Beatriz Sanz Baños

Creating and inventing technological products and solutions. Anticipating the needs of the future and helping the transition to the digital era. Do you know who we are talking about? Yes, we are talking about startups, companies founded by one or more entrepreneurs with a high capacity for rapid growth. However, a lot of the time they need resources so that time does not play against them, since tech projects can become obsolete in the time it takes to launch them. Telefónica Activation Programme was created to help entrepreneurs minimize the time to market of their IoT solutions. In this post we tell you about the experience of several startups that participated and benefited from everything Telefonica Activation Programme has to offer. AEInnova This startup was founded in 2014 with the aim of providing solutions to tackle the problems arising from climate change and to improve the environment. With this objective, they propose to eliminate the need for batteries for electronic devices, which would be self-powered by converting the heat they generate from their operation into electrical energy. To start the project, AEInnova had three basic needs: financing, knowledge and market entry. To solve them, it enlisted the help of Telefónica, which contributes the experience of its qualified technicians, the infrastructure of The Thinx laboratories and the opportunities of its commercial network. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hxWjmwcNE8 Eccocar This shared mobility platform helps fleet managers accelerate their transition to sustainable mobility. Thanks to the Kite Platform, they benefit from hardware to connect vehicles to the cloud and from APIs to receive and monitor data in real time. They can set up alerts should any technical problems arise, thus ensuring the safety of the fleet and the drivers. Eccocar is linked to Wayra Germany and has a double relationship with Telefónica: on the one hand, it offers corporate car sharing services to its operating fleet; on the other hand, it complements Telefónica's connected car services by offering automatic rental APPs to rent-a-cars and other mobility solutions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ6X79pT4zQ&t=8s Plantae At Plantae they design and develop sensors with wireless technology to optimise irrigation in agriculture and professional gardening. These devices use radio frequency and GPRS technology to measure and send data on soil moisture, temperature and conductivity to the cloud in real time. The information is accessible from any mobile device, which allows the optimization of irrigation while saving water and energy. Plantae sensors are already being used in gardens, agricultural plantations and football and golf courses throughout Spain. Even so, the startup continues to optimise its solution in The Thinx laboratories, as a preliminary step to marketing it in Latin American markets with the support of Telefónica. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D5rfc6PX1w&t=72s These digital entrepreneurial projects show us the great potential of IoT to successfully develop new business models that have a positive impact on society as a whole. Telefónica's support, through the IoT Activation program, has been fundamental in achieving this.

We are integrating Internet of Things in our daily lives and jobs without even realizing it. Having applied hyperconnectivity in such a natural way to our life and our work means that it also reaches other sectors, such as our companies and their business strategies. We are even focusing it further to help minimize serious problems such as climate change. But how is this possible? The key is to look at one of its main advantages: efficiency. Efficiency not only means doing things faster and better, but also with fewer resources. One of the main factors that are accelerating climate change is the excessive consumption of energy by society. Without going further, the expenses derived from communities with central heating or power plants generate a large amount of pollution, such as carbon dioxide emissions. So, is it possible to reduce energy consumption without sacrificing our well-being? Yes it is. It must be understood that a large part of this excessive energy expenditure is not caused only by our needs, but also by an inefficient management with little foresight. We consume more than what is needed because of too little data analysis. The excessive consumption of energy is accelerating climate change This is where IoT, together with Big Data, offers us a solution: the information network in real time, fast and efficient, that allows us to know the different levels of energy consumption and, in turn, facilitates the analysis of the points of higher consumption However, this problem and solution do not apply only to the energy industry. From the flow of water to the distribution of food, all industries can benefit from the aforementioned network of sensors and connected devices. IoT has the potential to reduce the waste of resources on a global scale. Although reducing pollution is an important step in the fight against climate change, it is also important that we take care of nature’s health. Our actions are causing the flora and fauna of many areas to get sick and this is another area where Internet of Things can provide very valuable help. Monitoring of nature allows us to have constantly control of the fauna and flora and prevent their deterioration In the same way we try to guarantee the recovery of a sick patient with constant monitoring, we can do the same with nature. Using strategically placed non-intrusive sensors; we can monitor the status of animals and plants in the area constantly and in real time to know where we need to act urgently. These IoT sensors can even warn that a fire is happening and generate an alarm in a Control Center. We are reaching a critical point with climate change. Individual efforts are not enough to reduce it; it requires a joint effort, coordinated, or in other words connected to find a solution. IoT can make a very important difference so that the balance tilts on the side of the planet.

Understanding emotions is crucial in new marketing strategies. Due to the oversaturation of products and approaches, new formulas have to be found that help the retail sector sell an increasing number of products. Knowing clients’ emotions can be a fundamental advantage in this respect. So how can we get this information? The technology associated with the Internet of Things is the key that will open the doors to a more efficient and satisfactory way of buying. Detecting human emotions Of course, the first step in understanding what a client is feeling is to detect their emotions. This may seem like science fiction, but it is the subject of study by many behavioural specialists. Emotions are reflected in things as simple as our face, our tone of voice or our gestures. And to be able to detect patterns, the first thing we need to do is measure them. For example, you can analyze the expression of a face or its gestures to know if a customer is surprised, pleased or bored. Facial patterns are currently an inexhaustible source of study for various topics because they provide a lot of information on the emotions we feel. On the other hand, the voice is also an inestimable source of information. We can detect accents, tones, nuances, doubts and a host of features from it. By 2022, over 70 millionhouseholds will have at least one voice assistant in their home, and the total number of devices installed will top 175 million. According to several studies, you can also ascertain a person’s interest in a topic via their voice. If we add this to the biometric data that can be obtained from other wearables, such as the increasingly popular wristbands that measure the heart rate or skin moisture, the amount of data we can collect on the emotions generated in a person is huge. The role of Artificial Intelligence Once we get the right measurements from a multitude of connected devices (cameras, voice assistants, biometric wristbands), the next step is to analyze them. To do this, nothing fits the bill better than Artificial Intelligence. The technology associated with AI allows us to analyze patterns that at first seem chaotic or too complex. Thanks to Artificial Intelligence, we can create algorithms that learn and improve with the data they process, so they collect information in an increasingly efficient way. Big Data appears alongside Artificial Intelligence to offer the possibility of using massive amounts of data to better analyze the parameters that determine clients’ emotions. And all this, from the collection of information to its distribution and processing, is done thanks to Internet of Things. A more efficient IoT When talking about emotions, the IoT is facing a new market niche in which marketing has a lot to gain. Yet so does Internet of Things itself, since this type of analysis will allow it to be more effective in all its tasks. With the results of these analyses, developers can generate more pleasant or efficient applications. Designers, administrators and ultimately everyone related to a brand can also learn something. The information obtained from emotions, which are a manifestation of our desires, among other things, will make IoT applications better in all senses. Thus, a music player could adapt its automatic song list to the user's mood at that moment. Thanks to connectivity, the application could send a signal to a nearby business that had a beacon so it could offer information (an ad, for example) which is especially relevant to the user’s mood. And this is just one example. All of this is not just about usability. IoT involves many aspects: colours, sounds, touch, aesthetics, lights, the combination of all of them. With this analysis of emotions, the IoT has a great deal to gain by adapting the characteristics of a product or an application to the mood of a user automatically and in real time, thanks to the connectivity offered by Internet of Things.

According to the latest data from the National Statistics Institutethere are 3.84 million people with some type of disability in Spain. A div to bear in mind since it makes a group that needs to obtain support from all possible spheres of society. However, in recent years progress has been made in terms of accessibility in order to achieve better social integration and avoid discrimination. Moving around the city can be a challenge for them: from taking a bus, to crossing a street or walk on sidewalks, the difficulties they face prevent them from fully enjoy their lives and their cities. At this point, technology, combined with Internet of Things, can be the perfect ally. One example is the city of Santander, where it will be easier to move around thanks to the KIMAP Cityinitiative. The idea is to install a smartphone in the wheelchair of the participants, which collects data on the accessibility of the streets as people go around the city. As they progress on their route, the system produces maps in which the streets have three colours: green, yellow and red, depending on the difficulty of access for people with reduced mobility. The initiative is part of the SynchroniCityproject, which seeks to create solutions for smart cities based on Internet of Things. If we cross the Atlantic, in Chicago they have carried out a project called Array of Things (AoT), with which they are installing a series of 'nodes' in street furniture to capture environmental data and urban activity in real time. All this data is available on a public website with the aim of providing valuable information for the development of more inclusive urban plans. This way, urban architects who plan to create solutions in Chicago will have an easier time identifying areas that are not accessible and promoting inclusive projects to break down barriers for this collective. For example, systems are being developed to notify pedestrians if a regular street is cut off to take an alternative route. Similarly, we see how public transport is gaining in accessibility. This is the case of Accessible Olli,the self-driving bus developed by IBM. This vehicle is equipped with a virtual assistant capable of communicating with passengers. For example, when a visually impaired person hops on the bus, Olli will tell you the free places where you can sit via audio or an app on your mobile. For hearing impaired users, they will have augmented reality that will be able to speak sign language and can also activate the ramp automatically when it detects that people on wheelchairs are getting on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9joEsWiYFEI For visually impaired people, the WeWALK connected canecan be a revolution. Once connected to the app on the smartphone, the cane detects obstacles with its ultrasonic sensor and sends out vibration warnings. WeWALK is incorporating new features with software updates such as integration with Google Maps and voice assistants. There are also headphones with Internet of Thingsthat allow users to hear up to 30% better in places with excessive noise such as a street with traffic. In addition, these hearing aids feature IFTTT technology, the standard used by most smart home devices. With them you can control the smart devices in the house to make daily tasks easier. For example, lights can be set to turn on when the user wakes up or turn off when they detects the person left home. Making a city more accessible not only means moving around freely, but also that people with different abilities are integrated into social life and can improve the community in which they live. Of all the projects and ideas mentioned, we can say that the Internet of Things can help overcome obstacles and change the way we move and interact with our city.

Once a trend, the Internet of Things has become a reality that is changing the world in which we live. However, buzzwords can sometimes lead to confusion and cause questions to arise. So, are IoT and M2M the same thing? What is the difference between them? Interestingly enough, this same question has spurred a discussion on Quora, and has been tackled by professionals within the industry. Some use both terms interchangeably, whereas others are adamant that they are not to be confused. First of all, we can be certain that these two concepts do indeed have different meanings. Most conclude that Internet of Things is a broader concept, which will evolve from M2M and other technologies. Simply put, Machine-to-Machine is where “Machines” use network resources to communicate with remote application infrastructure for the purposes of monitoring and control, either of the “machine” itself, or the surrounding environment. The potential interconnection of smart objects and the way we interact with the environment is what The Internet of Things is envisioned to be, where the physical world will merge with the digital world. In an attempt to explain the relationship between both concepts, Matt Hatton compares M2M to the plumbing of Internet of Things. M2M is what provides The Internet of Things with the connectivity that enables capabilities, which would not be possible without it. M2M with Internet protocols could be considered a subset of Internet of Things and understood from a more vertical and closed point of view. On the other hand, the Internet of Things encompasses a more horizontal and meaningful approach where vertical applications are pulled together to address the needs of many people.

In the last few years, gas stations started to offer travelers a wide range of possibilities beyond mere refueling. This increases competition between service stations, which is forcing these facilities to look for innovative solutions that offer more facilities to users, and because of that they become intelligent gas stations. To achieve this objective, an automated service system has been developed at some gas stations thanks to Internet of Things (IoT) technology. With IoT as an ally, we can know the status of a service station in real time through the integrated monitoring of all gas station systems such as the HD video system, alarms, sensor notifications, visualization of sales made, device status monitoring, etc. How do you get all the information? A series of sensors are located in different places such as surveillance cameras, alarms, lighting or supply systems. All these parameters are collected, analyzed and sent to an app or platform, so that the customer has at all times information about the nearest stations, the services available to each of them or fuel prices fluctuations, among others. On the other hand, the personnel of the service station can do an integral follow-up of all aspects of their establishment: price modification, lighting regulation, improvement of lighting conditions, sales display or control of doors and alarms. In the end these solutions serve both the customer and the owners of the establishments. The inclusion of IoT allows you to optimize the operation of the service station and maximize the knowledge that you have about the state of the gas station. It also improves the customer experience and allows you to choose the option that better suits you. In addition, this monitoring also favors energy efficiency and facilitates keeping tabs on the number of vehicles that pass through the dispenser throughout the day and of the users who consume another type of service such as shop, cafeteria, car wash, etc. The recollection of this information is useful when managing marketing campaigns and to design promotions for the sale of fuel, it helps measuring traffic and the busier hours which allow us to plan campaigns strategically. It also offers data about the parking time of each vehicle in comparison to the duration of the refueling, this helps keeping tabs on the waiting time of the vehicles that enter and are in the waiting line. This data also permits making accurate forecasts of human resources needs and reinforce the staff during peak hours. This information will improve the user experience in the service areas, optimize operations, detect incidents and achieve a greater success. An IoT solution that favors service stations, but also the customer. Smart gas stations that help connect people with the things that really matter to them.

