In a rapidly changing world, it can be difficult for organizations to keep up with the new concepts that are constantly emerging. But one needs to distinguish which technologies and concepts are useful and which are just a hype. In the field of data analytics, it was big data that sparked the questioning of the age. And now, as the concept becomes clearer, a new wave of applications is coming: people need to understand how to use big data in the Internet of Things.
The heated debate about what big data is and the value it can bring has begun to fade. However, as experts begin to make heavy use of the technology mix of big data and IoT, there is a renewed attempt to define the way IoT connects with big data.
The touchpoints of IoT and big data
In short, the IoT is a network of devices connected to the Internet. These devices have built-in sensors that generate data and send it externally so they can communicate with each other and with analytics systems.
Even if IoT devices are still new to us, the concept has found its way into people's lives. Imagine a smart home that can regulate the temperature by adjusting the operating modes of the heating and air-conditioning system, that can turn the lighting system on and off, and that can signal about water or gas leaks or an outsider intrusion. Most importantly, a smart home can do this without the involvement of the head of the household.
A prime example of an IoT business is machine monitoring, using multiple sensors mounted on different machine parts. These sensors send readings about temperature, vibration, pressure, lubrication and so on to an analytics system, which processes them and recognizes some hidden patterns and correlations. If the system recognizes a reading that matches a certain failure mode, it sends an instant alert to the maintenance team.
The following will answer the thorny question of how IoT intersects with big data. While some technologies are being hyped, IoT may be one of them. In fact, IoT data is one of the types of Big Data, which makes the Big Data technology stack a good (but not the only) option for handling IoT data at all stages. For data ingestion, organizations can use Apache Kafka as the technology supports data streaming.The Apache Hadoop ecosystem is ideal for data storage and processing historical data, while Apache Spark is well suited for near real-time data processing.
IoT data rules in big data use cases
And people are beginning to understand the use cases offered by manufacturers. It is also possible to understand IoT data in other industries and understand IoT big data use cases.
Healthcare: in healthcare, wearable sensor devices fitted with mobile application technology enable remote health monitoring. The approach works as follows: sensors monitor the status of a specific patient (heartbeat, temperature, blood pressure, respiration rate, etc.) and transmit this data in real time to the cloud and then to the app. The analytics system constantly searches all patient IoT data for hidden trends and tries to identify patterns that could trigger complications. If the IoT's big data analytics reveal certain worrisome symptoms, the system sends an immediate alert to the patient and physician.
RETAIL: Leading retailer Amazon.com Inc. recently unveiled a new concept - Amazon Go. It's a store without cashiers, where customers don't have to wait in line to shop. To enter the store all they have to do is scan their smartphones. In fact, IoT and big data analytics are used here: the store is dotted with sensors and cameras, and as customers shop in the store, the cameras are able to differentiate between each one of them and keep track of all the products they put in their carts or return to the shelves. Weight sensors provide an additional point of control: they can recognize that specific products are no longer on the shelves. When the customer finishes shopping, all the products they have selected are displayed in both real and virtual baskets, and the customer can leave the store and the system will charge them later.
There is no doubt that Amazon Go is a visionary concept. However, retail shows more down-to-earth ideas, such as smart logistics technology that tracks and optimizes routes and recognizes each trucker's behavioral patterns. Retailers are also using beacons to activate visitors' apps and launch relevant product offers and promotions when visitors enter the store and pass through the beacons. Visitors are thus satisfied as they receive personalized offers provided by participating promotions. At the same time, beacons are helpful to store employees because they can identify valuable customers who require high-quality service.
Banking: The banking industry is also benefiting from the IoT. Banks are striving to gain an all-encompassing view of their customers and provide a seamless customer experience. While this all started with the active participation of smartphones, the IoT extends further to wearable devices. For example, Bank of America has partnered with FitPay to further advance wearable payment technology. Through this partnership, cardholders will be able to make payments directly from their smartwatches and other wearable devices. The bank will be able to recognize customer behavior and preferences.
Conclusion
Despite more hype around the Internet of Things, it is just one of the sources of big data. There's no doubt that it's a valuable area and it's growing. Organizations that have already implemented some big data solutions may already be dealing with IoT data, and if they are planning to adopt a big data solution, hopefully the use cases described above will spark some great ideas.