IoT has proven to bring profits for supply chain management systems. Besides financial gains, IoT can also bring visibility, transparency, adaption, flexibility, and virtualization across the supply chains. And each of these aspects becomes crucial to the sector, given consumers’ demand for ethical and fair-trade food as also the need for food safety. IoT can help the industry enhance output and productivity at the agricultural, storage, and delivery stages. These services can be performed through operations including-

• Supply chain management
• Greenhouse monitoring
• Social media for open innovation and sentiment analysis
• Intelligent farm machines and drone-based crop imaging
• Food quality assessment using spectral methods and sensor fusion
• Food safety monitoring, using of gene sequencing and Blockchain-based digital traceability

According to research by By 2025, the market for the food industry is expected to be growing at a CAGR of 7%.

Let’s look at the application of IoT across the three significant stages of the farm to fork supply chain:

At the agricultural end

IoT has broadened the possibilities of achieving maximum production and has helped the industry stay environment friendly. IoT tools like cloud computing and sensors have made managing water and soil, water distribution, and accessing meteorological information easier. Technology requirements in the agricultural industry are also growing due to the increased awareness about product origin and process stability among consumers. Proper storage and distribution of the produce are also important factors that have led to increased use of IoT at the agricultural level.

Some examples of innovative use of IoT in agriculture

• Continuous monitoring of quantity and quality of the grain in silos
• Controlling irrigation and use of fertilizers for traditional and hydroponic agriculture
• Use of RFID sensors and egg detectors to analyze the behavior and plan remedies for the welfare of hens in poultry farms
• Use of multispectral images to analyze and control crop quality
• Use of neural networks, support vector machines, and electronic smell techniques to rapidly detect moldy apples in cold stores
• Use of an insect surveillance system in open fields using vibro-acoustic sensors

At the resource management end, IoT can create a ‘smart’ farming environment. Using tools such as cloud computing, big data, multiple-communication-protocol management, artificial intelligence and distributed ledger technologies like Blockchain, the resources can be better utilized and produce increased. These tools can also improve the traceability and productivity of the manufacturing and packaging processes.

With the help of these tools, IoT can perform functions such as comprehensive analysis, predictions and recommendations. IoT can also execute task automation, considering historical and real-time information about crops, machinery, livestock, or humans. All these allow farmers and supply chain managers to foresee factors such as production levels, storage requirements, distribution, and supply chain plans. Such data enables supply chain heads to plan their strategies in advance.

At the storage end

IoT systems can be used to reduce wastage of food products at the storage and transportation ends. This also ensures improved food safety by the utilization of tools such as real-time temperature tracking sensors.ÌýThe sensors can also be used to manage temperatures in the storage facility. They can also be used to monitor other food safety parameters such asÌýmoisture,Ìýhumidity, pH and odor.

IoT devices allow supply chain heads to trace and monitor goods from the production end right up to last-mile delivery. This helps the brands to gather granular and real-time data. This data can be used to improve both systems and processes, such as optimizing production and distribution schedules. By enabling supply chain heads to monitor food safety data points, the IoT systems assure active cold chain management. IoT for food supply chain management has helped organizations gain higher profits and improved customer satisfaction. It has also assisted supply chain heads toÌýsave energy through efficient energy spending.

allow supply chain heads to manage warehouses, silos and other storage spaces efficiently. On-premises and cloud deployment of IoT applications allows integration of quality, production, and track-and-trace processes. This ensures direct control of warehouse automation equipment and managing high-volume warehouse operations. By integrating complex supply chain management with warehouse and distribution processes, IoT-based technology allows for the efficient handling of inventories remotely and in real-time. For example, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are used to maintain stocks and perform traceability tasks in storage facilities. For this purpose, some UAV-based systems make use of a scanner installed on the vehicle. The vehicle performs a pre-defined flight and the scanner readsÌýthe barcodes.