The total number of travellers in air transport increases each year in a remarkable way, giving rise to an expanding panorama of trips, comings and goings, and visits to hidden places. Thanks to technological progress distances are getting shorter and shorter and we are able to travel more kilometres in less time. Airplanes are the fastest transport today - they allow us to move from one continent in the same time as a bus trip to a nearby city - but they have not yet achieved the convenience and speed that travellers have on land. At Telefónica, we believe in the enormous potential that technology can offer people and society. Technology must improve our lives by uniting people with the things that really matter to them. To this end, the Internet of Things is contributing to improve the user experience at airports, to increase operational efficiency, and generate new revenue. The great advance with the smart airport is in the integration of the different parts of the airport ecosystem through the development of digital solutions, energy and acoustic sustainability, and excellence in the quality of passenger service. AENA (Spanish Airports and Air Navigation) has established in its 2018-2021 Strategic Plan the project to move towards smart airports (Smart Airport) based on the following axes: 1. IMPROVED USER EXPERIENCE IoT at airports is primarily consumer oriented. It tries to streamline processes and simplify protocols to achieve a better user experience. How? By accelerating the entry and boarding procedures, offering personalized information in real time to travellers or establishing shorter and faster routes for users within the terminals. The Dulles International Airport in Dallas was the first to implement the veriScanen system at its entrance doors. The program performed a biometric analysis of the passengers' faces, and then collated the information collected by the cameras with the passport photograph, or the images collected in customs control in the case of foreign passengers. This system has been implemented in many airports recently and it has already replaced the traditional system with a success rate of 99% accuracy in its detection. In addition, it reduces the boarding time of passengers by half and offers a bonus for security as it is capable of detecting false passports. 2. EFFICIENCY INCREASE The application of the Internet of Things in airports can also mean an increase in operational efficiency, facilitating the organization of personnel and maintenance of machinery, and consequently improving performance and cost savings in technical maintenance. It is applicable, for example, to the maintenance of carts and the monitoring of baggage systems by installing sensors that provide data like their location and performance levels, and then send them to a central server from where they can be managed. It will not take long to get on-track automation processes so that autonomous vehicles will deliver the luggage, clean the waste or carry out the refuelling. The application of IoT technology in areas with lot of traffic of large quantities of people, such as airports, is increasing. Improving the user experience and respect for the environment have become the primary objectives of the Internet of Things, which will help to achieve with its digital solutions and process optimization.

Would you like to enjoy a more personalized and efficient experience during your vacation? The arrival of IoT is already a real revolution in the tourism sector where this technology brings cost savings, service optimization and the creation of an unprecedented user experience.

Debate is open between those who think that the traditional game console is dying and those who think that it still has a lot of life to live. Could the Internet of Things be its salvation? Experts think so. In Spain, the video game industry billed more than 1.5 billion euros last year. This div gives us a clue to the growth that the gaming world is experiencing in our country, where in the last 10 years the games, devices and ways of playing have changed so much. Although game consoles and computer games are still very popular, the mobile video game industry has grown exponentially with the emergence of free games. In addition, as more and more devices connect to the Internet of Things, developers have been creating more social games and applications, focused on creating connected communities in which users can interact. The popular Pokémon Go! is a great example of how IoT combined with augmented reality has incorporated mobility to video games and also makes players feel part of the game's narrative. A few years ago, to enjoy a video game you had to be connected to a screen from home. However, IoT allows us to go catching Pokémon by synchronizing the app with the GPS, camera and other sensors of our smartphone. Platforms such as Microsoft's Azure Service Fabric are helping to collect usage data in real time, which developers can use to create more amazing experiences for similar players in real time. Currently, all Xbox titles such as Halo and Forza use IoT to improve the feeling of connectivity in their games. IoT has also made possible the gamification of certain activities that are part of our daily lives. For example, health and wellness apps are trying to make sports attractive and fun for its users. The Zombies Run! app is linked with activity wristbands and with the smartphone to make the user feel that he is running to save himself from the zombies and fighting the apocalypse in his races. Smartphones and tablets contain a variety of sensors (cameras, accelerometers, tactile and pressure sensors and even heart rate monitors) but accessories have also evolved and adapted to the Internet of Things era. This is the case of the ARAIG suit, a gaming vest with multiple sensors and functionalities to create a unique gaming experience. It has a transmitter that connects to the game platform and updates the physical and sensorial information of the player. The suit also has speakers with surround sound for a full audio immersion and vibration sensors on the torso and shoulders so that the player experiences all the sensations, as if he were in the game. The future of video games will be cloud gaming and this is where IoT will have a more relevant role. Cloud gaming will allow developers to skip platforms such as PlayStation, Xbox, iOS and Android to connect directly with gamers, all due to the possibilities that IoT will bring.

Did you know that in Spain there are around 1,200,000 swimming pools dedicated to leisure and sport? That means 1 pool for every 39 people! Spain is the country with the fourth most residential pools in the world, most of them concentrated in neighborhood communities, sports facilities and hotels. Now, we can go even further and create the IoT-connected pool. This swimming pool features the installation of smart sensors that not only facilitate greater efficiency and lower costs, but also save resources. Connectivity allows you to control all the parameters of the pool in real time through smartphone, tablet or PC, thus improving safety, sustainability and user services.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a United Nations-led initiative to address the most important problems our society faces. It encompasses "a set of interconnected social, economic and environmental goals and objectives" that form part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z8YKJ1LVNM The Internet and digital solutions – with the basis of connectivity – are essential to achieve many of the goals that have been set: to improve people's quality of life, to facilitate equitable growth and to protect the planet. At Telefónica, we use these goals as a roadmap to achieve sustainability and build a better world in which no one is left behind. (Strategic SDGs for Telefónica: greater contribution) In this sense, the Internet of Things has enormous potential to help meet these SDGs. It plays a key role in developing solutions to reduce the negative environmental impact of cities, help the economic growth of the industry and promote quality education. As a company, Telefónica contributes to multiple SDGs related to different business areas. But which specific goals does IoT help reach? Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9) The impact of startups on economic development is increasing and, in general, such companies are closely related to technology. Many innovative ideas have been launched on with the foundation of the connectivity provided by the Internet of Things. Initiatives such as theIoT Activation Program provide connectivity modules, access to labs to test NB-IoT solutions with engineering support, and platforms like Kite, which provide connectivity management and cloud integration. Quality Education (SDGs 4) IoET (Educational Internet of Things) devices have great potential to stimulate students' abilities and facilitate flexible learning and creativity. Interactive devices have been immersed into classrooms and turned them into connected learning places where students can unleash their imagination thanks to new tools that encourage them to learn. From connected backpacks, which ensure the safety of the little ones with a geolocator and dining rooms with RFID technology to monitor food intolerances, to scanners like Scanmarker, an underscore that digitizes the text that is marked on the book to be able to edit, listen to or translate it on your tablet or computer. To ensure that no one is excluded from these advances, there are also formative plans to incorporate key technological competencies in the Internet of Things sector, such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain or Big Data. Labor and economic growth (SDG 8) The increase of productivity is made possible by monitoring the various business processes with IoT technology. Industry 4.0 uses sensors in order to optimize product manufacturing processes, Retail to create smart stores that tailor its services to the demands of its customers, and fleet optimizer companies to track vehicles and prevent accidents. All these improvements translate into economic growth and have a positive impact on the day-to-day lives of workers, improving their overall working conditions and safety. Sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11) The use of IoT by public institutions is critical to the development of Smart Cities, as the use of smart sensors to monitor aspects such as lighting, pollution, irrigation, traffic or the conservation of monuments makes for a more effective and sustainable management with the environment and our health. On another note, the use of connected drones is already a reality in the fight against natural disasters, through actions such as theprevention and extinguishing of fires or the search for survivors in floods and earthquakes. Affordable, non-polluting energy (SDG 7) IoT technology contributes decisively to the development and implementation of renewable energies. As a result, public institutions, companies and individuals can reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. Connectivity also applies to Smart Waste, intelligent waste recycling management that uses sensors that monitor the status of trash bins. In addition to all these contributions, projects such as Internet For All stand out, which aims to provide Internet access to 100 million people in Latin America by 2025, or Smart Rural Territory, which brings IoT and Big Data solutions to administrations of the "emptied Spain". Infrastructure development, the digital divide, economic growth and pollution are some of the main problems we face. The commitment to sustainable innovation must be a priority in order to address them, as the solutions provided by connectivity help us to successfully overcome these great challenges. As the United Nations asserts, "it will not be possible to achieve sustainable development without radically transforming the way we build and manage urban spaces." In this sense, IoT plays an essential role in achieving the objectives set out in the 2030 Agenda. If you want to know more about Telefónica's commitment to the SDGs, click here.

Currently, 40% of Spanish households own a pet, according to the Madrid Association of Pet Veterinarians. That's about 20 million dogs, cats, birds or hamsters that brighten the lives of many people every day. Over time, society is more aware of animal care and there are many people who leave their pets at home with concern. If you are one of them, you can relax now, because IoT already allows you to care about your pet in ways you cannot even imagine. Besides, you will end up joining the new healthy trend that contemplates, not only the health of the people, but also your pets’ health. The first thing that came to the market were the location gadgets. Ergonomic collars that incorporate GPS technology and allow locating the pet in a radius of several kilometers. From there, new systems have been developed with sensors, connected to the Internet, and even with cameras, capable of monitoring specific data in their health or mood. Devices like Dondosend location data to a mobile app, for great tranquility of those who have the naughtiest pets. With this necklace you can keep an eye on them and avoid more than one upset.Ntt Docomois a similar one, but it also offers a record of the health status of the animal: it measures, among other things, its temperature, its weight, the digestion process, the burning of calories and the physical activity carried out. The offer could stop here, but there is still more. Technology has enabled us to obtain information beyond the physical state of our pets and we observe the emotional state and socialization of our pets. These types of solutions are the most used today. An example is Fitbark, a connected collar that monitors how our pets rest: it collects information about sleep patterns with sensors and determines if they rest well enough. Another feature is the comparison of the animal’s behavior with others of the same race, to assure the owner that their behavior and their constants are always good. We can still go one step further with Kyon Pet Tracker, the device that monitors the mood of pets through an algorithm and sends notifications to the user if he is thirsty, wants to play or needs a walk. In addition, it activates by repeated barking to warn the user. At an anecdotal level, some extravagant solutions are also being developed, for which the market is not yet ready. One example of this is The posting tail device, which detects the mood by the tail´s movement. When it moves because of happiness, it takes a picture and automatically uploads it to his profile on social media, thus collecting the best moments and sharing them with other users. For the next few years, the market is trying to find new solutions with LPWA connectivity that contributes to extend the usage of IoT technology in the world of pets.

IoT technology services are already applied in the distribution and logistics industry to optimize different processes. This has a positive effect on the productivity, security and the preventive maintenance of the fleets.

Thousands of companies and households have already use solar energy, with the dual purpose of reducing the carbon footprint of the planet and actively control their consumption. Have you already joined the clean energies? IoTtechnology works to ensure that systems located in distant places communicate with each other and interact as a unit, so it is very useful for photovoltaic plants. The panels that collect the energy from the sun use this technology, for example, to control the accumulated energy, manage the loading and unloading of batteries and offer the user precise consumption data. This is applicable to the industrial sectorand also to the consumption in smart homes-integrated in home automation-, to allocate the collected energy to both appliances and to the charging of electric vehicles. Spanish company POWEN uses IoT to create customized solar energy installationsfor users. Under the claim “feel your energy, control your energy”, POWEN puts the user in the energy center and offers the possibility of controlling their energy consumption, always having accurate information about the energy generated, consumed or reverted to the network (thanks to the law approved by the Government in April that regulate residential self-consumption). With this model of distributed energy, the energy consumed by people in their homes or in their jobs is generated in the same place by an autonomous installation. This is an increasingly widespread habit that we know as "self-consumption". Another example of commitment to sustainable development is the Colombian company Sun Supply, which provides photovoltaic electricity with a focus on environmental, economic and social responsibility. Both the urban and rural population benefits from its solar panels, which are used to power the sensors that control the river levels of the Antioquia region or for the monitoring of real-time energy consumption and the supply of electrical power in apartments, farms, hospitals or mobile phone chargers located in public spaces. In Brazil we have Origo, which is also one of the leaders in photovoltaic generation for SMEs and companies with difficulties in accessing electricity. This company builds solar farms and rents its panels, installs solar roofs and provides self-supply kits for professional and domestic use. In addition, they bring electricity for the first time to communities located in the interior of the Amazon. How is connectivity applied? In general, all these new technologies are based on the sensorization of many elements of technology such as the environment (sun orientation, room temperature, etc). The new solar generation plants have multiple sensors that must be connected wirelessly so that they can be flexible, adjustable and with acceptable costs. Technologies such as LTE or 5G appear to be a key part of this revolution, transporting thousands of data to powerful SCADA - a specific software that allows to control and supervise processes from distance- to store data on the performance of photovoltaic plants. All the elements of the installation - inverters, meters, string-boxes, weather stations, security systems, solar trackers - communicate with each other and upload the data collected to the cloud through these Industrial IoT Networks (LTE / 5G). There, they are evaluated by algorithmsthat alert in case of deviations from the expected results, using artificial intelligence or machine learning to optimize the capture, generation and distribution of energy. Through an app, the user can interactwith the installation remotely. Solutions such as those offered by POWEN, Origo or Sun Supply show us the potential of IoT to achieve more sustainable energy management. The application of this technology is, and will be even more so in the future, fundamental for the development and consolidation of photovoltaic self-supply and, therefore, for the fight against pollution and climate change.

