7 minute read
IoT and 5G Set to Transform Industries
By Chris Chan, 5G Solutions Delivery Lead, StarHub Ltd
Modern businesses require extensive analysis of customer preferences and workflows to ensure differentiated offerings, an area where the Internet of Things (IoT) offers significant benefits. Yet, Chris' experience is that connectivity often constrains businesses from realising IoT's full potential.
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Real-time consignment tracking in shipping is an ideal business requirement to illustrate this issue. IoT can streamline sourcing, legal compliance requirements, and route planning across the entire supply chain in such scenarios. In the real world, such deployments face network blackspots in warehouses and transit routes. 5G technology offers a way out in such environments with its promise of ultra-low latency, and ever-present coverage.
IoT leverages 5G’s ever-present connectivity to drive higher levels of corporate efficiency, innovation and revenue creation. Its capability to support up to a million devices per square kilometre elevates Internet’s ‘interconnected’ nature to that of a 'massively connected' phase.
Connectivity everywhere era
We are in the midst of an IoT-driven transformation backed by Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G connectivity and Big Data. Industry researcher IDC’s estimates indicate that 55.7 Billion IoT devices will be in use worldwide by 2025.
The ‘Future of Work’ centres around intelligence driven by IoT devices, data, analytics and low latency connectivity. For example, businesses leverage options like StarHub’s IoT as a service for faster rollouts. Managed services reduce IoT ecosystem complexity for our customers, as it enables seamless implementation and management.
Subscription-based services like StarHub’s 5G IoT Platform deliver smart building maintenance strategies that leads to cost optimisation and revenues. Building owners can provide differentiation in services, decrease overheads and boost operational efficiency with IoT. For example, IoT as a Service consolidates management data from the facility’s distributed IoT systems over the network (5G) to be monitored using a single dashboard. These include parameters like electricity consumption, HVAC, trash bin usage, washroom cleanliness, footfalls and more.
Contextual information helps facility managers perform root cause analysis, fix issues and conduct preventive maintenance that ensure ideal service delivery. More importantly, IoT strengthens capabilities such as social distancing and contact tracing in the new normal.
From store to table
According to Gartner, IoT, AI and Augmented Reality (AR) will accelerate the optimal mix of online and instore experiences in retail. Ultra-low latency 5G links will power the realtime processing of such high-volume customer data traffic in retail.
One-to-one conversations driven by customer data and real-time analytics are transforming retail revenue streams. For instance, AR-driven shopping experiences driven by live customer preference updates are in wide adoption across retail outlets. Such IoT implementations leverage app overlays on the store’s map to guide customers. With 5G as the enabler in the near future, these will be able to feature richer and even more interactive content. Highly personalised offers on the fly translate to an increase in instant purchase decisions, better in-store customer guidance and friction-free checkouts.
Today we have retail IoT applications like IoT-enabled shelves and warehouse management. These facilitates timely stock clearance and automatic replenishment to reduce wastage.
Grocery store robots in use by retail players like Woolworths (Australia), Giant and Stop&Shop clearly indicate IoT’s behind the scenes entry. These connected robots can leverage 5G networks to handle tasks ranging right from aisle cleaning to customer guidance.
Many of our F&B businesses can leverage IoT and 5G across the entire value chain. For instance, customer interactions can be optimally monetised using IoT-driven ordering and tracking capabilities. Or food safety policy can be adhered to via constant monitoring of key factors like temperature and humidity.
Streamline Supply Chains
Smart warehouses are in vogue among logistics players. A case in point is DHL’s Singapore facility, which utilises IoT sensor data to remotely track and manage shipments during transit. At the warehouse level, DHL also uses live IoT data like building occupancy, weather forecasts and activity levels to manage HVAC settings that deliver up to 40% energy savings.
When we compare 5G with other wireless technologies, the technology’s unparalleled device density support makes it ideal for SKU and logistics workflow management in smart warehouses. One such example is the demand-based optimisation of forklift routes and inventory management using IoT, 5G and Machine Learning (ML).
Last mile shipment delivery will also see revolution in the form of unmanned drones and autonomous vehicles. This is where the use of public and private 5G networks provide ubiquitous, ultralow latency connectivity.
Facilitate Manufacturing Next
Smart Factories are the latest wave of manufacturing transformation. Mercedes-Benz's “Factory 56” in Germany is a great case study on this front.
Mercedes-Benz's highly automated factory utilises IoT and 5G connectivity to create driverless transport lines that offer highly flexible vehicle assembly options that cater to demand variations. Intelligent component picking systems that use IoT and computer vision is a salient feature of next-gen shopfloors like Factory 56. Live digital tracking data of each vehicle on the assembly line is provided to personnel for completely paperless operations.
Ever ready care
Healthcare is a significant beneficiary of IoT, with applications ranging right from patient care to hospital management and health insurance. A case in point features hospital management using integrated command centres and IoT distributed devices.
Hospitals rely on a large number of IoT devices spread across the facility to streamline inpatient management. These IoT use cases leverage 5G’s ubiquitous connectivity to streamline processes like patient wait times, bed assignments, inventory management and overall hygiene levels. Facial recognition and body temperature screening using IoT devices can be used for automated access control or contact tracing.
Another interesting deployment is the increase in remote patient monitoring via wearable devices. Such options benefit patients and physicians alike in these pandemic times. We can soon expect smart implants that leverage sensor data and 5G connectivity to enable speedy diagnosis.
Computing is the Edge
Right from the initial days of human history, businesses that optimally surf the technology adoption curve have forged ahead. In our modern-day context, utilising the power of IoT and the next generation of 5G technology is key for businesses that strive to reach customers everywhere, every time. Optimal IoT-driven business strategy and personalised service delivery will help organisations to remain competitive and relevant to evolving customer needs. This is where 5G connectivity complements IoT deployments to realise strategy that sustains and improves profitability for your business.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris leads the Enterprise Business Group’s (EBG) 5G Solutions Delivery team, where he manages the 5G IoT team to implement sensor data into StarHub’s 5G IoT Platform across various verticals from Building Management, Fleet Monitoring to Warehouse and Logistics Management. As a proven project leader, he also oversees all planning and strategic data management to identify insights from huge data volume across multiple systems. Chris’ expertise in managing finances to maximise revenues and ability to establish excellent team dynamics saw a successful launch of the StarHub 5G IoT Platform. He also led an analytics project where he monitored the occupancy, financial arrears and performed geospatial analytics to optimise overall performance.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
StarHub is the choice info-communications service provider for the government and businesses in Singapore. With our extensive fibre and wireless infrastructure and global partnerships, we provide businesses quality mobile and fixed services, and a diverse range of communication and collaboration solutions. We help drive digital transformation in corporate and government clients through 5G solutions, Hybrid Cloud services, Internet of Things, Security, Data Analytics. Visit starhub.com/5g-iot for more information.
