Intelligent CIO Europe Issue 02 | Page 97

/////////////////////////////////////////////////// t cht lk SIX WAYS THE INTERNET OF THINGS IS IMPROVING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE The Internet of Things (IoT) and data analytics are becoming more widely recognised within day-to-day life and are being heavily utilised in areas such as agriculture and healthcare. IoT is the next step towards transformation through innovation, improving our quality of life at a high rate of efficiency. www.intelligentcio.com T he combined effect of climate change and society’s impact on the earth is intensifying struggles over natural resources while also threatening our infrastructure, food systems and quality of life. It’s increasingly clear that today’s environmental conditions are not sustainable. Over the past few decades, we have made huge progress fighting disease, poverty and illiteracy. Now we must apply that same ingenuity to the problem of global warming and other consequences of human activity. Confronting these challenges requires political will, as well as a new approach to business; one that puts human welfare on an equal footing with profits. It also calls for innovative technology. We are already starting to see how the Internet of Things (IoT) – which connects everyday objects to the Internet – can help us transform our world for the better. Along with advanced data analytics, IoT- enabled devices and sensors are helping us reduce air pollution in some of our world’s biggest cities, improve agriculture and our food supply and even detect and contain deadly viruses. 1. SMARTER CITIES More than half of the world’s population now live in cities, up from just 34% in the 1960s. By mid-century, that figure could reach 66% according to the United Nations. Cities are major contributors to climate change and some are already feeling its impact through rising sea levels and increasingly severe weather events. But cities are also great incubators for IoT-based systems that make urban life more attractive, such as fast, convenient transportation systems, safe street lighting and energy-efficient buildings. INTELLIGENTCIO 97