The arrival of summer holidays allows us to visit our favorite destinations, but who isn´t worried about losing their suitcase when travelling? Luckily, IoT help us to have everything under control. The number of brands launching connected suitcasesto the market is increasing to take care of our belongings. An example of this is Travelmate, which has a GPS chip so that, in case of loss, we have its exact location in an instant through the mobile. Thanks to IoT technology, Smart suitcases can be controlled at any time through a mobile app. With just one click we can know where they are, make them go from one place to another and close or open them without even touching them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC__zbPi5RQ Nowadays, with Travelmate you will no longer have to carry your suitcase when you are tired. This is possible because this suitcase connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and follows you wherever you go, always a few centimeters away with a system of anti-collision sensors in order to avoid any obstacle, accelerometer and gyroscope to move horizontally, vertically and make 360turns. Travelmate also has a secure TSA locking system, a long-lasting wireless battery that allows charging other devices and a LED lighting system with various colors that indicates the battery level or the direction of movement. Other brands such asBlueSmarthave also brought to the market smart suitcases that connect to the smartphone via Bluetooth and allow them to manage their location through and app, thanks to the GPS they have incorporated. In addition, they have proximity sensors, digital padlock and a digital scale, so by using the app you can also open and close your suitcase, as well as to know beforehand if the weight falls within the limit allowed by airlines. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=VJnvx7IhAmk The fingerprint lock has also reached these devices. Pluggage,Delsey´s smart suitcase, offers a lock of this type so that your objects are secure in case of loss. We will no longer have to worry about where we keep the padlock´s key or to remember the code for opening it. It also sends us a notification to our smartphone through the app when the suitcase approaches us on the conveyor belt at the airport and informs us of the weight of it. Whether it is by train, plane or in the highway, with smart suitcases, trips are more comfortable. An example of the ability that connected devices have to make our lives easier. Let IoT take care of your things and enjoy your vacations without any worries.

IoT technology makes the Wanda Metropolitano football stadium one of the most advanced in the world, thanks to its great connectivity capacity and the audiovisual experience and unique lighting it offers to the spectators.

Since its arrival, IoT has been pushing society towards a future in which most devices will be connected. Climate change and pollution levels also lead us to a future of greater care for the planet, and even to reverse, to the extent that we can, the damage caused during so many years of emissions. Has the time come to unify both impulses to conquer a more technological future, nourished by clean energies? Although, nowadays, in Spain the photovoltaic or wind installations are more extended in the industrial or agricultural sector, the use of energy self-consumption in households will be generalized in the foreseeable future. The main disadvantage of renewable energies is that they are very changeable, since they depend on a large extent on environmental factors. This variability makes energy distribution difficult: when too much energy is generated, it is not possible to store it completely and a large part of it is wasted and when energy is scarce it is necessary to have alternative sources of fuel. The perfect system would require a greater capacity of storage for energy in the moments of maximum generation. This is where IoT can help by solving these problems thanks to the monitoring of systems and acting remotely. Foreseeing that clean energies will be here to stay, IoT technology is already working to enter this sector. Therefore, it tries to promote energies, such as solar and wind energy, and its management in order to curb issues such as climate change. IoT tries to promote energies, such as solar and wind energy IoT is especially good at achieving systems located in distant places communicate with each other and interact as if they were a unit. In this sense, IoT allows controlling the network of storage systems in a centralized manner, as a solution to the supply imbalance that generates the variability of energy storage. Thus, each solar panel or wind turbine can be monitored and controlled remotely through sensors, thus allowing greater savings in consumption, in addition to a prediction of machinery repairs that are necessary, to avoid energy waste. In the residential part, the application of this mode of self-consumption in smart buildings will undoubtedly achieve greater efficiency and savings. The lighting and the temperature in the houses can be controlled through the IoT technology depending on the stored energy. For example, artificial light will adapt to the level of illumination detected by the sensors, switching on only when necessary. In the same way, the heating will be regulated automatically to provide only the energy that is needed to reach the ideal temperature. In Hawaii we found a good example of an IoT solution applied to renewable energies, in the project carried out by Steffes Corp. The company has set up a system that manages hot water heaters distributed around 500 homes. The connectivity allows, in this case, to adjust the supply to the demand, so that they adjust as much as possible and there is no waste of energy. Florida Power and Light has also opted for IoT for renewable energy, creating smart energy meters for solar panels that collect information through sensors and, through networks, manage consumption and provide customers with information on this in time real. The implementation of this technology generated a saving of 3.4 million dollars and a reliability of 99%. A very beneficial result for the company and for the customers, but, above all, for the environment. Another success story of Smart Metering is the installation, by Telefónica, of a network of smart meters to measure and manage in real time the energy consumption of household appliances in the United Kingdom. IoT is a great ally of renewable energies Cases such as Steffes Corp, Florida Power and Light or Telefónica demonstrate the potential Internet of Things has to help achieve more sustainable energy management. The application of this technology will be fundamental for the development and consolidation of renewable energies and, therefore, for the fight against pollution and climate change. With all that has been shown, we can clearly confirm that IoT is a great ally of renewable energies.

"The music of nougat "El Almendro" is recognized by one hundred percent of the respondents" We all take it for granted when entering a hotel, a cafeteria or a supermarket that, in addition to the usual sound generated by the activity of other customers, we will enjoy music in the background, which makes the stay more pleasant and friendly. When we talk about environmental music in the establishments we talk about enjoying music in a natural way, it is a great ally of marketing not only in advertising or advertising campaigns, but also in the point of sale itself. This sound environment thus generates a value beyond the purely commercial entering the full emotional field. "The client seeks to live a different experience with each purchase and music is one of the first perceptions that boost innovation to improve this experience" We enjoy music in different ways and in different places, because it is something that, in general, everyone likes and also relates to leisure time, so it is a great ally of marketing, not only in advertising, but also at the point of sale. So much so that the choice of music is a decisive element for a good customer experience in the establishment, a good construction of the corporate image by the consumer and for the retailer to see increased sales thanks to factors such as rhythm or the sonority. The choice of music can increase or decrease the chances of success of any business today. Spotmusic knows the value of music at the point of sale and was born with the aim of creating an appropriate musical environment that really influences the activity and the response of customers. The service offers 24 hours of musical ambience to the establishment, without interruptions or publicity. In addition, it gives access to more than 100 music channels, prepared by a team of musicologists, created so that each establishment chooses that style that best suits their type of customers and their brand identity. It is a solution that encourages a positive feeling of experience in clients, brightening situations that might otherwise be annoying, such as waiting for goods to go up in the warehouse or having to wait in a long line to pay. Audio marketing takes advantage of the emotional power of music to link users with the brand and favor consumption. A well-chosen music that is appropriate to the product that is offered and to the public that demands it facilitates the recall of the brand image and significantly enriches the customer's journey. In addition, a good musical atmosphere stimulates users' perception of consumption time as leisure time, stimulating purchases and, therefore, commerce. In addition, we must take into account the volume of the melodies, since it can contribute negatively if it is excessively high, because, far from increasing the enjoyment of customers, it will make them feel annoyed. According to an Audio Branding study conducted by the IAB, the Windows start music is recognized as such by 73.77 percent of the respondents and the nougat "El Almendro" by one hundred percent This retail solution is aimed at both small and large companies or multinationals, regardless of the sector they belong to, although for practical purposes, companies dedicated to tourism or hospitality and offices are those who request it the most. The spotmusic service has already been adopted by important companies such as Gocco or Sodexo, which have at their disposal, not only the technical tools that make possible a simple and autonomous online management, but a team of experts in musicology that elaborate specific channels according to the type of deal. Expert advice is a great help, since it determines the user experience according to your expectations when you visit the point of sale. For a clinic, for example, it will be necessary to choose a quiet music that facilitates the relaxation of the patient. However, it will not be like that in a supermarket, where music is an essential factor to encourage a purchase that can sometimes be tedious for customers. By incorporating this service, the establishments can remotely activate the musical channels they want to use in their businesses thanks to a management panel. A cafeteria, for example, can select different channels by time slots, interspersing them with promotional locutions or current campaigns, so that customers who are there having lunch can enjoy them. All this places us in a scenario in which the communication between the brand and the client is no longer unidirectional, since music is a language that both understand very well. If a business puts dance and deep house at full volume, those who identify with the style and who, therefore, feel linked to the brand, will enter the shop.

The development of 5G technology represents a disruptive advance in the telecommunications sector. It is a new type of wireless connectivity that provides a higher speed of data transfer and a greater capacity of connectivity between devices.

The application of the Internet of Things in the devices of our environment has brought about an authentic revolution in our lives. Connectivity gives us an efficient digital life, both at work and in our private lives, including leisure time. The trend of connected cars begins to become a reality and is one of the areas with the greatest potential for growth. In fact, Gartner estimates that in 2020 there will be 250 million cars connected worldwide. It’s in this context that Movistar Car was born, the new Telefónica service that converts vehicles into connected cars. With Movistar Car we can connect our car to a 4G or Wi-Fi network to make it as safe and smart as possible. This connectivity allows a more efficient management of our vehicle tasks from driving to maintenance or the purchase of fuel. How does it work? Movistar Car consists of a small device (the whole installation can be done by the driver in a simple way) and an application on the mobile to manage the services associated with the product. After installing the device in the vehicle and downloading the application on the smartphone, the user just has to register to enjoy the following advantages: Connectivity Movistar Car provides a Wi-Fi network exclusively for the car (with 3GB available per month). This network allows you to connect up to five devices simultaneously to navigate without consuming Mobile data. In this way, the passengers accompanying the driver can navigate on their smartphones or tablets or enjoy their series or favorite movies during the journeys, making the trip into a leisure experience for the consumer. Security If the car suffers and an impact, Car Movistar automatically sends a call to a platform that initiates the assistance protocol. This includes a call to the driver to check their status and contacting the 112 emergency services if necessary. Maintenance With Movistar Car the driver is aware of all the details related to their vehicle and receives notices of possible faults, making maintenance easier. Also, it is possible to program reminders through the application like the date of the ITV or upcoming revisions. Location Movistar Car gives access to the historical record of journeys made by the car and sets up alerts that inform of the movements of the vehicle and its location at all times. In addition, thanks to the browser included in the application, the driver can go to the selected or stored destinations, following the most efficient routes depending on the state of the roads. Saving Movistar Car makes saving easier through agreements with third parties, exclusive offers in fuel, discounts in workshops, better conditions in insurance rates and more advantages associated with the car and its displacements. The connected car is destined to consolidate itself as one of the most relevant spaces in people's lives. Movistar Car is a step further, contributing to the user experience with their vehicles and to promoting road safety, having a positive impact in society as a whole. Movistar Car can be booked already on the website of Movistar. The service is available for gasoline cars manufactured since 2004 and for diesel cars manufactured from 2005.

