The Internet of Things (IoT) market has grown rapidly since 2009. According to Statista, the global IoT market will soon reach $1.7 trillion. With the development of this technology, the world is getting a wide range of new concepts, for example, smart cities, as well as cars, toys, and other types of devices.
Mobile apps play an important role in the fast growth of the Internet of Things. They act as an interface that helps users to interact with physical devices via Internet. Therefore, the mobile apps development is also expanding. Good IoT engineer can build an app for any connected device.
In the near future, we are likely to see a huge transformation of what people usually have in their daily lives. That’s why manufacturers need to pay close attention to some important aspects in order to get the most out of the new technological direction.
At the same time, the industry is growing today. So, I am going to tell you about the best examples of IoT apps.
Applications for Internet of Things
User applications for the IoT can be divided into two large groups:
Data collection and analysis applications — their main task is to take measures from the device and save them in the application (applications for fitness trackers, scales, moisture meters, cameras, nitrates, etc.); Control applications — they are able not only to track the device but also to change its status (applications for coffee makers, kettles, smart homes, etc.).
Learning by playing
The connected devices can now entertain people and sometimes replace a pet. One of the examples is Cozmo. This is a small, intelligent robot with a personality and artificial emotions. In fact, it is an interactive toy that can help the owner learn to program.
The robot has its own central processor, which determines the toy behavior. At the same time, it connects to a mobile application that handles most operations and commands using artificial intelligence, which can be taught through the same application.
The Cozmo app connects your portable device to the robot via Wi-Fi. Cozmo itself cannot connect to the Internet, but it requires Wi-Fi because it provides more bandwidth than Bluetooth. The robot installs its own secure network, and the user must connect each time he uses the application.
Remote communication between pets and their owners
PetChatz is an interactive system that allows pet owners to communicate with their pets from anywhere in the world via audio and video. PetChatz also allows pet owners to play games with their companions and reward them with tasty prizes. With the device you can call your pet, as well is will be able to call your mobile app by pressing the special button.
With this device and mobile app, you can always keep in touch with your pet wherever you are. This system, by the way, is similar to the famous PetCube device, which has successfully received funding through the crowdfunding campaign.
Home management
Smart homes are another IoT concept. By connecting appliances to the Internet, you get full control over the functions of your home gadgets. By connecting to the Internet, IoT applications can send push notifications to your smartphone and allow users to configure and enable/disable systems when they are away from home.
One such system is SmartHouse-KNX, which allows you to be sure that the lights are off, the curtains are down, the hob is off, the heating is off, and the alarm system is activated. Using this technology, you can control any electrical device in your home through your mobile app. This helps property owners to save up to 45% of their annual energy consumption while saving about a thousand euros and significantly improving home security.
A smart socket is a perfect device for those who constantly forget to turn off the iron or want to turn on the heater before coming home. The remote control works not via Bluetooth, but via Wi-Fi, as in the case of Orvibo S20 socket.
The WiWo application asks for a password from the wireless network when connecting the socket. Access to the socket control is available from any smartphone, and the application supports up to 150 outlets. From the mobile device it is possible to turn on/off the socket, to set the mode of its operation by hours, days of the week, the application has a timer and blocking access to password management. The application allows you to manage other Orvibo devices of the smart home series.
Health monitoring
Many smart devices in the fitness and health category track various physiological parameters of the body. For example, the iHealth Smart Glucometer, developed by iHealth Labs Inc., can monitor blood sugar levels and send the results of measurements to the iHealth Gluco-Smart application on your smartphone. The measurement data can be saved to the device itself (about 500 measurements) or, if the smartphone is at hand, directly to the mobile application.
In addition, the collected information can be uploaded to cloud storage, which is provided to users free of charge. In the application it is possible to monitor changes in sugar level during the day, week, month, etc., to control the expiration date of test strips, to set reminders about the necessity of sugar level measurements or taking medicines, to send the statistics of measurements (in the form of a graph or table) to e-mail or to share the results in social networks. The information is transmitted to the mobile device via Bluetooth. You can add voice and text notes about food, sports, carbohydrates and more to your measurement results.
The widespread use of smartphones and the expansion of their ability to connect to the Internet and to each other, the development of the Internet of Things has created a significant market demand for mobile apps to manage connected devices. Therefore, technology companies need to consider new opportunities for winning part of a new and huge market.
Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.
Editors’ Recommendations:
About the Author