The warehouse management system comes with the below-mentioned features to ensure safe storage and reduced wastage:

• Advanced shipment notification
• Maintenance, replenishment, slotting, and rearrangement of inventory
• Transportation wave management
• Packing control and process monitoring

At the delivery end

Another supply chain component where food products need extra care is the delivery and transportation process. With the help of an IoT-powered transportation logistics tool, this critical process can be streamlined in real-time and monitored remotely. For example, IoT-based applications such as QR codes and radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags can monitor goods’ movement. Other technologies such as Blockchain let supply chain heads trace a good throughout the entire cycle. These applications provide minute-by-minute visibility into transportation and ensure safe and cost-effective shipment of the product.

Further, Blockchain’s distributed ledger is almost impossible to alter, making it a perfect tool for maintaining a detailed record of the exchange of ownership that occurs throughout supply chains. Thus, IoT allows users to control and monitor risks cost-effectively and launch remedial measures to strengthen the supply chain process and prevent security breaches.

Some other essential features of IoT-based transportation management software are

• Tracking and monitoring transportation resources
• Forecasting supply and demand using enhanced computation models
• Improving transportation resource planning by stimulating scenarios to rectify and prevent imbalances
• Enhancing empty resource movement by finding the optimal locations and dates for the pick-up and return of transportation resources
• Setting up event-triggered alerts for timely warnings

• Automated selling

Food chains can use IoT-based transportation logistics tools to make convenient and timely deliveries to customers. Through efficient supply chain systems, stocks can be managed and replenished in time. IoT-based systems are also being used to directly sell the products to consumers, for example, at vending machines.

• E-tags

The use of e-tags can also prove time-saving and convenient for both customers and the service personnel at the stores. These e-tags are low-cost and use an electronic ink (e-Ink) display. These can be used during the transportation and storage of food items, where they help to monitor the stock. In retail food stores, they can help to monitor shelf life of food items to reduce spoilage and to maintain the inventory. E-tags can also be used for pricing in a store, since they are adaptable and can sync with different sensors in the store. For example, by adapting with a temperature sensor, e-tags can help implement a temperature-controlled inventory management andÌýsupply chainÌýsystem.

• RFID tags

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags facilitate a circuit to broadcast information to an end-user user through a secure system network. RFID tags help retail owners to track and monitor consumer preferences, understand market requirements, and reduce wastage of resources. They can also be used toÌýtrack and trace perishable food items. Another critical function of the RFID technology is that it can identify the direction of tags. This is done throughÌýRFID gates, which can determine whether theÌýproducts are being received or shipped through the gate.

The dataÌýgenerated through RFID technology can then be usedÌýto

• Personalize customer interactions
• Optimize product usage
• Plan future inventories
• Design store layout and shelf displays
• Manage category

This data is also valuable for retail owners. Through RFID data, they can getÌýinformation about the temperature and humidity historyÌýof the product they are buying during the storage and transportation process.ÌýThis empowers stores to choose the best stocks for their businesses. The data also help the customers to make the right choice while buying a food item.

Through real-time data and analysis, IoT-based systems can notify retail food stores when to restock items. It also provides notifications and alerts about faults and errors in the system. This allows to strengthen the supply chain and maintain better coordination between retail stores and supply chain heads, helping reduce losses.

The owners of retail food outletsÌýcan also get insights into consumer behavior through data such as time spent at a kiosk and comparisons made between brands. This featureÌýcan help design marketing campaigns and assist in analyzing the impact of existing campaigns.

These benefits are being reaped from tools like sensors to gather data and analyze it, for example, for predicting in-store wait times for customers. All this allowsÌýgreater customerÌýsatisfaction and eventually boosts profits.

• Smart vehicles for smart deliveries

The use of smart vehicles for food delivery can significantly reduce costs associated with operation, transportation, and product handling. For example, in times of the pandemic, a major hurdle for food delivery companies has been the restrictions on movement. People staying home because of the restrictions have also been hesitant to order food online, because of apprehensions of getting infected by the delivery personnel. Using IoT and smart vehicles for food delivery can be the solution for this. Smart vehicles such as drones reduce the need for human intervention, which has become necessary in the present-day scenario of the pandemic.

IoT can thus be used for more advanced functions, such as implementing ‘last mile’ solutions like self-driving vehicles and drones for delivery trips between food outlets and consumer homes. For example, Ericsson, Einride, and Telia have come together to produce self-driving trucks with the help of 5G-powered IoT at the facility of a logistics firm in Sweden. Self-driving cars and drones from Ford and Amazon are already being used for making deliveries. A famous pizza chain started delivering pizza to customers in MiamiÌýusing smart carsÌýa couple of years ago.ÌýAll theseÌýbenefits of IoT-based systems are helpingÌýto serve customers better by reducing waiting times and delivery periods.