The development of Internet of Things has changed our society and multiple sectors like Industry, Retail, construction or mobility in cities among others. This technology makes life easier for people in many areas; one of them is comfort and rest. IoT helps us sleep better and, consequently, lead a fuller and more balanced life. For example, Including IoT in the furniture and clothes we use at bedtime: from pillows to mattresses and even masks. All with the aim of making sure that the hours of sleep are of the highest possible quality and help us to rest, even if we do not sleep for too long. IoT helps us sleep better The first of these is the ZEEQ smart pillow, which monitors sleep to help us rest better. ZEEQ works connected to a smartphone and has eight built-in speakers with which you can play relaxing music at low volume to help you fall asleep. This device is able to detect snoring and vibrate when they happen to make us change position. Also, it has an alarm-clock and built in sensors that detect our movements and the different sleep cycles we go through during the night. With this information it emits slow frequency waves modulated around the person: of less intensity during the REM phase of deep sleep and of greater intensity during the minutes prior to the time of getting up to facilitate the awakening of our brain. All statistics generated on our sleep (duration, interruptions, snoring, different phases) are sent to the smartphones, providing a complete and precise analysis of our sleep patterns. If necessary the data can be provided to the appropriate medical personnel so they can implement whatever measures and / or treatments are necessary. All statistics generated on our sleep are sent to the smartphones, providing a complete analysis The revolution IoT in the area of rest does not end with the pillows. As mentioned before, there are other connective products that help us sleep better like the mattress SmartPick, which works integrated with a bracelet, a smartphone and a set of sensors that measure aspects such as the cardiac frequency or the temperature of the room, total hours of sleep and interruptions. The great change that this mattress brought was that it incorporated the use of data to improve sleep routine and its quality, such as reflecting whether the user has woken up even if he is not conscious indicating it on the screen or if his sleep schedules are not adequate. It added the coach mode to provide new utilities like weekly challenges to encourage users to improve those routines. Another product is Sleep Number 360 a smart bed that can change its position at night or synchronize with a thermostat to regulate the temperature of the room. In the same way, you can optimize the temperature of the foot area to avoid excessive cold. It also has a smart alarm that awakens the user in the phase of light sleep that is closest to getting up. The application of IoT to the improvement of sleep includes sleeping masks. There are models of intelligent eyewear on the market that transmit to the smartphone the data collected by their sensors during sleep for your analysis. The quality of sleep is a fundamental factor of our daily lives. The deficit of it has a negative impact on our health (increasing the chances of suffering stress or diseases such as obesity) and on labor productivity. Hence the importance of IoT applications that improve the quality of sleep and facilitate rest. The development of this technology during the next few years will continue to be fundamental in improving our quality of life.

In an increasingly digital world, technology innovation is an essential value. The adoption of new technologies and connectivity possibilities of Internet of Things (IoT) provides a great competitive advantage for companies. A good example of this is Things Ready Link. How does it work? Things Ready Link offers companies the possibility of connecting any type of device to their Information Systems, from fridges to industrial equipment. Having all these devices connected, companies could access to their information in real time, and also provide E2E digitization in its business processes. In this way, any company can monitor at any time their statistical data to know how their connected devices are working, optimizing the cost of their operational processes, offering the best service to their customers. For instance, a restaurant could have current information about the temperature of their fridges or the stock for the coffee makers. Also, “As a service” business models are enabled, so manufacturers could commercialize their equipment to other companies as a service, making digitization more available. Things Ready Link is an optimal solution to provide connectivity to devices, because it allows mobile communications and devices which adapt better to requirements of systems as well as the information they have to convey. It allows managing jointly and in a single location Kite platform, both communications and devices, which can be monitored and, if needed, work on them by remote control. Who is intended for? Integrate companies who develop monitoring solutions, remote control of devices, process automation to end customers and companies who offer equipment as a service are the main target, as they have a new and only contact point for communications and equipment, making their operative and logistic processes easier. It’s also targeted to end customers who have so many divided devices to connect, like containers, fridges, vehicles, vending machines, urban furniture, industrial equipment, heavy machinery or remote facilities working in any market (farming, mining, business…), so they can: Locate devices Monitor or remote control devices Improve customer service, that will allow to improve their engagement as well Create new business models Reduce maintenance cost thanks to process automation ASTI’s commitment On industrial environments, both automation and digitization of processes is critical, so companies have a big requirement of connectivity and integral solutions that will allow them to move forward on innovation. One of the pioneers on digitization is ASTI Mobile Robotics, who relied on Telefónica to deploy IoT application to his business model, connecting his AGV’s robots (automated guided vehicles), in order to offer them to their customers as a service. Enrique Sierra, ASTI’s I+D Development Manager explains: “This technological solution will allow to store the data machines produce in a server, so you could check the information about production and maintenance of those machines, with failure prediction before fails happen, to avoid stops, also improving a real time control of AGV’s”. This example may be the impulse many companies need to strengthen their bet on digitization and be fully aware of taking IoT to their business models will be essential for future success.

18:00. Daniel arrives at school to pick up his children. He knows that they are still inside thanks to the trackers in their backpacks . While he is waiting for them, he can check the daily news on his smartwatch. When the children get in the car and buckle up their favorite show starts playing on the screen of the car. Magic they think, without knowing that their dad did it from the onboard navigator. 18:10. The next destination will be the shopping center. Before starting the march, Daniel consults on the GPS to see which one is the closest and to check the traffic status. Next, he programs the most efficient route, enough time for the kids to finish watching their episode. Perfect. 18:30. Daniel finds a parking lot easily at the mall through the parking app that informs him in real time. Afterwards, he invites his children to have a snack at a hamburger joint - Fridays are cool. They choose the products on the digital panel and make the payment with the discount coupons available on their smartphone. 19:00. Moment for purchases. Upon entering their favorite clothing store of the mall, the beacons devices automatically send personalized offers to Daniel’s smartphone. He decides to try on and he discovers that the mirror in the dressing room is smart and it proposes other garments that match his colors. Good choice, he thinks. He pays with his mobile thanks to NFC technology and then he picks up the kids from the playground to go back home. Mom will be arriving soon. 19:40. Upon reaching home, Daniel deactivates the alarm with his smartphone. Then he uses the smartphone again to open the garage door. Once inside, the smart coffee machine has prepared chocolate milk for the kids, they will enjoy it while watching the latest child movie downloaded on the smart TV. Daniel stares at the phone, who would have told him it would become the master key to his house. 19:50. Candela, Daniel's wife, returns home in the carsharing vehicle she has booked with her wearable. It's Friday and he wants to organize a family plan . Daniel finds on the tablet the offer of activities on the municipal website and, together, they decide to go see a play for all audiences. 20:00. The family goes walking to the theater. Daniel and Candela receive information on their smart bracelet that they have reached their daily step goals, and they still have to go back home! - Well done - . Once there, they access the site using the tickets on the screen readers that they have downloaded to their mobile phones. 21:45. Already at home. While Candela bathes at the right temperature thanks to the sensors in the shower, Daniel orders the dinner with his smartphone through a meal app at home. Thanks to GPS dealer, they know exactly when it will arrive. 22:30. The children have already had dinner and are in bed. Daniel and Candela know that the kids are fine thanks to the video images of their room that they receive in their tablet. In addition, temperature and humidity sensors make sure that there’s an excellent atmosphere in the house. 23:00. Rest time for dads too. They plan the Saturday morning from the bed. You will go out to exercise as a family, while Daniel and Candela run; the children will accompany them with their bikes. The sport activity will be reflected in their history thanks to the smart templates of the family shoes that send all the data to their smartphones. The addition of trackers to children's bikes also reflects their activity, they love to get home and compare the results. 23:30. It's time to rest. Phone in hand, Candela sets the alarm while Daniel lowers the blinds and switches off the lights from his phone. Good night family.

Telefónica launches the IoT Activation program to help startups develop their Internet of Things products. Thanks to IoT Activation, companies will have access to Telefónica's exclusive services and tools to minimize the launching time of IoT solutions in the market. The program allows testing solutions with all kinds of connectivity and performing from initial functional tests to larger scale pilots. The startups will be able to validate their connections and be part of Telefónica's digital ecosystem. Who is it for? IoT Activation is a tool thought for entrepreneurs to help startups become global, connected and efficient companies. With IoT Activation it is possible to access to exclusive services that make possible optimizing customized solutions depending on the needs of your company. If you want to promote the development of IoT solutions, increase productivity and expand your business, with IoT Activation you can be part of the innovation ecosystem of Telefónica. You can sign up for free here. What is IoT Activation? It is a set of technological tools that can be combined to test and improve your solution, connecting it much more efficiently, with all the power of the IoT. The program includes: 1. Toolkit It is the pack of tools to which Telefónica guarantees access, including: SIMs with 6 months of free global connectivity to test and validate your IoT solutions. Modules and devices to test your solution with the connectivity you need: 2G, 3G, 4G, NB-IoT, LTE-M. From Plug & Play devices to more complex equipment for more elaborate use cases. 2. Access to The Thinx The Thinx is the laboratory that Telefónica has created to test new applications and devices in a network that simulates real conditions. In this innovative and collaborative space companies can: Test end-to-end solutions from NB-IoT and LTE-M. Have access to basic engineering support. Have support in the certification process of your devices. 3. Access to the Kite platform Kite is Telefónica's IoT connectivity platform that allows you to control and manage all your IoT solutions: Connectivity management: inventory, real-time expense control, alarms, business rule configurations and automatic reporting. Remote device management: APN configuration, firmware update remotely, rebooting remote devices and remote diagnostics. Cloud connectors that facilitate integration with the main platforms and applications of the public cloud. Additionally, thanks to the collaboration between Wayra and Amazon, members will have access to the Amazon AWS Activate, which offers credits to grow and scale in the cloud. The time of connectivity and the Internet of Things has arrived, and Telefónica makes it available to the most innovative companies with this innovative program, IoT Activation, with which Internet of Things will no longer have secrets for the development and evolution of products and the business strategy of startups.

9:10 Daniel crosses the building entrance with his employee card and presses the elevator call key. The small screen announces that your elevator will be number 4. Already with that small gesture the building is more efficient, because depending on the people that are waiting and what plant they want to go, it reorganizes traffic in the most efficient way. 9:15 Entering the office has never been so rewarding. Upon entering the door of the third floor of Telefónica IoT, the living room videowall announces that the company congratulates him for being the employee of the month. What a pleasure! It was ready (and connected) to surprise him, with a team like that it's nice to go to work. 9:30. After turning on the computer and checking the mail, Daniel receives a notice on his smartphone for the meeting he has in 20 minutes. He still has time to have his second coffee of the day before the meeting. Thankfully, they digitized the office and now he can access the coffee machine with his employee card and get whatever he wants, even though he just realized that he forgot his wallet when leaving home. The good thing about the new office is that the work sites are not fixed and as he knows today will be a busy day, so he chooses to sit in the bench area, which allows more mobility and doesn’t bother your colleagues. 9:50. Before the meeting, Daniel sends the reports for the meeting to the printer closest to The Thinking room, the space enabled for videoconferences, from the office. This way he can take advantage and prepare the reports and contents that he has to present more easily. He arrives at the room five minutes before the meeting, and then he prepares his computer and his presentation to have it ready just in time. His correspondent connects to the video call on time when he receives the meeting start notice. 11:00 After the meeting, it's time to leave the office and visit several new clients. His partner Marta has just sent all the information about them to his mobile. With this information in hand he gets the most efficient route which reduces travel time and fuel consumption of the company car. 13:00. After a morning of visits, it's time for lunch. The clock vibrates to warn him that he has fulfilled his goal of steps for today, and he still has the afternoon! Daniel usually takes a tupperware with his food, however, today he has forgotten and he is starving. Thankfully, with his mobile he can access his restaurant tickets and pay in the office dining room. 15:30. Back in his desk, he begins to hear a rumor that is becoming stronger. It seems that the sound comes from The Big Living, other partners are already approaching the area. It's good news, a new agreement has been reached with a partner to help him digitize his merchandise tracking. 16:00. "What an intense day!" Daniel thinks as he sees a new meeting alert on his mobile. This time it will be in the The Meeting room, since The Storming was busy, to update the department team with the news. Daniel has reserved the room through his mobile and has sent all the information he needs to the computer in the room, so he can keep his hands busy with the sweets he has bought on his way out of the office to celebrate with his team being the employee of the month. 17:00. Daniel has to take one last task head on. In order to be more focused and close the day, he prefers moving his things to The Diving to finish the last documents and make the last calls. Once installed, he realizes that he has left his jacket in the chair of one of his companions, but he does not need it, the rooms are regulated intelligently and the temperature is very pleasant, without peaks of cold or heat, which helps avoid the fights over the temperature that his wife tells him she suffers daily in her office. 17:30. After a final review of all the tasks of the day, Daniel schedules his agenda for tomorrow and shares it with all his colleagues, so they can be aware of the planning and to better fit the meetings and activities of the next day. He turns off the computer, takes his forgotten jacket, and say goodbye to the office by passing his employee card through the exit. In the garage, his car detects the keys in his pocket and opens automatically. He has his belt placed and again on route, according to the one indicated by your GPS, to pick up the children and spend the rest of the afternoon with them.

