Internet Of Things (IoT) For Location-Based Services


Today's end consumers and company owners may find the plethora of technologies confusing. This is because they frequently want the best for themselves. Agree? But they always wind up with the most stylish, expensive, and useless item that is not suited for their business or personal needs. The world of IoT-driven systems makes it even harder to choose the kind of sensor that would be best for your purpose. This is because every object is equipped with a different sensor and indicator.

There is an increasing need for accurate and cost-effective location tracking anywhere the IoT is used to manage assets, objects, or people. Which location-based technology should you choose for your needs? We also suggest the most popular options include Wi-Fi, Li-Fi, RFID / NFC, GPS, Beacon, and BLE.

What Exactly Is The Internet Of Things?

The Internet of Things (or IoT) is a vast ecosystem of real-world things connected to the internet. They also have electronics, software, sensors, and other technological features. All embedded components make it feasible to collect and exchange data. Intelligent device-to-device communication without human intervention is the aim. Although several sources give different numbers for IoT-connected devices, they all agree that the numbers are in the billions. How did this sum go to billions? The IoT's answer is represented by the word "Things." A "Thing" might be a person wearing a wearable device, a car with performance-tracking sensors, an industrial robot, or other things.

Location's Significance In IoT

Every IoT device is equipped with a separate sensor. This creates a vast volume of unstructured data in many different forms. IoT has changed the way we look at data. Information is now understood to be more like oil than gold. Data that hasn't been processed is worthless, like crude oil. Data is only useful after it has been properly processed. The one exception is important and incredibly helpful data, even in its raw form. Locations are described using latitude and longitude. Let's look at a couple of use cases that include locations.

  • Supply chain and asset tracking allow you to follow your assets wherever they go. The effectiveness of supply chain management is increased with the addition of tracking capabilities.

  • Track a car accurately both inside and outside. Get features like location-based weather reports and improved distance computations between sources and destinations.

  • Locate and track wearable technology worldwide with accuracy. Devices like fitness or health bands, smartwatches, and wearable cameras.

How Does IoT Function Using Location?

It is crucial to know how location functions to get its position in IoT. Four components make up the majority of IoT Ecosystems include −

  • IoT Device

  • IoT gateway

  • Cloud

  • User Interface

IoT Device

The main job of a device is to collect data from its surroundings and send it to the cloud or an IoT gateway. The data collected may be as simple as a temperature reading or as complex as a video feed.

IoT Gateway

The gateway is in charge of controlling bidirectional data flow between multiple networks and protocols. It primarily performs the role of a protocol converter, resolving interoperability problems between devices and the cloud. They are often more powerful than IoT devices and can simultaneously manage communication demands from thousands of IoT devices. IoT gateways play a critical role in security by acting as an intermediary layer between devices and the cloud to protect low-powered devices from malicious attacks and unauthorized access. We can use two different types of gateways, like IoT Gateway Vendors or DIY IoT gateways using SBCs like the Raspberry Pi.

The Cloud

IoT generates enormous amounts of data. This requires a lot of processing and work to manage effectively. The cloud offers technologies enabling real-time data collection, processing, storing, and administration. Any service or application from a distance can conveniently access the data. Machine learning and data analytics are provided via the cloud, which can integrate many devices, gateways, information, and user demands.

The User Interface

The user interface is part of the Internet of Things ecosystem that is visible and accessible to users. Application designers are entrusted with developing an intuitive user interface for effective user-service interaction. IoT applications come in two different varieties: mobile applications for iOS and Android and websites that use SPAs and JS.

Conclusion

Where location data and services can be incorporated is clear when considering the full IoT ecosystem. We can store the data from an Internet of Things (IoT) device with a GPS sensor module and perform expensive location-based processing. Location is a necessary component at every stage of the Internet of Things and acts as a facilitator.

Updated on: 10-Feb-2023

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