IoT will only get more embedded in the food supply chain as consumers become more conscious about ethical produce and fair price. And there’s every reason to believe this bodes well for every entity across the food value chain.

The post Creating Efficient Food Supply Chains with IoT-based Transportation Management Software appeared first on 51·çÁ÷India News Center.

What is the future of IoT Services?Ìý

The growth of IoT technology stems from a constant need to reduce human involvement with machines. From metals to the medical industry, from warehouses to homes, the tools and gadgets around us are being enabled to better understand how they are being used. This also allows enterprises to move to a predictive instead of a reactive mode, saving costs and increasing operational efficiency, among other benefits. Consider this: In aÌýÌýconducted at Port of Qingdao in China, it was found that up to 70 percent of labor costs can be saved with an IoT-enabled 5G automation upgrade compared to a traditional harbor. They found that IoT-enabled smart harbors with automated ship-to-shore (STS) cranes operated from a control center could lift containers over a 5G connection.

These are just a few examples of the advancements that IoT has made across different domains. IoT services enable greater automation, better user experience, seamless adaptability of devices, and reduced human interference in the overall workflow.

Here are some interesting use cases around IoT:

• Healthcare and IoT

The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of IoT Services. With Artificial Intelligence (AI) learning and monitoring and the development of Healthcare IoT (H-IoT) systems, opportunities for improved personalized healthcare with lower costs and eventually, better facilities for all have been made possible.Ìý, the value of the healthcare IoT sector is expected to touch nearly $177 billion by 2026. Emerging IoT-based applications like non-invasive body-worn and implanted devices, actuators, intra-body networks of implants, and biomedical therapies in new healthcare applications can save and significantly improve the quality of life. Ìýis also being conducted on device and network co-design solutions. These are expected to integrate medical procedures with even more complex cyber capabilities using intra-body and extra-body communication systems based on IoT.

Coupled with IoT, these innovations have become useful not just for diagnostics and surgery, but also in data analysis for personalized human health monitoring, including intra-organ functions and ailments, biomedical therapy, remote surgery, and biometric authentication. Besides these, IoT has found use in post-operative care as well through practicing defined protocols. All this is being done through methods such as

• Fluidic diagnostic monitoring- This is a continuous and real-time monitoring of the characteristics and levels of various fluids in the body using IoT. Alerts are provided for any abnormalities in the fluid levels immediately, ensuring immediate treatment.
• Non-invasive sensors- These IoT-enabled sensors continuously monitor a patient’s condition remotely and in real-time. Non-invasive sensors include pulse oximeters, transcutaneous electrodes for Po2 and Pco2, and transcutaneous bilirubin monitors.
• Wearables (electronic health sensors) – Several wearable devices, such as smartwatches paired with smartphones, can allow forÌýpersonalized monitoringÌýof a person’s condition. These IoT-powered devices can monitor heartbeat, body temperature, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and oxygen levels in the body.
• Implanted health sensors- Using IoT data, these sensors enable in-situ monitoring of the physiological conditions of a patient. IoT has provenÌýespecially usefulÌýfor such devices. This is because the sensed measurements, including drug volumes and actuating directives, need to be communicated to an external monitoring station and body devices embedded elsewhere. For example, it could be on the body’s surface or even as implants in other parts of the body. One of them or a combination of these IoT-based methods has revolutionized healthcare.ÌýÌýpersonalized, reliable, and secure solutions can detect health risks from diseases. Some conditions for which IoT technologies are being used include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, oncological issues, kidney diseases, and Parkinson’s disease.

Eldercare has for long been an understudied and logistically difficult field of medicine. This is because of the requirements for continuous human intervention. But with the IoT, caring for the elderly can now be managed better. IoT-based tools likeÌýÌý(AAL) and intelligent devices can remove the need for continuous human presence with the elders. Telemedicine and smart wearables devices have also made better care available for them. These also use AI to track daily routines, monitor health parameters and notify healthcare authorities should problems arise.