Thanks to IoT technology, we can imagine cities that are increasingly sustainable and intelligent. By installing IoT devices in different parts of the city, communicating with each other and collecting data on the daily lives of citizens, it is possible to improve the day of the citizens by moving towards smarter and more sustainable cities. Next, we will analyze some examples of sustainable cities thanks to the IoT technology: Barcelona Since 2012, Barcelona has incorporated IoT technology to improve the lives of its citizens through some 20,000 sensors placed throughout the city. In the case of this city, problems such as pollution are managed much more efficiently because these sensors collect information on air quality. Other initiatives also stand out, such as the Barcelona + Sustainable Map, which shows the initiatives to make the city more eco-friendly. Sensors and the development of connected mobile applications have improved mobility and other aspects of citizens' daily lives. These applications allow you to know the places where there are free parking spaces and go there directly, saving time and reducing the level of contamination. The same happens with public transport. Through location devices placed on the buses you can know the exact time at which the bus will arrive at the stop, allowing better planning time for the passengers. Another example is the Barcelona metro, where intelligent lifts have been incorporated, which, by using real-time data, await passengers at the platform level just before the train arrives. This accelerates user mobility, reduces clutter and reduces energy consumption. IoT technology has also been applied to other aspects of the city such as lighting. Intelligent lighting sensors are able to detect when there are pedestrians or not in the street, simultaneously reducing the intensity level of light. An electric saving of up to 30% is thus achieved. Singapur Singapore is one of the most iconic Asian cities when it comes to intelligent and sustainable development. For example, in the field of mobility, the purchase of vehicles and the use of roads are subject to high taxes. In fact, the tolls to circulate around Singapore are controlled by sensors, vary depending on traffic and, at peak times, they charge a supplement. In this way it is intended to reduce pollution due to the excessive use of vehicles in the city, thanks to the Internet of Things. The care of the elderly has also considerably improved and with that their quality of life thanks to the application of IoT. By installing sensors in the homes of older people, they make sure that their health is controlled, warning family members if they detect any alteration in their movements. This attention is not only designed for the home, but also for mobile applications that send notices to their families if something happens to them in the street. The cleaning and maintenance of the green areas of the city is also one of the most important issues in Singapore. Through surveillance systems, they ensure that citizens do not throw cigarettes to the ground or from the windows. Such is the interest to preserve the clean city that even the sale of chewing gum is restricted so that they are not thrown to the ground. Amsterdam Amsterdam, in its role as a sustainable and smart city, is trying to reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumption produced by the city's homes through the IoT. One example is the creation of sustainable neighborhoods that, through smart meters installed in homes; aim to raise awareness among residents about energy use. In terms of mobility, transportation produces around one third of the total CO2 emissions in Amsterdam and to combat it they have created a platform that identifies how to contribute to a more sustainable mode of transport. One example is the Smart Parking project that, through an application, allows users to reserve a parking space in both public and private spaces, reducing the time they spend searching for a site and thus reducing the emissions produced. IoT technology is already applied in all areas of the city of Amsterdam, for example, in the field of health. Through the creation of digital health platforms that work in collaboration with the medical centers of the city, Amsterdam is moving towards treatment models that combine assistance in health centers and home care.

There is a widespread belief that technological advances are led by and for the new generations and that our elders are a bit "out of the game" in this area. While it is true that the new generations are leading the change, it is no less true that this change will not be fully implemented if all sectors of the population are not involved. Demographic change is transforming our society and with that the forms of care for the elderly. We need technology that meets the needs of both the youngest and the elderly nowadays. Older people do show interest in new technologies and this interest grows when they understand the benefits they bring them far outweigh the initial difficulties that their understanding and use may entail. However, there are initial barriers that would have to be broken down by helping them understand how to use them. In fact, more and more training courses are being created to help older people adapt technology to their daily lives and thus increase their independence and safety. IoT, positioned as one of the most outstanding advances in the last century, will allow our elders to enjoy a fuller, more autonomous and safer life so they can carry out their daily activities that were becoming too difficult. There are already devices for the elderly that reinforce their accompaniment to home or to the health centers. The geolocated insole avoids the risk of device loss and allows to track fast the elder's location Among the simplest solutions, there are GPS monitoring devices, which thanks to their small size can be worn on the wrist, as a pendant or on the shoe, as is the case of the geolocated insole, which avoids the risk of loss or that they could take it off, since they do not have to know that they are wearing it. All these devices allow us to know in real time where our relatives are, which gives us a great help in elderly people suffering from diseases such as Alzheimer's and senile dementia, which can lead them to forget their way. In the USA, a chain of residences for retirees called Schlegel Villages has put bracelets on all its residents to be able to geolocate their position and be able to track them in case they move away from the facilities. Thus, qualified personnel can reach them easily if it happens. They decided to implant this technology to reinforce the safety of their patients after several cases in which they got lost or disoriented when returning to the center. The locator greatly reduces the time to find them. There are other available devices used to make seniors feel safe in their homes like watches with integrated GPS that send alerts S.O.S and location data in the case of an emergency. An example of how existing technology used for other purposes, such as a tracker for athletes, can be very useful with a new goal, such as safeguarding the safety of elderly people with location problems. Many of these incorporate a fall detection function that would immediately alert the emergency services and send a notification to the caregivers or relatives of the person. If they notice a sudden movement, and several seconds pass without response, it emits a vibration. If the device does not still get an answer, a person would call the affected person's cell phone to check if he or she is well and, in the case of not responding, contact a family member. They are very easy to use and have their own alarm button, which is not even necessary to press to activate it. It is enough to say aloud: "I need help” and the device automatically issues an alert. There is also a wide variety of sensors that let you know how long the refrigerator has not been opened, if the lights remain on or if the bathroom has been used. If more than the recommended time passes without the refrigerator being used or if the lights of a room do not turn off, the sensor sends a warning to the smartphone of a relative so that he can get in touch with that person and know if everything is all right. It shows how Artificial Intelligence is applied to these devices in a very effective way. It learns patterns of behavior or habits of the person who lives in that house and adapt to the changes to be able to launch a warning if any routine varies from its habitual pattern. There are also new projects that are starting up like the connected pillboxes that warn the user if a specific medication is running out or if there has been an error in the consumption patterns, that is, if they have taken the wrong pill or taken it at the wrong time. There are many initiatives that are being carried out from the private sector; however authorities have already set to work with the objective to respond to the demographic challenges posed. The European Commission has created the ACTIVAGE project within the Horizon 2020 program (H2020), which funds research and innovation projects in various thematic areas in the European context. The project involves around 10,000 elderly people from seven different countries of the European Union, for whom a series of products and services aimed at active and healthy aging based on IoT technologies are developed, such as: Monitoring at home and away from home Emergency Signal Home security Integrated care Encourage exercise Mobility support Prevention of social isolation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXE9iBJp2oU With a society that is increasingly connected, older people cannot remain outside. It is because of this that technology is increasingly focused on them, helping them learn to use the new devices at their disposal and to promote security and independence in their daily lives.

Companies are submerged in a process of digital transformation that covers each and every one of their departments, which modifies their business strategy and reaches up to their energy management office. This last focus, energy management efficiency is becoming increasingly important, regardless of its size. That is, companies want to reduce costs on their bills, but also favor optimal management of the energy they use in their day to day activities. In this way, the entrepreneurs reduce the impact of economic and environmental issues. How do I convert my company into place with more efficient energy consumption? It is the question that many entrepreneurs fear; however, it is very easy. The solutions offered by the Internet of Things can solve it in a couple of simple steps. The first one is to make sure that the managers responsible for improving energy efficiency know first-hand if the company has anomalous patterns and that the IoT solutions they apply provide an accurate prediction of consumption, so that they can know where to act first and what requires attention first. The next step is the installation of sensors located in different areas of the company that are responsible for measuring temperature, CO2, humidity or light level in order to maintain a pleasant and healthy working environment for its employees. In fact, the sensors can also be used to install a centralized remote management system that allows entrepreneurs to access the control remotely and in real time which facilitates its implementation and maintenance. It’s a very useful solution for companies that have several locations in different parts of the city, the country or even in different countries. Saving of 23% of energy consumption can be comparated to the annual consumption of 10,000 households The technology and connectivity provided by the Internet of Things is fundamental in this challenge faced by company managers. Big Data also plays a key role since it will allow entrepreneurs to analyze all the datathey collect which allows them to make the best decision in order to reduce costs and save energy. One of the most notable benefits is that, thanks to the reduction of operating costs that result from the most efficient solutions, it makes it easier for companies to save over time. That is to say, it is not a question of facing a specific problem, but breaking consumption patterns that are harmful both for the company and for the environment in order to create a healthy habit of energy consumption. It’s also important to remember that current regulations regarding CO2 emissions and greenhouse gases are hardening, so by applying IoT and efficiency programs, companies can adapt more easily to government requirements. Companies that have carried out more efficient energy management policies have achieved an average saving of 23% of energy consumption. To visualize it more clearly, this saving can be compared to the annual consumption of 10,000 households. They are solutions focused on improving the energy use of companies that need to be in operation throughout the day such as shops or hotels. The consumption of energy will continue to grow as our use of technology continues to grow. The good functioning of society depends on technology fulfilling its function and its most vulnerable point is what makes it work: energy. Without good control of energy efficiency suffers and with it the rest of society.

Internet of Things is not limited to dry land. We already saw how they it inserted itself in the sea to improve the experience of bathers and ensure more sustainable tourism in the post 10 sensors that make the beaches smart. However, the technology has gone even further into open waters with the help of smart buoys that measure the level of sea pollution or where to find larger schools of fish. They can also be used in pools to measure the level of deterioration of the waters, regardless if it’s salty or chlorinated. These floating elements are already common for everyone. Until now their function has been to signal the safe bathing area, channels for entry and exit of boats, or specific points of reference at sea. However, with the application of IoT its functions can bring many more benefits to bathers, as well as coastal authorities, fishermen and others. The function of smart buoys is determined by the programming of the sensor they carry. We can find different types of uses for these new connected devices both at the beach and in swimming pools: Beaches: In addition to facilitating monitoring the water temperature and its quality, they can help make the beaches much safer since they can be used to monitor the boats and / or control restricted access. It’s a very common problem this summer; bathers have denounced boats to get too close to the shore, crossing the security distance of 200 meters established by law. In this way, the relevant authorities can receive the signal with enough time to act and be alert.Likewise, the safety of swimmers will also be reinforced with these buoys, since they allow jellyfish banks to be monitored. Once detected they send a warning and can even reorient seaward to get a better reading, thus preventing the jellyfish from reaching the shore of the beaches where they eventually die, but not before causing problems among bathers. Fishing: This sector is also going through a digital transformation and adapting new technology to its daily tasks. For example, in fishing, sailors nowadays have satellite-connected buoys that can tell them where the schools of fish are located. These buoys were created by the company Marine Instruments, which places great emphasis on control standards to ensure that fishing resources are maintained for the next generations. However, they also make fishing more efficient, since they also manage to reduce the consumption expenditure of fuel to capture the same amount of fish, or have an estimate of the fish population in an area, which indicate how much fishing can be done and how they affect the environment. Detecting polluting substances: German researchers from the Karlsruhe Technological Institute (KIT) developed a smart monitoring project two years ago. They used a multisensory buoy that allowed them to make high-precision measurements as well as monitor bodies of water. In this way, they could measure the quality of water at different depths and condiv parameters to measure things like oxygen concentration, temperature or the presence of greenhouse gases, then they analyze the captured data, either in the buoy itself or remotely, adding the information of many buoys. Its power supply is produced by wind energy and solar cells and the measurement system combines methane and CO2 sensors, flow direction, sample analysis systems and meteorological measurement station. This system was born mainly to detect the so-called blue-green algae, which grows uncontrollably in rivers, maritime areas and lakes; they release toxic substances and can kill the fauna of certain aquatic environments. This process has been evolving and, along the way, similar projects have emerged such as BRAAVOO (Biosensors, Reporters and Algal Autonomous Vessels for Ocean Operation), the project of buoys with biosensors that will monitor marine pollutants. It was born with the aim of trying to stop the degradation of marine water quality in a biological and chemical way thanks to buoys with chips that will monitor marine pollutants in real time thanks to three biosensors: bacterial, immunosensors and algae sensors. Swimming pools: the maintenance of swimming pools is a never-ending task. It’s stagnant water in which many people bathe during the day, chlorine and pH levels have to be controlled and regulated constantly. To do this, the sensors on the buoys are the most appropriate solution, since they can carry out exhaustive control in real time and send a warning to the responsible of the pool when the quality of the water is compromised. The message quickly reaches the wearable or the device that is connected to the buoy. Then the person in charge only has to see what level fails or if the temperature has risen or fallen above the indicated temperature and correct it. To this end, mobile apps have also been created so that private users who have a private pool in their homes can also be aware of the quality of their water at any time. All these applications of connected sensors, with the help of the processing of collected information that allow to know the state of the water in detail, reflect the natural way in which we adapt our day to day to new technologies to any context, and how these improve our quality of life, as well as cities and natural areas that surround us. Together with them, it highlights the importance of Big Data and the importance of knowing how to analyze the data collected by these sensors in order to solve the indicated problems.

