Today, we’ll discuss why the Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming essential in our daily lives.

The diagram simplifies this concept by focusing on assets, how we connect them, and why sensing the environment is so important. Let’s break it down step by step.

1. What Are Assets?

Let’s start with a question: What do you consider as assets?
We value and want to monitor, track, or protect assets. These could include:

Goods:

• We would like to know their location (e.g., where is my delivery?)
• Or their quality (e.g., is the food shipment fresh?)

Health:

• Monitoring our condition and ensuring safety are critical.
• Example: A health wearable that tracks your heart rate and connects to a mobile app.

Transport:

• Vehicles and public transportation must be tracked for location, routes, and utilisation.
• Example: A bus fleet monitored for efficient route planning.

House Security:

• Ensuring homes are safe by monitoring for intrusions or emergencies.
• Example: A motion sensor that alerts you if there’s unusual activity.

2. The Core Need: Connecting Assets and Sensing the Environment

Why do we need IoT for these assets?
The key lies in sensing and connecting the environment around these assets.

• In the past, we relied on manual monitoring and human input.
• Today, we use sensors and applications to gather real-time data and automate processes.

3. How IoT Works

Sensors: Devices attached to assets to sense environmental factors like temperature or humidity.

• Example: A sensor measuring the humidity in a storage facility for sensitive goods.

Communication: Sensors send this data to an IoT platform for processing and action.

• Example: A sensor alerts the homeowner if the temperature inside the house drops below a certain threshold.

4. Examples of Other Assets

IoT can be applied to monitor a wide variety of assets, such as:

• Machines: For predictive maintenance in factories.
• Plants: To ensure optimal growth conditions in agriculture.
• Water and Rivers: These are used to monitor pollution or water levels.
• Environment: For tracking air quality and weather changes.
• Buildings and Tunnels: For structural safety and efficiency.

5. Why IoT Is Essential

IoT provides us with the ability to:

• Monitor assets in real time without human intervention.
• Ensure safety and quality by automating alerts and responses.
• Improve efficiency by making data-driven decisions.

Final Thoughts

The most straightforward reason we need IoT is to connect our assets and sense the environment effectively.

By doing so, we make life easier and ensure safety, efficiency, and better decision-making.

Let’s discuss: What assets in your life or work could benefit from IoT? How would you use sensors to improve them? Share your thoughts!

[FREE Download IoT Notes]

Today, we’ll explore how the Internet of Things (IoT) transforms the 7 M’s of business — key elements that drive an organisation’s operations and strategy.

These 7 M’s are Manpower, Material, Method, Machine, Market, Money, and Management. Let’s break down each one and see how IoT impacts them.

1. Manpower

IoT helps businesses optimise human resources by reducing costs, improving safety, and increasing productivity.

Impact of IoT:

• Cost Reduction: Automating repetitive tasks reduces the need for manual labour.
• Worker Safety: IoT devices, such as wearables, can monitor health and alert workers to potential hazards.
• Productivity: By enabling remote work and real-time communication, IoT allows employees to focus on high-value tasks.

Example: A construction company using wearables to monitor worker fatigue and ensure safety.

2. Material

IoT ensures better management of materials, improving supply chain efficiency and reducing waste.

Impact of IoT:

• Just-In-Time Delivery: Sensors track inventory levels and automatically reorder materials when needed.
• Asset Condition Monitoring: IoT devices monitor the condition of materials, ensuring quality and preventing spoilage.

Example: A warehouse using IoT sensors to track stock levels and ensure optimal storage conditions.

3. Method

IoT makes business processes more agile and efficient by simplifying methods.

Impact of IoT:

• Reduce Red Tape: Automating workflows eliminates unnecessary administrative steps.
• Agility: IoT enables businesses to respond quickly to changing conditions.
• Efficiency: Processes become faster and more streamlined with IoT integration.

Example: A manufacturing plant automating quality checks with IoT sensors to speed up production.

4. Machine

IoT maximises the performance of machines, ensuring reliability and reducing downtime.

Impact of IoT:

• Uptime: Predictive maintenance ensures machines are operational when needed.
• Predictive Maintenance: IoT sensors detect issues before they become critical, preventing failures.
• Error Reduction: Machines can self-correct or alert operators when errors occur.