• Future of the workplace and IoT

Restrictions are easing now as the pandemic abates, but the hybrid working norm means companies will continue to use technologies and professional automation tools to get work done remotely. These include video conferencing tools, advanced analytics, data monitoring, work processes, and schedules. All these will help to create a collective intelligence that increases efficiency. Even traditional manufacturing companies that require a physical presence will use IoT data to monitor factory floor processes remotely.

IoT connectivity also addressesÌýÌýacross various industries, enabling innovative services for consumers and enterprises. Time-critical needs include processes requiring the delivery of data and information within specified time duration and certain specific reliability levels.

Maintaining office spaces, warehouses, and other resources can also be done with the help of IoT tools like

• Advanced shipment notification
• Maintenance, replenishment, slotting, and rearrangement of inventory
• Transportation wave management
• Packing control
• Process monitoring

IoT allows managing high-volume warehouse operations through applications such as on-premise and cloud deployment, fully integrated quality, production, and track-and-trace processes and direct control of warehouse automation equipment. By integrating complex supply chain logistics with warehouse and distribution processes, IoT Services allows for remote management of workplaces.

Working from home has also been made easier with the homeÌýÌýsolutions like sensors, microcontrollers, and LAN or wireless communications. They help stay in touch with the workplace while making homes more enjoyable to live in.

Home automation systems based on IoT can also be used to command or control devices. Wireless technologies, predictive engines, and Natural Language Processing (NLP) have made it possible to control the home environment from a smartphone, allowing an unhindered work from home experience. These applications can monitor doors, home appliances, and bed movements, making homes more secure and responsive.

• Retail and IoT

The retail sector has also seen widespread adoption of IoT Services. Since the opening of the first IoT-enabled store in Sweden in 2016, manyÌýunstaffed retail shopsÌýhave mushroomed. E-Commerce giants such asÌýAlibabaÌýandÌýAmazonÌýhave launched interesting initiatives with IoT at the center of delivering new customer experiences. The new formats of retail stores are fully automated supermarkets and are also based on IoT applications. These include the use ofÌýRadio-frequency identificationÌý(RFID) tags and remote monitoring systems. OtherÌýIoT features, such as predictive engine, recognition, and Single-Shot Detector (SSD) algorithm, enhance the efficiency of automated retail systems. This has greatly increased the customer flow and transaction volume. One of the ways these will help retail outlets is by enabling decisions concerning stock placement and replenishment based on customer interaction with products displayed on the store shelves. The trend is catching on, and it’s just a matter of time before we see a completely human intervention-free retail world!

Besides all this, IoT can help the retail sector by providing additional capabilities in data auto-capture, visibility, intelligence, and information sharing. Besides enabling better customer servicing and greater integration of retail supply chains, other ways that IoT enhances the retail sector include-

• Monitoring supply chain networks
• Helping to maintain records of stocks and inventories
• Tracking shipments
• Pre-empting adverse conditions
• Managing yard logistics and warehouses

The pandemic has highlighted the intrinsic risks in modern supply chains, and for businesses, it makes maintaining efficient and cost-effective systems even more critical. In such a world, IoT data and IoT services can help businesses through improved supply chain efficiency implemented by using better managerial decision-making processes. These include multi-objective optimization of supply chain networks, partner selection in green supply chain problems, multi-product supply chain networks, and the problem-solving approach to closed-loop supply chains.

These can enhance supply chain performance in every dimension, including cost, quality, delivery, or flexibility. IoT can help the retail sector improve and maintain strong financial, social, and environmental sustainability.

• Cybersecurity and IoT

With the growth of IoT, there is an increasing threat of cyberattacks. Consequently, cybersecurity has become one of the most important areas of the Internet of Things. The IoT security market isÌýÌýat a compound annual growth rate of 33.7% by 2023.