Energy savings and production costs, the large amount of connected devices, investment in this technology or the reduction of traffic accidents is just some of the data that shows the benefits of IoT for the society.

From the showers that clean our feet to sensors that measure the quality of the sand or sea water. The smart beaches are the next horizon, but they’re already a reality in the Valencian Community. A pioneering projectbetween the Turism Agency from Valencia and the Polytechnic University has made this possible in the sandy areas of Gandía, Benidorm and Benicassim. The project consists in obtaining and analyzing data that allows us to improve our experience as bathers and achieve a competitive advantage in the tourism sector, a key industry in the Spanish economy. Likewise, it will offer information in real time not only to citizens, but also to the authorities. But how do you do it? The new technologies of the Internet of Things will be present in this innovative management of the beaches, and thanks to them you will be able to obtain a great variety of indicators through different measurement sensors, among which are: Substrate sensor. They are quantitative sensors that allow us to know the quality and temperature of the sand, as well as its cleanliness and the presence of unwanted remains. Surveillance drones. They will watch over bathers or the presence of dangerous species such as jellyfish, significantly increasing the safety of these beaches. Monitoring bathymetries. They help monitor the seabed in real time and control the species that cross it. Smart buoys. They are In charge of controlling the limits of the bathing areas and the proximity of boats to prevent accidents. They also monitor the quality of the water, its temperature, and help detect the presence of jellyfish. UVA sensors. They are the perfect aid for sunscreens. It measures radiation levels, their variation, and transfer information so that the screens advice how much we must protect our skin and eyes from UVA rays. Shower. It helps control water consumption, which also has a timer and self-diagnosis sensor, thus allowing for better maintenance by reducing the cost. Smart Parking. Parking control that provides information in real time of the places available to citizens and which in turn helps reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. Water supply. Sensors that allow, among other things, the detection of leaks in the supply network and carry out an appropriate maintenance of the same. They also help control water consumption, which helps the environment. WI-FI. Besides being one of the favorite features of holidaymakers, who do not want to consume their data on the beach, the installation of Wi-Fi allows, among other things, to measure occupancy density. Smart traffic lights. It is a critical tool to help with the arrival and departure of cars to the beaches. It facilitates traffic control and pedestrian prioritization, in addition to offering safety information. This are ten IoT tools that are part of these beaches, but there are many more. They provide citizens and visitors with a safer, more efficient and more comfortable vacation, with new and better advanced services at our fingertips. The authorities allow them to ensure a sustainable tourism, without problems or accidents, from which they can obtain critical information that helps making better decisions in the future and improves the tourist experience. Smart cities are already a reality, and projects and initiatives like this are the most obvious proof.

Electronic commerce plays an increasingly important role in the business of companies. In fact, the number of people who buy online at least once a week has increased more than 10% in the last two years, and the number that does at least once a month is close to 60%. Companies that sell remotely must pay attention not only to the quality of their establishments (physical or digital) but also to other areas of business such as transportation or customer service. When a purchase is made online, three objectives are usually pursued: efficiency, security and speed. The extent to which these three factors are combined will be decisive for customers to follow an online commerce page or seek better quality in the competition. The Internet of Things is the revolution of online commercebecause it offers many new possibilities to make your online purchase a success. The IoT, linked to blockchain (simplifying a lot, it is a data structure in which the information is grouped in sets), offers a solution for tracking packages and merchandise that guarantees the traceability of the route and the estimated time of arrival, the registration of the conditions of shipmen allowing detection of deviations like temperature, vibration, etc., and the ability to assign responsibilities to each event. These solutions, encompassed in what is known as Cargo Tracking or Asset Tracking, work through wireless sensors located in the cargo or transport element (container, pallet, etc.), cloud technology and predictive analysis tools. Not only can we know the exact location of the order, but we can also know the climate of the route in which is travelling, something that could allow to change the temperature of the package container, if necessary, to ensure that everything arrives in optimal conditions. Any minimum variation of the temperature or movement of the package due to a bump or sudden braking may alert the carrier and allow them to act immediately. These solutions can be coordinated with the connected fleet services, known as Fleet Management, and increase the operational and service benefits for the final customer. A fleet of connected vehicles allows you to optimize the delivery of packages by being able to know, in real time, where they are at each moment, trace the most efficient delivery routes and solve problems and incidents such as a delay in the delivery. In summary, thanks to the IoT, the transport company knows the conditions and variations of their journeys in real time, which allows you to increase the security of the merchandise, be more accurate in the estimated delivery times and minimize transport times thanks to the optimization of the routes used by the carriers. In addition, the benefits are not limited to the road. Also on the rails and maritime transport the IoT is improving the tracking of goods. With this technology, the communication and coordination of the entire logistics chain will be improved, which includes cars, trains and ships, all sharing information between them and the different infrastructures to predict possible incidents. You can thus exchange information about your position, power and even composition, which will help assess and even deliver orders if necessary at the time of loading or unloading in stations, ports, etc. These systems of management and optimization of shipments have a direct impact on the client, since the procedures are streamlined and allow a more personalized attention. Normally, the thing that makes consumers the most nervous is the fact that they do not know the state of the product they have just purchased, but thanks to the IoT the security, comfort and higher quality information go hand in hand.

Technological advances, and specifically IoT, are designed to give us more time, increase our comfort, and improve our quality of life. The digital transformation has managed improved our lives and to brought us closer to a society that we thought existed only in the future not too long ago. We also imagined that in this type of society crime would be greatly reduced because the general improvement of things would also extend to security. Although this is true as increasingly stronger systems against criminals are developed, the thing is human beings are very cunning and they always find ways to break those systems. We have an example in a video created by Wired two years ago. In it we can see how two hackers take full control of an autonomous vehicle doing with it what they wanted. They reduced the role of the driver to a mere spectator of a possible tragedy. Luckily, this video was recorded only to show the dangers of certain IoT advances and there was no need to regret any incident. It shows us is that every digitalization is susceptible to a cyber-attack. However, not all the examples are negative. Months ago the motorcycle brand Honda had a problem in Peru. The problem was that it was too good, incredible as it may seem. Their motorcycles, having a reputation for good quality, were the most stolen in the country, so customers began buying from other brands to avoid losing their motorcycles. To solve this problem, Telefónica and IoT came up with a system that, with the push of a button, located the lost motorcycle and returned it to its owner. It's called Fleet Management. This way nobody had to face the thieves, which would give us all a bit of trouble, and the motorcycles would return as if by magic to their owner. It worked and Honda’s motorcycles were bought again. Staying in the automotive sector, the incorporation of telemetry (measure magnitudes and send them to distant receivers) not only allows knowing the location of the vehicle, but also increases the speed of assistance in case of accident, it performs preventive maintenance, and shows the fastest route for every moment of the day. The implications go beyond the safety of citizens. These advances also allow significant improvements in trade. The fact that both the employer and the consumer are able to know the situation and location of the order positively affects the well-known customer experience (level of satisfaction of a user / client after testing the services of a company). For reasons like this, Internet users of things should not be afraid to keep betting on innovation. Luckily for them, connected objects will increase almost three times its number in the future and so the investment in security will also grow. So far, it has not been possible to develop a technology that eliminates the evil of the people and thus ends the crime. That said, it is reducing it or at least it is making it more difficult for the criminals. The future is here, do you want to be part of it?

Looking at just how much the internet has changed our lives, it’s incredible to imagine how some people didn’t took it seriously at the beginning. One of the reasons is that our endless appetite for information, and how much the quick sharing of such information could improve our life, was underestimated. As such, the Internet keeps expanding to all the areas of our day to day activities to keep up with our increasing demand. Nowhere is this clearer than in the phenomenon known as IoT or Internet of Things. The Internet of Things is the network that connects us to everything around us, from devices, to vehicles, appliances…, and thanks to it, things can exchange data with each other. This allows them to work together and become more efficient in the process, freeing us to do what we really want. An example is the idea of the smart house. A home where everything is connected and cooperating to make our life easier: a fridge that refills itself when its empty, a coffee machine that turns on when the alarm in our smartphone tells it we’ve woken up, etc. Now, we’re still far away from the futuristic houses that we see in science fiction movies where everything is automated, but we’re getting there. The questions are at what point are we in its evolution? What are the specific changes that the Internet of Things is going to bring to our lives? Will the IoT be just another fad or will it become something more? According to Karl Smith; futurist, influencer, and CEO of Ubinet IoT has lots of potential but there are still some barriers to overcome. For starters, we won’t have a full Internet of Things till the gap between the virtual world and the real world is solved. Sadly, we haven’t yet reached a fully integrated 360 experience. According to Smith, “when it comes to machine to machine communication things are moving fast and with great efficiently, but that’s not the case with the human factor of IoT”. People still engage with machines through many devices. As a result, the process is still slow, cumbersome, and it´s not organic. The problem is that people still have a very utilitarian and suspicious view of machines. They only see how they can be used at the moment and not the potential of improvement they can bring. The key to change this is a good user experience, that’s what will decide the adoption of the IoT by the public. After all, people don’t buy things just because, but for the benefits they bring to their lives. One way that this could be solved is by merging IoT, blockchain and Artificial Intelligence in order to create something called an UBINET or integrated system. When they’re combined, they help streamline the process by removing unnecessary activities and increase the automation of easy tasks. Humanity will become part of an orderly and efficient ecosystem instead of just being part of a machine. The easier the process becomes, the less reluctant people are to try it. Because of all of these benefits, Karl Smith is convinced that IoT is not a mere trend or just another aspect of our lives. It will become the backbone of everything, the next stage in human civilization. Information is useless without an efficient management and good integration with our daily lives, and that’s what IoT will bring to our lives.

The hours that we lose in traffic jams in big cities would be better used in what really matters to us thanks to the Internet of Things. We are talking about advances not only to gain time, but also to improve our quality of life by avoiding the stress that comes with wasting time. The technological innovation that have appeared so far, and the ones that will come, will improve traffic movement all around the world. The biggest change will come when 5G connection is incorporated in our facilities and vehicles. This will allow the cars to communicate between them with no interruptions, something only possible thanks to 5G technology. It's success relies in the instantaneous communication, the most useful feature for the users. So if someone is stuck in a traffic jam entering Madrid, connected cars will send signals between them so they can reorganize and take other ways. This advances are not as far in future as we could expect, cars from the same factory can already do it. The process could be accelerated if all cities were also smart and each element of our environment was connected with all the others. With this, not only will the vehicles "talk" to each other, but also a lamppost or even a column will be able to tell us the state of the traffic in the area. If we add to this the inclusion of autonomous vehicles in the market within a few years, people will only have to worry about putting on the safety belt when entering the car because they will know that they will arrive in to their destiny safely and in shortest time possible. We can already see the positive impact of the implementation of the Internet of Things in the environment. Less traffic jams thanks to smart mobility solutions also means less pollution. The sensors that control the automatic irrigation in a Smart City save a lot of water, a very important resource. Environmental sensors informs about when to activate the antipollution plan in Madrid by detecting when the air contamination standards have been exceeded. The IoT helps us take care of our planet. When will this bright future come? Well, it is closer than you think. We won’t have to wait too long to say goodbye to traffic jams once and for all, and motorists are proof of it. A very useful accessory has been manufactured for them: Smart headphones that project information on the helmet and within the field of vision of the pilot, so that they can look at the information without taking his eyes off the road. Thanks to the connectivity with intelligent operating systems, you can also discover new routes; know the quality of the roads or the state of traffic in certain areas of the city. Another significant advance, which has already been put into practice in many cities, is the ability to know through our mobile devices what parking garages have free parking lots and go directly to them. You can already book from your mobile phone one of those places with just one click. The key is to incorporate intelligence to everything around us, so that the things that surround us can collect data which will allow them to predict and reprogram their behavior to better serve our needs. It seems that in a few years we could live with a more pleasant traffic, and perhaps with no more traffic jams whatsoever. A great world of connectivity and Internet of Things is opening up to us, which is constantly evolving. All these advances leave us eager fora future that we see closer and closer every day, in the Marty McFly style.

