The Future of IoT-Based Energy Usage Management

Let's face it! Our society is in the phase of digital transformation, a process, which is changing it as deeply and widely as never before. Every device is becoming more and more interconnected. Start from small embedded devices to our day-to-day smartphone, or even their car for some people.

The Rise of IoT

<p>Ten years ago the principal devices accessing the Internet were PCs and laptops – it was a simpler world to understand and describe. But this changed rapidly in the years that followed. First came the smartphones which changed the way that people
    consumed online services and even interacted with the world.</p>

Other computing devices followed; mainly consumer electronics but also more and more industrial devices. Still, at this point (around 2010, maybe even until 2012) the amount of devices more or less scaled linearly with the number of users and growth was mainly by establishing new geographical markets and increasing uptake. It was easy to tell what was connected to the internet and what was not.

<p>In 2012, or around that year, something dramatic happened. Connections to the internet started picking up beyond the linear scale with people – connections became decoupled and machines and things started to take over. The most quoted number is that 50
    billion devices will be connected by 2020. So assuming a conservative 10 billion connected devices today this works out to be a connection speed of 250 devices per second until the goals will be reached.</p>

1. Autonomous vehicles exist because of IoT

   Today you can now buy a car that drives itself to and from work, suggests shortcuts, notifies you of weather changes, possible malfunctions and even detects the type of music you’d like to hear during your drive. These cars are few and far in between, costing upwards of $1 billion, but they are real and powered by IoT which connects them to their central station via the internet and cloud.

2. Medical monitoring

   The IoT technology is looking to make a huge impact on medical care and healthcare as a whole. The magnitude of involving these devices in hospitals and house care all over the world will allow for much more straightforward patient care than before.

   Medical workers will be able to monitor patients without visiting them in person, lowering the overall costs of health treatment and making sure that the risks of error are minimal. The question of implementing IoT fully into medical care is a matter of programming – can these devices store as much information and deduction as a medical worker would?

   This poses an interesting question because it’s predicted that these devices will automatically administer medicine and make the patient’s experience as comfortable as possible without asking the doctor about every decision. While there is drug management and human care concern when it comes to IoT in medicine, there is no denying that the technology is shaping up to make a huge change in the way we perceive medical care.

3. Consumption analytics & distribution

   Having an AI or an IoT device monitor all of your shipping, delivery and distribution sounds like a dream, but in reality, it’s closer than ever before. Large international companies have started implementing IoT devices into their distribution and consumption analytics as a means to lower costs and raise overall company efficiency. The results might be less than favorable to peoplewho don’t do their jobs right because these devices don’t compromise and “like” someone, instead opting for objective and empirical assessments.

   These same devices are posed to control distribution networks and shipping deliveries all over the world in light of making sure that every delivery arrives on time and intact. This poses a concern when it comes to employing workers and distributors but it should be noted that while an IoT device may order a shipment of materials, workers are still the ones who will deliver it.

So far we've talked a lot of fun stuff about IoT. Here's the real deal, it can do much more. With the rise of IoT, the implementation of it on energy chain and electrical grids are not an exemption, even more - they are the driving force of world-scale changes.

Dramatic changes in our energy “picture” happened over previous years and will strongly continuein the next decade. Introduction of renewable energy resources, like usage of solar, wind and othergreen technologies and the reduction of traditional “dirty” sources like coal or nuclear, contributesto higher and less predictable fluctuations in overall energy production.

Utility companies and grid operators, which must keep the grid stable by matching the consumption and generation at anytime, encounter technical and financial challenges to execute this essential task.The coming ofmass introduction of electrical vehicles, which need fast recharging, will further destabilize thegrid and increase the cost to meet this growing demand.

<p><strong>To solve this problem we need some optimization in our current grid system, we're wasting to much stuff. In doing this let's involve IoT.</strong></p>
    
<p>Recently i stumbled upon a company with their project to apply a smart connection between our day-to-day smartphone with our grid.They're currently developing a platform to help user like us control energy consumption, in doing so they're combining
    the massive advantages of IoT and Blockchain Technology. The company is Robotina</p>
    
<blockquote>
    <p><em>Robotina Platform will optimize the functioning of the entire electricity grid, reduce electric energy consumption and lower the electricity costs.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Here's their implementation of the both technology to save energy and money for the user of their platform.</strong></p>
<ul>
    <li>
        <p><strong>Step 1</strong></p>
        <p>User will receive the Energy Management System (EMS) hardware device. It’s asmart Internet of Things (IoT) device that senses the energy consumption andbehavior of user electrical appliances. After the installation, it immediately startssending
            data to and receiving data from their online platform.</p>
    </li>
    <li>
        <p><strong>Step 2</strong><br> Internet of Things (IoT) scans across theentire energy network from producer &gt; distributor &gt; consumer – to optimizethe network and brings you savings from an optimal ‘energy value chain’.</p>
        <p>Using the Artificial Intelligence (AI) the Robotina Platform operates your electricdevices so that it switches them on when the price of electricity is lowest andturns them off when electricity is more expensive or when the need
            for the electricity in the network is higher.</p>
    </li>
    <li>
        <p><strong>Step 3</strong></p>
        <p>Robotina Smart Grid platform collects anonymous energy data 24/7. TheArtificial Intelligence (AI) on the platform collects and processes the data sent byEMS device to identify the historical data patterns such as when and how manytimes
            the boiler, air conditioner, heat pump, etc. is switched on. AI uses weatherforecasts and energy price data to optimize your expenses.</p>
        <p>Additional savings based on collaboration. The Community benefits from alltransactions on the Robotina Platform. The majority of the earnings generated bygroup buying, power trade (which stabilizes the grid), aggregated data sales andcrowd
            financing will be allocated to pool awarding most active community members.If you're interested about the technical details of their platform or the development of Robotina platform, consider giving them a visit on their <a href="https://www.robotinaico.com/"><em>website</em></a>,
            they're currently holding an ICO for the full-development of their platform.</p>
    </li>
</ul>                
<p><h3>Conclusion</h3></p>
<p>Implementing IoT devices will allow people to become free of their full-time constraints and grasp a better understanding of how the world works. It’s true that some professions and job placements might see a downfall in light of technological advancement
    but such is the case in every age of technical evolution. Whether you like the idea of the Internet of Things or not, chances are that it’s here to stay and we can only adapt and make the most of this new, exciting and unexplored opportunity.</p>
<blockquote>
    <p><strong>Special Thanks to</strong> <a href="www.robotinaico.com"><strong>Robotina</strong></a><strong>for making this article possible! Check out their</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/robotinaICO"><strong>Twitter</strong></a>    <strong>or</strong> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/robotinaico/"><strong>Facebook Page</strong></a> <strong>to ask more about their project!</strong></p>
     <p>Written by nadhifikbarw</p>
</blockquote>