IoT cybersecurity serves to reduce cybersecurity risk for organizations and users through the protection of connected assets and data privacy. A robust IoT data security portfolio extensively uses advanced cryptography techniques to protect users from Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks and other vulnerabilities. It also pre-empts any threats and takes measures to eliminate them before things get out of hand. The IoT aspects such as machine learning and physical unclonable functionsÌýalso allowÌýfor preventing, detecting and reporting threats related to different domains of the IoT systems. These help in identifying authentic devices and preventing tampering and the insertion of cloned devices in the IoT environment. IoT is now also being used toÌýÌýin smart cities, and IoT cybersecurity has an important part to play.

As IoT utilization increases, other technologies and innovations that could keep up with it like 5G, blockchain, and AI have only now started to emerge. Using various machine learning algorithms, the enormous amounts of data thatÌýÌýand convert into relevant information can enhance efficiency and reduce costs. IoT data on various operational aspects are highly useful for organizations. Other fields such as agriculture and construction can also benefit from the tools available with IoT. And there’s no denying that IoT is fast becoming one of the most essential technologies for humankind. As we enter the new normal, IoT will playing an even more prominent role in every part of our lives.

Humans will have a pivotal role in the next phase of IoT services, where Industry 4.0 (Industrial Internet of Things) and Human 4.0 converge. Smart manufacturing is leading the way. As connected manufacturing optimizes itself automatically, it becomes increasingly economical to build and customize products while enhancing system efficiencies without human intervention.ÌýÌýare enabling pioneers to walk this path and set the agenda for the next frontier, where ‘humans’ and ‘machines’ speak the same language.

The post From Hype to Human 4.0, the changing world that is IoT Services appeared first on 51·çÁ÷India News Center.

History of the Internet of Things (IoT)

Kevin Ashton, a Procter&Gamble (P&G) executive, coined theÌýterm ‘Internet of Things in one of his presentations in 1999. Kevin Ashton, at the time, was involved in the optimization of the P&G supply chain. He realized that the P&G warehouses could significantly improve their efficiency in real-time inventory tracking by using Radio Frequency Identification technology (RFID). However, the first application of IoT wasÌýa Coca-Cola vending machine (in the 1980s) that could record and send data online about the temperature and remaining stock of cold drinks.

Business Applications of IoT in the 21st century

IoTÌýis essentially a technological platform that integrates several machines, each performing certain specific functions. These machines have built-in sensors that record real-time data like images, videos, motion, acceleration, temperature, etc., and can therefore provide valuable information forÌýbusinesses. Here are some of the most popular applications of IoT that have led toÌýbusiness transformations in the 21stÌýcentury.

• Smart Agriculture

Farming technology has been significantly revamped with the help of IoT networks. Modern progressive farms are now using humidity, temperature, and soil quality sensors that provide real-time data. These data are sometimes used by automated irrigation systems, eliminating manual labour and surveillance. There are several cases of such smart devices (including IoT-connected drones) rapidly reshaping the landscape of commercial agriculture in 2021.

• Retail and Supply Chain Management

One of the biggest business transformations that IoT has brought in the 21stÌýcentury is in the retail and supply chain business processes. With the help of IoT-enabled technologies, retailers now have a greater degree of control over their inventory, warehousing, logistics, and point of sale processes. Amazon’s revolutionary ‘no checkout’ store incorporates an IoT platform that allows customers to shop in brick-and-mortar stores without having to wait in queues during check-out.

• Smart Energy Grids

IoTÌýhas facilitated the collection of data on electricity usage from several residential andÌýbusinessÌýcomplexes. Electricity providers can analyze this data to ensure a higher level of power efficiency for enterprises. Moreover, installing sensors to detect power outages can also help manage the power grid better.

• Environmental Monitoring

Businesses have also resorted to usingÌýIoT-enabled sensors to record the quality of air, water, soil, and even patterns of weather to facilitate better decisions. Using these data, companies have ensured better environmental compliance and have added to their triple bottom line.

• Manufacturing

IoTÌýhas carved out its rightful place in the manufacturing industries as well. When it comes toÌýbusiness transformationÌýin manufacturing,ÌýIoT-enabled connectivity across machines ensures higher operational efficiency. IoT platforms are also collating the data and analytics from these connected machinesÌýto develop detailed dashboards that illustrate theÌýbusiness performance and facilitate data-driven decision-making.

How can IoT Transform Businesses in 2022?