07:00 am. Daniel opens his eyes for the first time while he's listening to his favourite song and he goes back to sleep with a big smile. “Only five minutes more”, he thinks to himself. With the purchase of his smart mattress he has recovered deep sleep and can consult the details of his sleeping quality, back position, and temperature. In addition, he’s calm because he knows Internet of Things, which makes his home a connected place, will make him arrive punctual one more day after three marvelous months. With the difficulty of waking up that has chased him for ages finally gone, now he can rarely remember those days in which the alarm went on and on. His wearable vibrates and he uses the phone to lift up the blinds which help him and his wife to wake up peacefully. 07:05. ¡Clonk! The coffee capsule falls into the coffee pot. It's his second alarm, much more subtle but what opens his eyes this time is the smell of fresh coffee. He is calm because he knows how many spare capsules of his favorite coffee flavor are left; the coffee maker warned him about it, only a few remain, he will need to buy more. Now he only has to worry about deciding if the toast he's going to make will be salty or sweet. 07:30. Taking advantage of the little time he has until the children wake up, he goes to walk take his dog, Cronos, for a walk. Both go perfectly equipped, Daniel is wearing his connected shoes that measure the steps he takes and he can control Cronos exercise by using the wellness app. Another task that the Internet of Things has facilitated is that when Cronos hides behind the bushes, Daniel can find him easily by using the tracker. That scares him more because he knows that Cronos has slept perfectly and his mood is excellent. Today it's time to run! 07:45. Back home he hears a second clonck! Yes, the coffee maker also warned him that the children's hot chocolate was running low and he includes it in the shopping list. Another task that has become much easier with smart appliances, because thanks to the fridge warnings about lack of food or expirations dates he can make more efficient purchases. Also, smart appliances have changed their habits, which have become much healthier, both in food and exercise. It's time to wake up little beasts. Meanwhile, IoT is not helping Daniel and Candela in their clothing, but hopes that breakfast will appease them. 7:50. Candela leaves Daniel in the kids room and she goes to the shower. The sensors detect that is Candela, so they start to prepare the water in a 37 degrees temperature, perfect for her. The shower has also adjusted the pressure of the water. This is her favorite moment of the day. 8:10. Daniel’s wife says goodbye to her family. Like him, she has to carry the kids to school in the family car. She has chosen a nearby car of the neighborhood through an app of car-sharing and she booked it to go to the office. This decision has helped a lot with the organization of her chaotic mornings and she can do it easily from the smartwatch. Once she gets to the car she only has to put de seatbelt on. Her track-record is loaded thanks to the connectivity of the wearables; the mirrors and the seat are perfectly adapted for her comfort. She doesn’t even have to touch the radio or the temperature; it has been adjusted automatically with her profile. In the meantime, Daniel and the kids are preparing the schoolbags and filling the dishwasher. 8:30. “I am getting out through the door!” Is Daniel’s battle cry every morning to make his kids to run to the car. The access to the garage is already open. The vehicle detects the keys in Daniel’s pocket so it opens inviting the kids to enter, fasten the seatbelt, and go to school. 8:31. Daniel opens the garage door with an app of his mobile. Once the door is closed, the security system detects that there is nobody at home (except Cronos) and puts on the alarm, warning Daniel with a text message. When he receives it, he calms down. He gives the mobile to his kids to let them have a good time and choose the music on the way to school. “Music is said to calm beasts”, thinks the dad while he looks how the temperature is automatically regulated because the wearable has said that Daniel is a little cold. The three of them are travelling better, even though it’s to the school. Once there Daniel is at peace because his kids’ schoolbags have a locator. 9:00. He has arrived at Telefónica IoT just in time. The GPS has offered him the best route to get to the office, avoiding an unexpected construction site in the usual route. So there is a double purpose: avoid the traffic jam and learn a new way to go to work. In addition, the traffic lights are slowly including the technology of the Internet of Things, so the GPS adaptation to the traffic and the pedestrians is noticeable in the daily journeys. Driving every morning is safer and going to school or to the office is much more efficient. Daniel goes in to work dreaming about the day when the cars “speak” between them, creating an even better driving experience.

Pucallpa, located in the middle of the Peruvian jungle, has a big concern with the safety of their citizens and their vehicles. With a population of 200.000 inhabitants, the motorcycle is the easiest way to move around the city. However, the main problem for those who live there is only one: security. Well, the lack of security. The bikes are a comfortable way of transport, easy to park and to drive around, but they are also easier to steal. This problem significantly started to affect the best-selling brand in the area. Honda, for its quality and reputation is a reference brand among the citizens who wanted to buy a motorcycle. However, that recognized prestige started to become a scourge for the selling brands. With the stealing problem in the city, having a Honda was a risk, paying a higher price for the ransom from the thieves after being stolen. How could the Internet of Things help to reduce the kidnapping problem? Telefonica contacted the main motorcycle dealer of the city and proposed to apply a solution, and started to track all the Hondas wherever they were in real time. This device has an incorporated GPS, a SIM card similar to the ones in the telephones, and an accelerometer that allows them to know all the mobility data. The device is strategically located to be invisible and this way the users regained the trust in the brand and were confident to show off their Honda. In addition, when buying a "connected" motorcycle, the owners have an application on their smartphones that offers all the information that they need about the bike. The feeling of tranquility and control over your vehicle is total. So much so that Honda dealers refer to the IoT device as "a series reassuring", which allows motorists to attend work or dine in a restaurant with their family or friends without the fear of being robbed, or knowing that, if it is stolen, in a few hours and thanks to the GPS location, they will be able to recover it. The data offered by the application is: The possibility of knowing the exact location (with good GPS and telephone signal) if the motorbike has been moved. In addition, they can see the time the motorcycle was parked, request for the location in real time, make an emergency call and share it with anyone they want. Not only the safety of motorcycles, but also the motorists are safer now thanks to the device. By having a GPS that sends the exact coordinates of the location of the motorcycle, in case of an accident it sends an emergency message so that medical teams can help and get to the exact point where the accident has taken place. So, with the implementation of the IoT on their motorcycle and in their lives, Honda users feel safe in a cybersecurity and physical way. In fact, the riders have commented to Telefónica IoT that they feel they are not the ones who have to worry about their motorcycle, now it is their motorcycle the one who cares about them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXrKYl5BYHc

The combination of IoT technology with Artificial Intelligence makes it possible to improve people´s daily lives. This is demonstrated by applications such as virtual assistants or connected smart cities devices.

Are you ready for the soccer World Cup? If not, you should probably start getting ready: this event, which along with the Olympics is considered the most important sporting event all over the world, is drawing near. But the spectacle isn’t limited to just sports. For some time now, this kind of event has been surrounded by a range of industries which enhance its development, and technology is a good example. Today, any event of this kind is also veritable technological extravaganza. And within this trend, the Internet of Things is one of the stars of the World Cup, as we show in our infograph on the IoT and the King of Sports. We invite you to take a tour to learn about the several of the IoT innovations that will appear in this year’s World Cup. 1.- The entire stadium, connected Soccer is the main event, but an entire exhibition of this kind requires external technological assistance. You are already familiar with the most frequent case: the goal line technology which FIFA uses to analyze whether or not a goal was scored. And if you’re a romantic, this other advance may seem like an aberration, but it’s also essential: the famous video assistant referees (VARs) not only help referees to do their jobs but will also end up directly benefitting players, clubs, and fans themselves, since they will be able to enjoy the game without any outside element getting in the way of the celebration. Furthermore, more and more huge events are being held like this one, where security is increasingly important. With alerts activated should any problems arise, stadiums hosting football games have to be completely prepared. Some stadiums, in fact, already have facial recognition technology in order to identify possible international security dangers or risks. In Spain, we have one clear example: the stadium of Atlético de Madrid, the Wanda Metropolitano, which is the first 100% connected stadium in Europe with technology from Telefónica. This enables it to have communications and connectivity infrastructure, Ribbon board 360 technology, safety at the entrances, anti-intrusion systems, a multi-service network, and connection access points, among many other features. 2.- Wearables: Innovation on the jerseys themselves For some time now, the players’ jerseys have ceased being just pieces of fabric. Today, jerseys, interior accessories and even bracelets are beginning to become powerful technological weapons that improve all aspects of the game. Things started with training, when football teams began to wear jerseys that were specially designed to measure countless parameters, such as players’ body temperature, top speed, acceleration, heart rate, pulse, level of hydration and sweating… This veritable army of technology tools helps teams analyze their players’ performance and helps players reach their peak. One pioneering example of this can be found with Villarreal, one of the pioneering teams in the world to use technologies that today all the major clubs and national teams use. But in no way does this stop with training. FIFA is already implementing and developing a range of technologieswhich not only help with refereeing but can also be applied during the games to help measure an entire series of parameters among the players themselves. There are other examples of connected devices that can be present during a football game. The Spanish tech company headquartered in Silicon Valley Propelland knows a lot about this. It has a smart bottle that not only adapts to the way it is used but is also capable of measuring parameters like the players’ hydration level. In fact, this technology was already used in the Brazil World Cup. 3.- The apps that see it all Gathering the vital statistics, speed, heart rate, and blood level in players’ bodies is essential, but data aren’t worth much unless they are used and processed correctly. To do so, more and more clubs are using apps connected to wearables which transmit the data gathered and then store, process, and analyze them and draw conclusions which help plan for the future. The classic examples are apps which use a technology quite similar to what we ‘mortals’ use in our fitness bracelets that help improve soccer players’ performance. But there are examples that go much further: if coaches are capable of predicting the situations in which one of his footballers is the fastest or reaches his peak speed or top endurance, they can make decisions on whether it is best to play them from the start, in easy games, in competitions that are extremely physically taxing, at key junctures like relieving their teammates, etc.

There are fewer and fewer sectors that can ignore Internet of Things. What started as a tech trend focused on home security and personal exercise has evolved in such a way that now it would be strange for a business niche to not consider incorporating it in its business lines or adjacent services. IoT has ceased to be a possible supplement and has evolved towards being a tech segment with a life of its own. This is shown by the study The Internet of Things: mapping the value beyond the hype by McKinsey, which estimates that Internet of Things will increase its business volumes tremendously exponentially in the years to come, creating an impact of no less than $11 trillion annually from 2025. And the retail sector is one of the sectors that seems eager to use this tech trend sooner rather than later. Some uses you will have already seen, others you will see soon and yet others will now seem like science fiction, but sooner or later, they will be installed in far more stores than we could imagine. 1.- Stock management You have probably already seen this in superstores: connected devices that analyse the stock available across all stores in real time. What does that mean? That if a person is in your store and falls in love with a shirt but you don’t have it in their size, you can tell them if that size is available in another store nearby. This model can also work in reverse in a much more advanced way: without requiring a request from a customer, stores can see the stock they have in real time and, if they anticipate a possible shortage, request new material from another store so as not to run out of stock. 2.- User analysis This is the kind of thing that users don’t catch on to, but that helps the chains a lot. Even though there is universal clothing accessible to all targets, it is evident that geographical areas, even within the same city, say a lot about the customer. And this can be analysed with the IoT. Imagine, for example, a device that autonomously stores data on the sales made in your store: the average expenditure by each customer, what garments are the most (and least) successful, what sizes are most in demand, what days most people visit... If this data is crossed with stores in other areas you will be able to get behaviour patterns. In this way, you can optimise your stock to anticipate the possible purchases made by your future customers. 3.- Smart tags Isn’t it time for us to take more technological advantage of clothing tags? There are already specific innovations that allow a lot of information to be extracted from a mere tag: the stock available, the exact measurements, the option of paying by mobile using the tag etc. An example of this is the Telefónica IoT Digital Tags service. 4.- Beacons on the street A person goes walking down the street and suddenly... wham! They get a notification on their mobile with your store’s offers. And it doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark, since they will get it when they are nearby. This is possible with geomarketing and beacon tech, which geolocates users and sends offers and promotions to their mobile when they are near your store using different kinds of connections (usually Bluetooth). 5.- Dynamic music So we all feel like asking for a drink when we go past a store that has music playing at top volume, but this isn’t necessarily a positive thing. A store’s music doesn’t have to be flashy, but effective. This means that while a certain kind of music may attract a certain kind of customer, it may drive off others. In this regard, the Internet of Things can also help you plan the best music for your establishment. One tool you could try is spotandsell, a business line by onthespot to help you choose the perfect music for your establishment, whatever kind it is. It's not about standard music, but pieces especially composed to encourage purchase and provide a great user experience for your potential customers.

Energy efficiency has become the ‘first fuel’ of the 30 countries that belong to the International Energy Agency (IEA), including Spain. This means that the energy saved by the members of this organization was higher in 2010 than the energy demand met by any source of energy, including oil, gas, coal, electricity or any other fuel. Energy efficiency is a key lever in achieving the sustainability objectives which require lowering kT emissions of CO2 equivalent. Thus, the IEA modelled that 40% of the reduction in emissions needed to limit the increase in the global temperature to 2 degrees by 2050 could be achieved thanks to energy efficiency. These divs endorse the additional benefits of energy efficiency, which are joined by other obvious advantages like savings for companies and industries. They are all part of the concept known as the ‘multiple benefits’ of efficient energy management, which was addressed by the IEA itself in a workshop held in Paris last March, where it updated and reflected on its progress. This concept, which is still little-known, was presented in a 2014 report entitled ‘Capturing the Multiple Benefits of Energy Efficiency’, which described how investment in energy efficiency benefits the different stakeholders, identifying 12 key areas with a positive impact due to energy efficiency, including energy savings. This list of advantages also includes environmental sustainability, active values, macroeconomic development, industrial productivity, energy security, access to energy, the cost of energy, public budgets, the available income, air pollution, and health and overall wellbeing. Different kinds of solutions Tools of this nature can be grouped into two kinds: remote metrics and remote control. The former primarily consists of implementing IoT sensors in the client’s facility which generate information on consumption and the variables on which it depends (outside temperature, inside temperature, humidity, etc.), which are then transmitted via mobile or stationary networks to a cloud platform which stores and processes it and provides a visualization environment. The latter add the deployment of actuators, which are managed remotely from the platform to allow for dynamic configuration and therefore achieve better optimization of consumption. Smart Energy IoT by Telefónica is an example of a specific solution to manage energy efficiency through the application of the IoT. In short, by focusing on energy efficiency we get a threefold benefit, since it guarantees savings, sustainability and digitalization or “IoTization”, so it is a solution worth bearing in mind for companies and industries in all sectors.

