelling business case for the utility and residential markets. Honeywell’s operating system for IoT, the Niagara Framework, connects and translates data from any device or system, which can be used to aid in the management and optimization of energy usage in homes, buildings factories or even cities. Industries need real-time data to keep their workers safe. IoT enables all of this. For instance, Honeywell’s Connected Worker solution monitors an individual for toxic gas exposure, breathing, heart rate, posture, and motion, providing real-time data on a cloud-based dashboard to plant managers and supervisors.

The opportunities are plenty and applications diverse ranging from building automation, energy efficiency, smart metering, connected worker and industrial safety, to connected aircrafts. The future is all about the Internet of Things.