Even with all the talk about Internet of Things (IoT), it can be hard to come up with IoT examples that translate the concept to reality. Who is using it? Who is benefitting from it? How is it actually working for enterprises right now?

Without a doubt, IoT will bring more devices to your network – and cause an increase in data transmission requirements. According to HP, in 2010, there were 5 billion connected devices – just three years later, in 2013, the number nearly doubled to 9 billion. But what are those devices doing? What types of data are they gathering (and why)?

To help bring the concept of IoT to life, we rounded up some IoT examples that illustrate how this type of connectivity is already being used to improve efficiency and reduce expenses.

 

IoT Example No. 1: Philadelphia Streets Department

In Philadelphia, solar-powered, self-reporting trash compactors feature sensors that tell the compactor when the trash inside reaches a certain level. When that level is reached, the trash is automatically compacted. These sensors also send data back to the Philadelphia Streets Department to indicate how full they are, whether they need to be emptied, whether they need maintenance/repair, etc. Because employees now receive notifications about bins that are full or need attention, the team reduced collection frequency (and operating costs as a result), and are able to spend more time on other tasks instead.

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