The IoT Gadgets of Tomorrow

Next generation IoT devices

Now that most of us have embraced the Internet of Things through smart, connected devices that track our every breath and move, what is next on the IoT frontier? Not only have smart devices become an intricate part of our lives, they have also become faster, smaller, smarter and more useful. The next wave of IoT devices won’t be simply about connecting but will strive to improve our physical and mental health, indoor spaces, and vehicles.

Smart bodies through health devices

Although some of the futuristic IoT devices that are being presented at prominent tech events today may look like props from a science fiction film, they are a few short years away from being available on the mass market. As our environmental conditions worsen and consumers become more technologically savvy, wealthy and discerning, hybrid health devices that neutralize the negative effects of the environment and improve well-being will be the next big thing.

10 years ago, air purifiers also seemed like an unnecessary gadget, while today nearly every fourth household owns and uses one daily. By that token, hybrid devices like the conceptual Atmosphere don’t look so farfetched anymore. Such devices will be capable of monitoring environmental metrics, activating air filtration, adding vapor to the air to increase humidity levels, and even spray beauty products onto the wearer’s face. As our control of climate change diminishes, our desire to impact our immediate environment will grow substantially.

Smart glasses

Though not yet commercially successful, smart glasses have added a layer of intelligence to the human vision. From recording video, identifying their wearers’ identity, and placing phone calls to collecting sensor data and projecting location-based maps, the personal and professional use cases for smart glasses are countless. Their utility is bound to increase once ongoing privacy concerns are addressed.

Smart lenses

Taking augmented vision one step further, smart lenses can be implanted directly into the human eye, eliminating the need for wearing glasses or other superfluous vision aids. Though many aren’t yet fully comfortable with the idea of receiving robotic eye implants, smart lenses could be life-changing for patients with inherent vision problems. Furthermore, micro versions of different technologies can be embedded into the artificial lens, amplifying its capabilities and those of its wearer. These include antennas, radios, bluetooth, wireless circuits, glucose sensors, displays, and batteries, to name a few.

Smart wallet implants

Though mobile pay apps are a step toward going completely cashless and cardless, we still need to carry our clunky smartphones in order to complete payments without paper or plastic. What if we all had our personal payment information embedded directly into our wrists, skin-deep? We’d never have to carry a wallet or a smartphone again. Not surprisingly, privacy and the invasiveness of the implantation procedure are two of the main barriers to this technology’s mainstream adoption.

Holographic displays

Forget implantables – long live holograms! Android devices and phones like Red Hydrogen One and Google’s Pixel 4 can now display 3D holographic projections that can be viewed without the need for special glasses. Users can then interact with the hologram that’s projected by their smartphone, watch or ring, whereby the wrist’s micro-gestures are recognized remotely via sensors.

Smart homes, offices, gyms, stores…

Through advanced IoT systems we are now able to control the temperature, humidity, air quality, and light in our indoor environments, including gyms, homes, offices, or stores. Better control over the elements means we can also preserve more resources, while ensuring that we are living in the most optimal conditions. On top of this, our self-managing, connected home and office systems can independently replenish essential supplies as we run out of them, and automatically signal HVAC system problems so they can be repaired in a timely manner.

Smart vehicles

Although self-driving cars are yet to become mainstream due to unresolved issues that can lead to road accidents, the cars of today already provide utility of high value. Smart vehicles go above and beyond the simple function of getting us from point A to point B – they call for help in an emergency, schedule service appointments and oil changes, advise us of the cheapest gas station nearby when we are running low, avoid pedestrians, stay in a lane, and park themselves.

Going forward, we can expect connected vehicles to become even more helpful and integrated into our lives – from ensuring the safety of their passengers to guaranteeing their own technical integrity. To quote a tier 1 automotive supplier: “The autonomous vehicle will have to perform many more functions beyond driving (e.g., correctly recognizing passenger identities, using child locks for younger passengers, assisting passengers with limited mobility) and handle tons of safety-critical data in real time. The majority of data processing will be on the edge, while deep learning will be in the cloud.”

Is your organization IoT-ready? Adding value through providing connected devices and apps is one way to become a consumer favorite. Contact us to find out how you can do this, too.

Copywriter inadanova.com