Recent reports have stated that aboutÌýmay be in use worldwide by 2035. Reports have also suggested that the IoT market, by the end of 2021, is set to grow to. To be a part of this revolution, you need to understand the five ways in whichÌýIoTÌýis set to bring about aÌýbusiness transformationÌýin 2022.

1. Improved Business Insights

Whether manufacturing or agricultural,ÌýIoTÌýtransforms enterprises with improvedÌýbusinessÌýinsights facilitated by real-time data collection. Enterprises are now witnessing a higher influx of real-time data with the help of connected devices like cameras, GPS trackers, and mobile devices.ÌýIoTÌýplatforms can integrate several such devices, enabling organizations to get constant insight into theirÌýbusinessÌýoperations. Moreover, such anÌýIoTÌýnetwork can also include Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software that can act as a data repository and help make strategicÌýbusinessÌýdecisions.

For example, an agricultural business that engages in animal husbandry would significantly improve several aspects by incorporatingÌýIoT-enabled devices. Such an enterprise could experienceÌýbusiness transformationÌýin the form of reduced livestock maintenance costs. Installing cameras, motion detectors, noise detectors, and thermal sensors in the livestock shelters to track livestock’s movement patterns and health conditions can help greatly. It can empower ranchers to respond to the health risks of livestock quickly.

2. Improved Customer Experience

The most prominent way IoT rapidly transformsÌýcustomer experiences is by increasing data inputs from customers themselves. By constantly monitoring customer actions and reactions through variousÌýIoT-enabled devices, companies can now provide more intuitive customer experiences. Moreover, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have further helped commercialize such big data. One of the most widely known applications of this is Amazon’s IoT ecosystem that consists of interfaces like the Echo, Echo Dot, and Alexa.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) have their own cloud-based platforms that provide storage for such real-time data collected through theirÌýIoTÌýdevices. Since cloud-based storage is easily accessible over the internet and does not have any physical address, AWS uses it to provide better customer experiences. Moreover, the advanced AI and ML software of Amazon also analyses this data to deliver tailored online shopping experiences to its customers.

3. Cost & Downtime Reduction

Imagine a scenario where a vital piece of equipment in a manufacturing facility stops working, and it takes days to track and identify the problem. That can result in massive financial losses and days, sometimes even weeks, of downtime. SinceÌýIoTÌýhas infiltrated several large-scale manufacturing industries, 2022 will witness a significantly reduced downtime due to such equipment failures. WithÌýIoTÌýsolutions providers like SAP,Ìýbusinesses in 2022 will be able to monitor manufacturing equipment health seamlessly over the internet.

Since 2020, Samsung has incorporatedÌýIoT-enabled temperature sensors, motion trackers, and several other equipment health monitors in their 5G-powered smart factories. Such applications ofÌýIoTÌýare set to increase rapidly with the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in 2022. Industry 4.0 (also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution) is characterized by autonomous machines connected through the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Therefore, 2022 will witness a smooth transition into autonomous manufacturing equipment communicating viaÌýIoTÌýplatforms.

4. Increased Efficiency & Productivity

According to reports, the use of IoT in integrating different departments of an enterprise is set to provide an enormous. SinceÌýIoT-enabled devices provide continuous real-time data of the surroundings inside a factory or even throughout the supply chain, it has become easier to identify snags withinÌýbusinessÌýoperations. While this helps to increase operational efficiency, it also helps to improve output by facilitating extensive automation. As a result, aided byÌýIoTÌýconnectivity, enterprises are set to witness increased productivity as well in 2022.

An interesting application ofÌýIoTÌýin helping increase worker efficiency and productivity is demonstrated by Ford’s Valencia Engine Assembly Plant in Spain. Workers in this plant wear a bodysuit that has built-in motion and vital signs trackers. The real-time data collected from these bodysuits gets used to make working environments safer and more efficient for workers.

5. Asset Tracking

Since a supply chain is involved with sourcing raw materials and delivering finished goods, there is always a chance for goods to go missing within this long chain of activities. Tracking goods (also known as assets) can often become a tedious job for warehouses and logistics partners. Using technologies like RFID and GPS tracking of each asset, companies can reduce overhead costs from misplaced assets. When such trackers connect to a larger network, it becomes easier for enterprises to keep tabs on their assets up and down the supply chain.

