Q&A: From Intel To Internet Of Things

Hank Skorney
Hank Skorney

What are three big opportunities in IoT that solution providers/VARs can capitalize on?

Smart Cities

Smart cities will enable much faster and cheaper distribution of goods and provide additional efficiencies for the general public. The company Transfix estimates that U.S. commercial trucks drive 19 billion needless miles each year.
For example, intelligent parking systems, intelligent traffic grid management, improved energy management delivery, and public safety -- such as next generation street lights that can listen for gunshots, sense traffic jams, and vacant parking -- are all forms which will make cities smarter and more efficient. 

Buses and trains can be prepositioned and updated dynamically to ensure they are where the people need them to be at the right time and place.  Not to mention smart cities have the potential to positively impact the environment and provide monumental cost, and time savings.

Retail

Mobile point-of-sale and customer relationship management systems in retail is another opportunity. For example, large retail department stores are already experimenting with placing sensors on clothing racks, end caps and retail advertising using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular and location technology. These systems can then interact with customer wearables, mobile phones and even their bodies to connect them with the products they want the most, make new recommendations and deliver a sales person and POS to expedite and increase the customer experience.  The customer can then check out on the spot to avoid long queues and a cumbersome process.

For the retail industry in particular, analytics platforms are critical to extracting the intelligence from connected smart devices and sensors, in addition to maintaining the security of these devices and data. Analytics are the most critical elements of IoT because simply connecting devices and sensors does little without adding intelligence to the system.

Intelligent inventory management

Adding IoT devices across the inventory management pipeline and connecting them directly with consumer behavior will ensure that the desired products will be available when consumers want them.  Vastly improved inventory management will ensure consumers get what they want, when they want it and get it repaired under warranty faster and in a more efficient way. This will not only benefit customers but also businesses.

Businesses will benefit from reduced capital and OPEX costs and therefore increase margins.  What we are seeing is that each percentage point of IoT efficiency goes directly to the bottom line.  Lastly, there is a huge benefit to society with improved transportation, distribution and the beneficial environmental impact it delivers.