Automation Trends and Top 5 IoT Predictions of 2021

• By Alex Husar
• 13-10-2021
• Technology

Our life takes on new forms that we couldn’t have imagined five years ago. Online shopping, cross-platform solutions, and voice assistants have become a part of our lives. The development of technology has reached unprecedented proportions and exceeded the predictions of past years.

We see attempts to build smart cities, expand automation to new areas, and introduce 5G technologies. All of these events will continue to win their place in the 2020s. This article will look at trends in automation and overview five paths the IoT world will take.

Hyper-Automation as the Main Trend to Consider
What should we prepare for in the tech world in 2021 and beyond? It’s the evolution of automation into hyper-automation. This technology will combine several kinds of automation and create structured systems in the data chaos.

But how can existing automation improve? Developers around the globe incorporate key components of hyper-automation:

Robotic process automation (RPA);
Low-code application platforms (LCAP);
Artificial intelligence (AI);
Machine learning (ML);
Virtual assistants.

As a result, companies will employ precise end-to-end automated solutions. Firms are already taking up this trend to streamline their business procedures, such as:

making service more efficient;
reducing errors in the supply chain;
predicting customer behavior;
maintaining equipment.

It helps them use data more effectively throughout the company.

Top 5 IoT Predictions to Observe
1. IoT Will Bring 5G Expansion
Ericsson reports that one billion people are now utilizing 5G networks. They will cover up to 40% of cellular subscriptions by 2025, becoming the fastest-growing mobile technology in wireless history.

What do 5G networks offer to IoT communication? They have lightning-fast speed, higher bandwidth, low latency, and high power. All these components accelerate IoT connectivity.

Which areas are already taking advantage of 5G? The spheres of 5G adoption include:
remote medical operations;
driverless vehicles;
manufacturing control;
automated ports;
military operations;
and other essential applications.

Such a wide 5G acceptance will increase IoTs with cellular connectivity during the next five years.

2. IoT Solutions Will Develop Manufacturing
How does IoT help in production? Manufacturing equipment, goods, and sensors gather and analyze massive data. This vast amount of unstructured figures comes to specialists who need to interpret and filter them out. That’s where machine learning becomes their perfect companion.

Numerous analytical platforms present data understandably, including:
gathering;
storing;

evaluating real-time signals on technological processes and events.

Manufacturers take this data to spot inefficient transactions, cut costs, and improve customer service. The technology functions as follows:

specialists place sensors, actuators, controllers, and human-machine interfaces on key equipment pieces;
operational figures get into databases;
the company’s departments receive objective and accurate statistics on the current situation;
employees from various divisions communicate and make informed decisions.
They can swiftly remove old paperwork, speed up data processing, and learn because this information is electronic.
The gathered data can be used to:
avoid unplanned downtime and malfunctions;
better control the product quality;
manage the supply chain without interruptions;
save time on unscheduled maintenance;
maintain enterprise efficiency and long-term growth.

3. IoT Will Be Helpful for Remote Workers
Let’s be honest: working from home is challenging and takes time to adapt. Some workers can’t cope with the remote working conditions even after two years after the pandemic began.

But there are tools, solutions, and browser extensions to organize your work. It’s also one of the areas where AI-powered personal assistants like Alexa and IoT devices can make this process easier.

You can organize your schedule and manage your day when you’re working remotely. For example, you can order Alexa to create to-do lists and reminders, take notes during Zoom calls, make payments, schedule meetings, and do a variety of other minor administrative chores.

Another challenge is worsened team communication. How can IoT enhance interaction? They can improve the quality of interactive video conferencing and virtual meeting technology. As an illustration of my words, take the Microsoft Virtual Stage platform. It uses Azure Kinect sensors to immerse you in an AI-powered presentation.

4. IoT Will Enhance Medical Assistance
The past year has left its mark in the development of IoT in healthcare. Hospitals and medical centers spend their money on IoT solutions. Statistics predict this figure will reach $188.2 billion by 2025. Compared to real-life examples, this amount exceeds Google’s revenue of 2020.

What was the reason for such a move in the medical sphere? Obviously, it was coronavirus and increased demand for remote consultations. Doctors began to use digital support to satisfy the needs of healthcare, such as:

video conferencing;
monitoring wearables;
edge computing.

Medical personnel remotely control the patient’s condition and intervene when needed. It helps to keep vulnerable groups isolated but carefully treated. What are the promising IoT solutions in healthcare? They are AI technologies, cloud platforms, and connected surgical equipment. They offer real-time diagnostics and operations and save money.

5. IoT Will Form Smart Cities Infrastructure
An IoT ecosystem simplifies life for urban residents, providing such benefits as:
mobility;
safety;
health;
efficiency.

We’ll utilize space more effectively, freeing up to 15 business days each year. Cities can implement Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) for these use cases:

traffic light management;
signs and boards;
controlling traffic jams;
uniting information from different flows.

All of these elements transmit data to avoid congestion and accidents. For example, do you need a parking lot? You can receive alerts if there are any available options immediately to your smartphone from smart parking facilities.

Self-driving automobiles and Mobility as a Service (MaaS) will also be on the rise. This solution combines:
an internet platform for transport service companies;
an online venue, coordinating routes, bookings, payments, and pricing for customers.
These programs can make personalized offers to vehicle owners and passengers according to the departure point, route, and destination.

To Sum Up
The future will bring us a single ecosystem of IoT platforms. They will work as an integrated network, automate human labor, and detect production flaws in real-time.

Smart cities with connected sensors will increase our mobility and productivity. Shopping from various touchpoints apart from computers and smartphones will require retailers to learn more about the cost of headless commerce. And healthcare digitalization will address our problems in no time.

But what about data privacy and total control? That’s what communities should figure out. The ubiquitous cameras and detectors can indeed remember our digital footprint to act against us. That’s the reality, but even minor cyber security rules can protect our private life.