While companies like Siemens have also incorporated suchÌýIoTÌýsolutions to facilitate asset tracking and monitoring, an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software provided by 51·çÁ÷may improve overall asset management. An ERP software helps to synchronize data and knowledge within all departments of an organization to facilitate higher efficiency and productivity. Providers of enterprise resource planning software like 51·çÁ÷have enabledÌýbusinesses to step into this new world ofÌýIoT.

Conclusion

Several enterprises have experienced aÌýbusiness transformationÌýby adoptingÌýIoTÌýsolutions, and providers like 51·çÁ÷are the forerunners of this Fourth Industrial Revolution. Markets such as remote patient monitoring are set to grow to,Ìýand with developments like these, there is seemingly a huge scope for growth.

With the differentiation ofÌýIoTÌýinto several sub-sectors like the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Automotive Internet of Things (IoT), etc., the future of these technologies holds massive opportunities for businesses in 2022.

The post 5 Ways IoT Will Transform Your Business In 2022 appeared first on 51·çÁ÷India News Center.

The global health crisis also highlighted the weaknesses of traditional workflows in management and logistics: Manual, paper-based processes; siloed working and undefined roles; disparate and unstructured data; low or zero visibility of the end-to-end supply chain and logistics; lack of real-time monitoring, etc.

In the eye of the storm

The disruption also forced companies to relook their supply chain function end-to-end and figure out long-term measures to build resilience and agility. For instance, customers will continue to demand more in less time even after the pandemic is gone. But for companies to cope with this customer expectation, a drastic rethink of their supply chain management and logistics (SCML) is a must.

Here’s where technology plays a pivotal role, not only to provide intelligence and insights but also to enable new operational models. And Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Machine Learning (ML), Big Data analytics, and blockchain are some of the technologies that are rapidly redefining how SCML systems work.

How Supply Chain Heads are using AI and IoT

A well-managed supply chain is a crucial factor to gain advantage over the competition, especially in the present era where supply chains are intricate, spread worldwide, and decentralized. So, if AI earlier was only helping to address skills shortage and maintain inventories, the flexibility and adaptability of this technology is now allowing supply chain heads to be more innovative. From improving production planning to making more accurate forecasts, AI is allowing companies to minimize or eliminate errors completely.

AI, coupled with IoT, would allow supply chain heads to monitor and manage storage, transportation, supply chains, and warehouses efficiently and in real-time, without having to be physically present. These technologies also allow for planning and monitoring movement of goods so that unforeseen events (read pandemic, adverse weather conditions) can be managed well in advance.

Other immediate benefits of adopting digitalization and new technologies include:

• Smart scheduling and planning,
• Parameter optimization,
• Intelligent and proactive quality analysis,
• Proactive maintenance,
• Efficient analysis of maintenance and production costs along with precise estimation and control,
• Intelligent control of energy consumption and associated costs, and
• Real-time monitoring of production process and procedures.

What’s Next in SCML

As mentioned earlier,Ìýtraditional SCML systems have now proven to be struggling with ever-changing customer demand, rapidly evolving operations planning, and the constantly changing state of business processes.

In 2022, these technologies aim to overcome all these challenges more effectively through a range of activities including providing sales, production and consumption forecasting, supplier selection, and demand management using Artificial Neural Networks. These technologies would help businesses become proactive with capabilities like agent-based systems, which perceive the surrounding environment and can act autonomously and proactively solve certain problems.

Next year, AI and IoT are also expected to help businesses through improved supply chain efficiency implemented by using better managerial decision-making processes, including multi-objective optimization of supply chain networks, partner selection in green supply chain problems, multi-product supply chain networks, and a problem-solving approach to closed-loop supply chains.

Augmented Intelligence along with AI is expected to spike in use as it would help reduce manual effort, helping companies optimize costs while increasing worker productivity. According toÌý, it can create $2.9 trillion worth of business value and lead to an increase of 6.2 billion hours of worker productivity globally. By 2030, AI/Augmented intelligence is expected to surpass all other forms of AI initiatives. Essentially, this means professionals can do their work faster, reducing errors and saving costs.

