Why AIoT is an essential element for continuous technological innovation

With many technologies already running at the edge, we are beginning to see the combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), known as the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT). AIoT is a term that refers to the application of AI to the IoT, a relatively new phenomenon that represents the implementation of many simple digital connections between hardware devices. As AI moves closer to the edge and into various devices such as sensors, cameras, and mobile devices, it can make embedded devices smarter and, in many cases, eliminate the need for extensive cloud-based computing. Instead, analysis can be done directly on the device, eliminating any delays in processing.

Although the concept of AIoT is relatively new, it is important to understand how it will change our daily lives in the near future. Here are some of the opportunities we expect to see related to AIoT.

Smart cars, smart cities

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are a great example of how AIoT technologies can be applied. An AV has multiple cameras for object recognition, computer vision, lane warnings, and driver fatigue monitoring, among other things, in addition to other sensors for sensor fusion (e.g., thermal imaging, radar, and lidar sensors). By processing the collected data at the edge, the bandwidth requirements for data in and out of the vehicle are minimized, thus avoiding latency in data analysis. In places where connectivity is problematic or where latency is critical (such as when a vehicle is traveling at highway speeds), edge processing can literally be the difference between life and death.

Another use case is smart cities, where AIoT will make increasingly intelligent edge devices not only data generators, but also data aggregators, data exchange platforms, and data-driven decision makers. In cities, this means that cars can constantly get the latest information provided by street infrastructure and other vehicles, thereby reducing or eliminating traffic congestion. Data sharing can enable better traffic route decisions, while clearing the way for emergency vehicles to pass faster. In the future, we will see cars "talking" to traffic lights, lamp posts, and road signs.

AIoT technology can further support smart cities, which will enable educated choices based on real-time and predictive information. For example, we all know how frustrating it is to see outdated information on road signs because the human controller has not updated it, or we are not advised to take the next exit and end up being part of a traffic jam. Vehicle-to-vehicle (v2v) or vehicle-to-infrastructure (v2x) data sharing will ensure that there are no obstacles in the way of vehicles. Soon, v2v and v2x will become the standard - but this will also require the inclusion of AIoT technology in trillions of sensors.

Smart city applications will also monitor the urban environment, check air quality, and alert people when pollution levels rise, while rerouting traffic to avoid traffic jams and car exhaust accumulation in specific areas.

Factory and retail

AIoT will have an impact on the way factory workers do their jobs. Factories of the future will become safer as previously “silent” industrial robots and robotic vehicles will use AIoT technology to “sense” their surroundings. These robots will ensure that if someone enters their vicinity, they will immediately understand what is happening and return to safe mode. As fast robots travel at high speeds in warehouses to move goods around, it can be said that the smarter they become, the safer the warehouse floor will be for us “soft machines”.

We will also start to see more smart stores like Amazon Go, where shoppers can select their items, perhaps a bottle of drink or a sandwich, and when they leave the store, the cost of the item will be debited from their bank account, their points will be updated, and the shelves will be automatically replenished. All of this will come from actions performed by sensors and cameras in the store (powered by AIoT technology).

medical insurance

In healthcare, we all know about wearable fitness devices, but we will increasingly see edge devices that can check for a variety of physical conditions, from breath biopsies to insulin regulation. Indeed, in this space, we will see these devices become affordable and ubiquitous, allowing medical professionals to accurately track and assess disease around the world and assist them in more effectively diagnosing, prescribing the right medicines, and monitoring medical outcomes for all of us.

The future is now

It’s exciting to think about the ideas we will soon benefit from, and AIoT is one of the technologies that can help us achieve such goals. Even now, we are seeing the next phase of AI computing moving to the edge, such as being performed in local cabinets rather than in the cloud. So we are taking many small steps towards a future where AIoT will be widely deployed in our cars, cities, factories, stores, and in our lives in general, creating a better life.