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Humans, Machine Data Blurred: How the Internet of Things Will Change Work

  • By Puneet Pandit, Glassbeam  
  • 1:52 pm  |  
  • Permalink

Image: infocux Technologies/Flickr

The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming the way we work, live and play. In fact, IDC estimates that in 2020 there will be 26 times more connected things than people. And earlier this year, Wikibon forecasted that $154 billion will be spent on the “Industrial Internet” in 2020. Today IoT is affecting our day-to-day interaction with “things” around us, and even opens the door of possibilities for a more sustainable work environment. In the future, we can expect IoT to generate entirely new job roles and titles and to completely change the way we commute, communicate and collaborate. Below is a list on how the IoT will impact the future of work, blurring the lines between humans and machines.

1. Imagine a more efficient commute. About 15 percent of commute time is spent in traffic, and about 17 percent of fuel wasted in cities by drivers sitting at red lights. Sensors on our roads, traffic video cameras and median divides will impact how our vehicles will ‘talk’ to drivers. By monitoring traffic speed, stoplights, accidents and current road conditions, programmable cars and even roads will push the most efficient routes to drivers’ mobile devices, cutting down commute time, saving gas money, and ultimately, making our roads safer.

2. Predict product “health.” After a product is shipped, the interaction between the customer and the vendor usually subsides, at least until the next buying period or a problem arises. Proactive technology can keep a “pulse” on the health of products and “things” to pinpoint issues before they arise. In this era of next-generation customer service, proactive product monitoring means a company can keep customers happy, watch product health around the clock and avoid any problems.

3. New job roles. The digital age has ushered in new IT jobs that go beyond the desk and beyond the code monkey. With the rise of IoT, cloud and ‘big data’ jobs are becoming more specialized than ever. Gartner last year reported that the number of Chief Digital Officers (CDOs) is on the rise, predicting that by 2015, 25 percent of companies will have one managing their digital goals. The Data Scientist too has become an important asset for companies embracing the value of big data and analytics, and we’ll begin to see more chief data scientists, analysts and even, chief customer satisfaction officers. And probably some titles we can’t even imagine yet.

4. Productivity at work. The rise of social has given way to a new age of communications and team collaboration. Value tools like Box, Skype and even Facebook have captured the attention of the next generation workforce. Video collaboration and imaging will take hold as millennials and digital natives rely on text messaging, FaceTime and even ‘Hangouts’ for true integrative communication at work, saving time and blurring social tools with modern collaborative work systems.

5. Give structure to unstructured data. “Big Data” isn’t just big…it’s huge. If leveraged well, Big Data can create new value across the business when unstructured data is converted into structured data. Analyzing data and breaking it down into meaningful intelligence and analytics can tell a richer story about customers, product behavior, market position, employee productivity and even predicted future success.

6. A “greener” business. Sensory meters have already seen ‘light’ in a few office buildings and homes today, but this will become a necessity in building standards for modern building infrastructures. Installed movement sensors can turn off/on lighting fixtures, heaters/ac, coffee machines and even the T.V. as humans move throughout the space, or go home for the night. These sensors are already integrated into blinds, basing temperature and sunlight for how far they open and close, which can improve energy efficiency and production, saving money and the environment.

7. Location, location, location. IoT will make location tracking simpler. Currently done via phones, cars and even in hospitals, Internet-connected equipment and devices will be geographically tagged, saving valuable resources like time and money. Companies will be able to track every aspect of their business, from inventory to fulfilling orders as quickly as possible to locating and deploying field services and staff. Tools, factories and vehicles will all be connected by location-based technology making the entire chain ever more efficient.

8. Smarter water cooler chat. Even water coolers can be connected in IoT, making a trip to the water cooler smarter than ever. The water cooler (coffee machine etc.) can remember personal preferences, be voice and motion activated, even deliver drinks on demand without the wait (cutting down on the proverbial water cooler chatter).

9. Doctors at work. The IoT is going to change the way a doctor works too, as well as the patient experience at the doctor’s office or in the hospital, and the overall doctor-patient relationship. Today a patient’s condition must still be assessed live in the presence of the doctor, face to face. In the future, IoT will enable devices to read data directly from a person’s body, enabling doctors to access real-time patient data remotely. New technology also means the doctor can meet with the patient from halfway around the world, changing the shape of where and how their workday happens.

10. Plan workdays around the weather. With a more virtual workforce and flexible work days, weather can impact team productivity and commute decisions. Today weather forecasts rely on a few satellites or ground based weather stations as the primary data gathering points from the sky. In the future, billions of sensors will be integrated in different “listening” devices and stations — both in the sky and on the ground. Using Big Data to better predict the earth’s “heart beat” will enable more sophisticated and accurate weather and climate change predictions. For commuters, this will mean more accurately predicting rain, sleet and snow, well in advance, so that we can better plan our workweek, the days we head into the office (and conversely, the nicest days to stay at home) and even how we commute (Rain today? Think I’ll take the train.)

Puneet Pandit is founder and CEO of Glassbeam.

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