IoT sensor technology will continue to play important roles and expand on its use cases. This technology helps track shipments. Connected IoT devices on consignments allow warehouses to track inventory, vehicles, and equipment through cloud services. Collaboration between IoT start-ups and container shipping companies are expected to increase next year given the inherent benefits, including real-time monitoring and predictive capabilities.

The need for real-time data will only increase. From gauging customer sentiments and trends to ensuring timely deliveries, data will play a critical role in deriving intelligent insights that drive strategic decisions.ÌýMachine learning-enabled risk assessment tools, for instance, can find patterns in geopolitical tensions, macroeconomic shifts, exchange rates, and other data.

According toÌý, IoT is important because emerging supply chain techniques need the freshest, most accurate data. And being able to predict consumer shifts, more than demand, will become increasingly important post-pandemic.

The Experience Economy and Changing Paradigm

The consumer, today, no longer stops expecting once a good is purchased. The demand continues long after – the customer experience has become critical and sustaining a good customer experience has become central to this theme. But for businesses grappling with supply chain disruptions, how can sustaining good customer experience be a real possibility?

Digitalization of supply chain management and logistics allows this: where processes and systems that support mass personalization can be deployed; where collaboration with non-traditional ecosystem partners makes it possible to deliver higher value, and where efficient order fulfillment and delivery become par for the course.

Moving Ahead with SAP

The 51·çÁ÷digital supply chain management (DSCM) software allows enterprises to move from transactional SCLM to a digital, sustainable, strategy-led approach that will help them counteract unforeseen disruptions with agility and data-driven insights.

51·çÁ÷offersÌýÌýsoftware and tools, that allow for:

• Real-time insights into the supply chain,
• Identifying bottlenecks, and
• Mitigating risks as they arise with on-premises and cloud logistics management systems from SAP.

An integrated cloud-ready portfolio allows:

• Collaborative supply chain network
• Integrating business planning
• Optimizing inventory
• Procurement and supplier management
• Predictive analytics, AI, and Machine Learning
• Sustainably plan for ethically sourced material

And all these are achieved through predictive analytics, automation, and IoT capabilities, enabling resilient and sustainable supply chain management processes.

Specialized programs for various aspects of the supply chain management and logistics systems from 51·çÁ÷also give businesses a large number of options to choose from, depending on their needs. These programs include the following:

1. Ìýprovides real-time visibility into transportation resources to allow businesses to fulfill their customer demands at minimal cost. The program integrates advanced analytics on historic data with forecasting capabilities to accurately forecast and monitor resource supply and demand.
2. Ìýis a program that allows a business to manage high-volume warehouse operations and integrate complex supply chain logistics with warehouse and distribution processes. Businesses can optimize inbound logistics management, storage and operations, and outbound logistics management.
3. Ìýis an open logistics network that connects business partners for intercompany collaboration and insights. It provides a central entry point to manage logistics transactions, exchange documents with key business partners, and gain transparency across the complete value chain through an open ‘network of networks’ strategy. It also allows for freight logistics collaboration, global track and trace options to monitor purchase, sales, and delivery fulfillment, as well as helping notify stakeholders of changes; and cross-company real-time alerts and notifications for product issues that also streamlines recalls.
4. Ìýprogram helps businesses run more efficient and profitable supply chain logistics to maximize visibility into all yard processes and preview planned workloads with a range of visualization and reporting tools.
5. Ìýprogram helps reduce transportation complexity by integrating fleet and logistics management throughout the business’ network. The program also provides real-time visibility into global transportation and domestic shipping across all transportation modes and industries.

As companies now demand greater agility in their supply chain processes and practices, they are beginning to realize that digital transformation is a necessity. There’s no getting away from the fact that global value chains are here to stay for good, but supply chain heads will need to juggle the demand for agility and efficiency with sustainability mandates while making a steady recovery from COVID-induced afflictions.

Supply chain sustainability means being able to manage environmental, social, and economic impacts with good governance practices. And here’s where 51·çÁ÷DSCM can help. By adopting an end-to-end sustainability mission as part of its solution strategy (from design to decommissioning)ÌýÌýensures that the key principles of sustainability are embedded in it. This ultimately addresses the three areas customers focus on –people, planet, and profit.

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