Example: A factory using IoT-enabled machinery to monitor performance and schedule maintenance.

5. Market

IoT helps businesses expand into new markets and improve their customer reach.

Impact of IoT:

• New Market Segments: IoT enables innovative products and services, opening new revenue streams.
• Global Reach: Businesses can monitor and manage operations worldwide through IoT platforms.

Example: An IoT-enabled home security company entering international markets with smart security systems.

6. Money

IoT creates new revenue opportunities and reduces costs.

Impact of IoT:

• New Revenue Streams: IoT drives innovation, leading to new services and products.
• Cost Savings: Automating processes and improving efficiency reduces expenses.

Example: A logistics company saving fuel costs by using IoT to optimise delivery routes.

7. Management

IoT improves decision-making through data-driven insights.

• Impact of IoT:
• Data-Driven Decisions: Real-time data helps managers make informed choices.
• Transparency: IoT provides visibility into all areas of the business.
• Better Decision-Making: Analytics from IoT systems offer actionable insights.

Example: A retail chain using IoT to monitor sales trends and optimise inventory.

Key Takeaways

IoT has a transformative impact on the 7 M’s of business:

1. Manpower: Reduces costs and improves safety.
2. Material: Ensures quality and efficiency.
3. Method: Simplifies workflows and increases agility.
4. Machine: Enhances reliability and performance.
5. Market: Expands opportunities globally.
6. Money: Generates new revenue and reduces costs.
7. Management: Improves decisions with real-time insights.

Discussion Question: Which of the 7 M’s most benefits from IoT in your industry? Let’s share ideas and examples!

{You can download the FREE eBook IoT Notes by Mazlan Abbas]

Today, we’ll discuss two critical topics in the digital age: data ownership and the 4 V’s of Big Data. 

This diagram simplifies these concepts, so let’s break them down for better understanding.

1. Data Ownership

Data ownership refers to who has the rights and responsibilities over data. There are four main categories:

1. Personal/Household

• This includes data generated from your personal devices, like your smartphone, fitness tracker, or smart home systems.
• Example: Steps tracked by your smartwatch, or usage data from your smart TV.
• You, as the owner of the device, own this data and can decide how it is used or shared.

2. Private

• This is data collected and owned by companies or enterprises.
• Example: A company’s internal data about its operations, such as sales performance or employee attendance.
• Organisations use this data to improve their services, products, or strategies.

3. Public

• Public data is owned by the government and shared for the benefit of society.
• Example: Data from weather sensors, air quality monitors, or river level gauges.
• This data is often accessible to the public for research, awareness, or planning purposes.

4. Commercial Sensor Provider

• These are entities that deploy, own, and sell data collected from their sensors.
• Example: A telecommunications company selling location data collected from its network.
• They monetise the data by providing it to third parties, such as businesses or governments.

2. The 4 V’s of Big Data

Big Data refers to the massive volumes of data generated by digital devices and systems. It is characterised by the 4 V’s:

Volume

• This is the amount of data, which can be massive in scale.
• Example: Social media platforms generate terabytes of data every day from user interactions.

Velocity

• This refers to how fast or slow data is generated and processed.
• Example: Real-time data from stock markets or traffic monitoring systems must be processed quickly to be useful.

Variety

• Data comes in different formats, such as text, audio, video, or images.
• Example: An IoT platform may process data from sensors (numeric values), surveillance cameras (video), and voice commands (audio).

Veracity

• This addresses the uncertainty or trustworthiness of the data.
• Example: Ensuring the accuracy of user-generated reviews on e-commerce platforms can be challenging.

Why is This Important?

Understanding data ownership and the nature of Big Data is essential for:

• Privacy and Security: Knowing who owns and controls your data helps protect your rights.
• Decision-Making: Leveraging the 4 V’s effectively enables organisations to make informed decisions.
• Innovation: Big Data drives advancements in fields like healthcare, transportation, and smart cities.

Final Thoughts

Data is the fuel of the digital economy, but with it comes the responsibility to manage it ethically and effectively. Whether it’s your personal data or public data shared by governments, understanding ownership and the dynamics of Big Data is crucial.

Let’s discuss: How can individuals and organisations ensure ethical data usage while maximising its potential? Share your thoughts!

[Note: Download the full eBook IoT Notes by Mazlan Abbas]