Top 5G-enabled IoT applications
Top 5G-enabled IoT applications. 5G enables new corporate IoT applications. The fifth-generation cellular standard provides enhanced security, support for a large number of connected, low-power devices, and both low-latency and faster performance. Building an end-to-end IoT system with a cellular connection, on the other hand, is difficult. Expertise in embedded systems, networking, real-time, time series-based systems, antenna design, cloud computing, and other areas is required. How can you, as a corporate decision-maker, simplify your project? To solve this issue, we envisage telecom operators providing market-ready IoT platforms in order to leverage on new service opportunities afforded by 5G.
With technologies such as IoT Plug and Play, a technology that enables automatic device configuration, and Microsoft Azure IoT Central, a hosted managed app platform, Microsoft is allowing telecom operators to swiftly build, implement, and monetize cross-industry edge, IoT, and other services. Microsoft Azure Edge Zones and Azure Stack Edge are available for important business applications that require low latency. Finally, operators can use Azure IoT Edge or Azure Sphere guardian modules to link brownfield equipment.
Let’s walk through some of the most common IoT use cases and explore how telecom carriers are assisting solution providers in getting to market faster.
Asset Tracking
Asset tracking using IoT is not new, but adopting 5G for connection provides distinct advantages. Top 5G-enabled IoT applications. Based on the fundamental idea that an asset tracking system delivers tiny quantities of data from a sensor to the cloud to be stored, analyzed, and acted upon to improve asset utilization, here is a brief list of use cases:
- Keeping an eye on a water or gas meter to gauge the use
- Monitoring the condition of a city streetlight or a parking spot
- Monitoring the temperature and location of a banana package as it travels across the world
The Advantages of Using 5G
5G has several advantages for asset tracking:
- Forward compatibility: Today’s 4G LTE networks are 5G forward compatible. Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) such as CAT-M1 and NB-IoT, for example, are forerunners of 5G Massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC). With a software upgrade, certain 4G LTE gear can be upgraded to 5G capabilities.
- Low-power, low-cost sensors: LPWA sensors have extended battery lifetimes and are inexpensive, allowing business models to be viable.
- Better wireless coverage: 4G LTE technologies such as CAT-M1 and NB-IoT provide improved wireless coverage within buildings, underground, and in rural locations. They can provide data to many devices in a smaller space than current cellular technologies.
Assurance of pharmaceutical and food product safety and compliance
Cognizant created a pre-configured, customized cold chain and asset tracking tool to expedite access to critical sensor data for fast decision making. Top 5G-enabled IoT applications. They envisioned giving operations, logistics, and supply chain managers a near real-time picture of perishable and temperature-sensitive items including medications, food and drinks, and agricultural products. To guarantee safety and compliance, these assets will be tracked as they move from the factory (or field) to the storefront, logs will be kept, and temperature deviations will be alerted.
Cognizant knows the complexities of constructing an end-to-end IoT solution employing LTE and 5G technologies as well as Azure’s reusable platform components. They chose an IoT platform to ease the project: the Verizon ThingSpace IoT platform with Verizon Critical Asset Sensor (CAS) devices that effortlessly interface with Microsoft Azure’s IoT Central. When opposed to constructing the solution from scratch, this option allowed them to come to market at breakneck speed.
Cognizant began by using Verizon CAS sensors. These Cat-M1 low-cost, long-life sensors were ideal for sensing temperatures and providing position data within boxes or pallets. The sensors link instantly to the Azure Cloud through Verizon 5G/LTE networks, simplifying configuration and eliminating the need for extra in-vehicle or in-vessel gateways. Cognizant developed their cold chain management solution, which included analytics and dashboards, using an Azure IoT Central pre-built application template. The built-in visualization capabilities and reporting functionalities, as well as standard APIs for security protection, improve the end-user experience.
As 5G infrastructure becomes available, 4G/LTE sensors and devices may be firmware upgraded to take advantage of the newer network capabilities. Top 5G-enabled IoT applications. Cognizant is striving to further the development of its solution accelerator by including more personas, reports, and corporate connectors while Verizon delivers an enhanced version of sensors, from CAS to GAT (global asset tracker) with international cellular coverage, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth compatibility.
Case #2: Mission-critical applications
5G provides ultra-reliable low latency, allowing for precision business-critical use cases where safety is paramount. Low latency networks are perfect for warehouse command and control, real-time communication between robots in a smart factory, and live video with artificial intelligence for quality control.
The advantages of adopting 5G
5G connectivity is the ideal solution in this use case because, when paired with an Azure cloud connection, it provides higher bandwidth, reliability, and very low latency than Wi-Fi choices.
Reducing the amount of warehouse space required for fulfillment
A Canadian robotic supply chain solution provider collaborated with a Canadian wireless network operator to develop a 3D robotics fulfillment system based on a private cellular network geared for low latency. The IoT system is built on a private LTE network using Microsoft’s edge computing, Azure Stack Edge, and Azure Edge Zones.
The company’s exclusive fulfillment automation system reduces rows and aisles of warehouse shelves to single, vertical storage structures. Within these buildings, fleets of robotic shuttles travel horizontally and vertically along the X, Y, and Z axes, gathering products and transporting them to the perimeter, where employees select, pack, and dispatch them. Top 5G-enabled IoT applications. The business claims that its modular all-in-one supply chain product may help retailers save money.
Case 3: Connecting brownfield assets
The final IoT use case is connecting an asset to the cloud directly through 5G. Enterprises can simply and reliably transform assets in restaurants, cafés, and buildings into smart devices to improve operations.
The Advantages of Using 5G
Organizations in over 200 countries and territories may now securely control and monitor their different devices remotely by connecting them directly to their own cloud network, beginning with 4G LTE and progressing to 5G. Selecting a direct cellular connection to the cloud eliminates the requirement for Wi-Fi and allows device connection in distant places where Wi-Fi is unavailable. Top 5G-enabled IoT applications. Finally, this method allows mobile devices to roam without having to detach and reconnect to numerous Wi-Fi networks.
Coffeehouse asset predictive maintenance
Using IoT, a big coffeehouse chain created a predictive maintenance solution for its coffee makers, grinders, and blenders. Each store required more than a dozen pieces of equipment to be operating 16 hours a day.
The coffeehouse chain implemented an AT&T integrated IoT solution to prevent delays caused by equipment outages and to securely link its gadgets in the cloud. Each asset received an Azure Sphere guardian module. Data was then sent through Azure Sphere over a cellular connection to Azure.
The technology securely collects data and proactively discovers machine faults. The ultimate purpose of Azure Sphere is to move away from reactive maintenance and toward a proactive strategy that anticipates difficulties.
Finally,
5G allows for new business IoT use cases. With market-ready IoT solutions, telecom operators are capitalizing on new service opportunities afforded by 5G. Top 5G-enabled IoT applications. These platforms make 5G less complicated for solution makers.
Discover how Microsoft is empowering telecom operators to deploy IoT applications with 5G.
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Read more: Is it data or metadata? The Internet of Things requires both