After a challenging 2020, this year we will see increasing demand for connected devices and processes driven by smart healthcare, office, and industrial applications. The Internet of Things (IoT) adoption will continue to redefine operations for numerous industries.
Location data will become more and more important, the same goes for connected machines and remote monitoring. Also, some health-and-safety initiatives such as cleaning process optimization technologies and track-and trace capabilities will gather momentum.
TREND #1: CONNECTED HEALTHCARE SECTOR
Digital technologies are going to further contribute to healthcare services being able to become fully integrated – both to optimize care delivery and to enable more targeted and seamless healthcare. Better connectivity, location data, and the leveraging of new technologies provide hospitals with the opportunity to improve workflows and drive patient and physician satisfaction. Examples can include smart bed management, device monitoring and management applications, and mobile services (smartphone app) for patients.
TREND #2: CONNECTED MANUFACTURING
More and more companies will be looking for business strategies that harness operational and business data for greater visibility, efficiency, control, and customer satisfaction. Connecting people, processes, and supply chains allow for end-to-end visibility and control.
TREND #3: SMART BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES
We can expect firms to increasingly focus on developing office strategies that include IoT applications to support employee comfort and improve resource efficiencies. Such concepts could involve energy and environmental monitoring, smart lighting, or sensor-enabled space utilization and activity monitoring. Smart office initiatives will also make greater use of technological aids such as E-Ink displays.
TREND #4: LOCATION TRACKING FOR EMPLOYEES AND CONSUMERS
Due to the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, businesses are facing a new challenge with unprecedented and likely persistent levels of altered safety demands and remote workforces. As a result, employers are looking for ways to ensure their staff’s safety and hinder the spread of the coronavirus while maintaining operational procedures. In order to deliver convenient customer and employee experiences, brands will turn to location monitoring and contact tracking methods based on easy-to-use wearables, for example. This can ensure that customers and employees are following the company’s directions regarding social distancing and can help identify contact persons of infected individuals.