Tony Stark (Ironman): The number 1 IoT fan Ironman is quite probably the Avenger who has made the most of technology. His main weapon is his high level of intelligence, which, throughout this character’s history, has allowed him to create applications that were impossible just a few years earlier. Always ahead of the curve, but using technologies available today thanks to the IoT, Ironman was the first to use an ultra-sophisticated voice assistant: a chatbot with features that are only possible thanks to the statistics provided by the sensors installed in his armor, and with a high level of connectivity with his environment to get information from satellites and other available technologies. King T’Challa of Wakanda: (Black Panther) and wearables The nation of Wakanda, led by King T’Challa (better known as the Black Panther), enjoys the inestimable assistance of a powerful mineral from outer space called Vibranium, which is capable of repelling impacts or vibrations. In addition to his qualities as a superhero, the Black Panther is also known as an ingenious inventor and a true forerunner of the IoT: his greater agility, physical strength and feline qualities are joined by armor made of Vibranium, which makes him practically invincible in a one-on-one battle. Aside from its alien properties, this armor could be considered a wearable made of an ultra-sturdy, lightweight material which provides users with real-time data on their physical status, heartbeat, distance travelled and even blood tests. Vision: Artificial intelligence to save the world This relatively unknown member of the Avengers is the perfect example of the use of artificial intelligence and big data to win battles. Vision is an android created to house the mind of Ultron, the supervillain created by Henry Pym and reprogrammed by Tony Stark (Ironman) and Bruce Banner (Hulk) with the artificial intelligence matrix J.A.R.V.I.S. That is, Vision is the embodiment (in his own robotic way) of the application of big data (Ultron’s mind with all the complex data and processes this entails) for a connected artificial intelligence application perfect for the Internet of Things. James "Bucky" Barnes: Connected prosthetics with superpowers This soldier from the United States Army during World War II, the best friend of Captain America, was captured by HYDRA, the antagonist organization of the Avengers in the second installment of the series, Age of Ultron. HYDRA implanted a bionic arm in Bucky which provides him with physical properties quite similar to the superpowers of Captain America. Although the IoT is far from turning the people who use it into superheroes, the fact is that it has revolutionized the world of prosthetics by enormously extending their possibilities thanks primarily to connectivity and the statistics that these devices are capable of providing their users. Peter Quill (Star-Lord): The evolution of connected vehicles The leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, who join the Avengers in this installment, Star-Lord is a consummate expert in futuristic devices that could easily be considered applications of the Internet of Things. This former smugglers travels around the entire galaxy in his Ship, a spaceship connected through impulses sent directly from his brain. Ship can travel though any element and has ultra-resistant shields, advanced sensors and hologram projectors, so it could be regarded as an extreme evolution of the possibilities of today’s electronic communication technology in connected vehicles. Today we already have the technology needed to create highly sophisticated autonomous vehicles; however, this last stage represented by Star-Lord’s spaceship, which is also capable of showing human feelings, is still beyond the possibilities of today’s IoT technology. Though maybe not for long.

Connectivity allows a more efficient and sustainable energy management with the environment. The fight against climate change, waste of water and residual waste is easier with IoT devices.

The digital transformation of brick-and-mortar stores and their integration with other channels is an inevitable process. It is also the best way to rise to the challenge that 100% digital ecommerce companies are posing to the retail sector. In this sense, Statista calculates that ecommerce will account for 14% of total retail sales in the USA by 2021. In view of this increase, the evolution in the retail sector must encompass omnichannel (combination of online and offline) and digitalization. That is, online sales have to be combined with service in increasingly digital stores in order to improve customers’ shopping experience, as explained in a previous blogpost. The evolution towards the customer as the core of technology Until just a few years ago, many of the top store technologies brought advantages for the stores but did not have much of an impact on customers. The computerization of points of sale, bar codes, and the adoption of more efficient lighting have improved many in-store processes and efficiency and have optimized revenues, but they have not significantly improved the shopping experience. Now, the most prominent new technologies are totally customer-centered and accompany them along their entire customer journey. So, what do these new in-store technologies consist of? Digital shop windows: Digital signage has extremely important applications as an advertising strategy. One example is the impressive action with multiple videos that Samsung recently undertook in Plaza de Callao. However, it also provides intriguing solutions for both inside and outside the store so that customers can see selected products without them having to leave the displays, aisles, or warehouses. Digital directories and interactive catalogues: Digital directories are located at the entrance to the store and show an interactive 3-D map of the store with the location of each product category. Likewise, interactive catalogues are distributed around the different sections in the store and allow customers to search for the availability of a given product and its location in the store. Augmented reality applications for stores: The new capacities of smartphones, such as those that allow the ARKit of the latest version of iOS allow applications to be developed in which augmented reality can make life easier for customers in the store. For example, it can provide the location of products by aisles or show products by pieces that have already been virtually assembled. Beacons to interact with customers: Beacons are small, low-consumption devices which are scattered around the store and are capable of interacting with customers’ mobile devices. They provide the store with invaluable information on the customers’ location within the store and which areas are the densest and are sparking the most interest. Customers that authorize these interactions with beacons can receive personalized notices and deals when they draw near them. Digital fitting rooms: Several retail companies have successfully implemented this technology. Currently, the majority consist of a touchscreen inside the fitting room which allows customers to choose clothing sizes and different colours, to see other products, or to ask store staff for help. But there are also developments that include augmented reality which virtually superimpose clothing onto the customers’ reflected image. Wearable and biometric payment: Clients can forget about carrying credit cards. Payment by NFC is becoming increasingly widespread, so customers can pay just by bringing their mobile devices or wearables such as smartwatches closer to the payment device. However, the next step is when devices are not even needed; all we will have to do is identify ourselves with a body part. In this vein, there are already payment systems via facial recognition in China. There are also other solutions which make customers’ in-store experience more pleasant, such as background music like Spotmusic and Wi-Fi solutions. They are all shaping the store of the future, whose core is not only productivity, efficiency, or cost-saving but also customers and new in-store experiences.

In the midst of the explosion of IoT, Gartner stated that there will be around 20.4 billion connected devices by 2020; automation and connectivity have become the hallmarks of what is known as Industry 4.0. As we move towards the fourth Industrial Revolution, organizations are integrating the new technologies into their industrial processes in order to optimize their performance and improve their productivity. In the new connected age, Internet of Things has become the enabler of the digital transformation of organizations, their businesses and their processes. The implementation of the latest technical advances improves the traceability and automation of processes and fosters decision-making. Furthermore, the trends show that organizations will continue to focus on integrating technologies like the IoT in their production chains in order to make them safer and more efficient and to improve the quality of the service. Proof of this is that Industrial IoT market is expected to reach 195.47 billion dollars by 2022. Companies are beginning to make major investments aimed at innovating their processes. Predictive and prescriptive analyses in big data, cloud computing, 3-D printing and robotics will attract the bulk of organizations’ net investment. As mentioned above, we are moving towards an increasingly connected industry in which the Internet of Things is defining a new business model that is gaining more and more followers. Indeed, there are many advantages and benefits to applying the Internet of Things in the industrial ecosystem, but we can summarize the integration of the IoT into Industry 4.0 into five keys: It automates decision-making and captures information in real time: The sensorization of the IoT facilitates the automation of operations by optimizing processes and resources, providing valuable information in real time and facilitating decision-making. It lowers overall costs of ownership and improves business innovation: The implementation of IoT in the new Industry 4.0 allows for cost savings thanks to the automation of production chains, enabling machines to take charge of routine tasks and fostering human creativity. It optimizes the use of assets, generating better performance in processes: The integration of these new technical advances allows the organization’s assets to be used more efficiently, fostering improvements in the performance of productivity and improving the quality of the end products. It minimizes idle time in machines and assets: IoT lowers the amount of time that machines are idle, getting systems to be 100% available. By connecting machines to the Internet, organizations can monitor huge volumes of data, which enables them to predict machinery failures and thus lower maintenance costs and improve efficiency and availability. It improves the quality of the service while increasing the competitive advantage: IoT technology applied to organizations’ manufacturing systems optimizes industrial processes, enabling them to be more agile and efficient and contributing to improvements in the productivity of operations. As we showed in the most recent edition of the Mobile World Congress, the digital transformation of industry is one of Telefónica’s priority strategies, and Internet of Things is the epicentre of this process of digitalization of companies. In the fourth Industrial Revolution, IoT will play centre stage by spearheading a change in manufacturing systems in all industrial sectors and defining a new more efficient, safer and especially more connected business model: Industry 4.0.

Connectivity has reached the film industry. The use of drones, virtual reality or beacon technology offers spectators the possibility of enjoying a much more complete audiovisual experience.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is about much more than just applying today's technology to industries. It's about integrating intelligent cyber-physical systems such as AI and machine learning along with cybersecurity, blockchain, the Internet of Things, robotics, quantum computing, advanced materials… and much more. In return, it promises to revolutionize the world as we know it. We asked Scott Amyx, the author of Strive: How Doing the Things Most Uncomfortable Leads to Success and a global thought leader in industry about how this will affect the future of the IoT. This is what we found out from this interesting chat. The “subtle” role of the IoT in Industry 4.0 “Perhaps to the surprise of some readers, disruptive technologies rarely work in isolation,” the expert told us, talking about the relationship between the IoT and the new Industrial Revolution. “It's the convergence of these technologies that drives up the innovation.” And both industry and the IoT are flip sides of the same innovation coin. The IoT, in particular, plays a critical role in several ways, explained Amyx. “The first is the ability to quantify inanimate and animate objects to build a real-time data matrix of the world. That means that we will generate incredible volume, variety, and velocity of data from the environment, natural resources, buildings, cars, cities, and homes .” The interviewee called them “the 3Vs.” But delving deeper into that theme, we also have to talk about certain applications. "That data, in turn, feeds neural networks to understand patterns and create probabilistic predictions of possible future scenarios," explained Amyx. "This informs businesses, governments, NGO’s, and people so they can make real-time, fact-based decisions that drive up optimization, productivity, and efficiency while lowering costs and mitigating potential risks and issues." “We've moved beyond networks and cables to real time” In addition to the symbiotic relationship between the IoT, AI, and data science is the shift to distributed and decentralized computing networks. "Let me give two examples," Amyx continued. "Network TV stations such as NBC, ABC, and CBS represented the one-to-many paradigm that provided a centralized means of distributing content to the masses. Today, we've moved beyond networks and cables to real-time streaming and user-generated content in a many-to-many content creation and distribution model." Similarly, in the world of computing and data, we are seeing a shift from centralized to decentralized. Not only are data being generated on decentralized IoT devices, but they are also being stored and processed locally (known as "wild fog"). Specialized AI chips are enabling decentralized machines and gadgets to run AI algorithms locally without ever needing to make API calls, as well as Lambda functions in Amazon Web Services, which allow for computing without servers and without back-and-forth traffic to process, store, or disseminate. "We are beginning to access distributed computational power, memory, storage, bandwidth, and features of edge devices to perform jobs. This has huge implications for telecom business models, cloud computing giants, privacy, data ownership, and security, with rippling effects even to how we govern our society or aggregate citizen preferences to cryptocurrency," he continued. "IoT, AI, and blockchain all work in unison to create a world that will become hyper-connected, where every action and inaction will be quantified down to the iota. Truly the Matrix, minus the human batteries." An age of revolution In terms of economic and social impact, the Fourth Industrial Revolution may be bigger and more disruptive than the first three combined. But this is about much more than just applying today's technology to industries. It's about integrating intelligent cyber-physical systems such as AI and machine learning to neural networks and deep learning, IoT, or even advanced materials such as graphene and new forms of energy and battery storage to leapfrog competitors and create business models and processes that were not possible before. "Taking the example of renewable energy," Amyx explains, "it is using exponential technologies to lower the CapEx and OpEx, quantify every facet of the value chain, automate processes, and substantially increase the output of renewable energy to usable electricity on a massive scale. In the process of fundamentally creating an entirely new ecosystem, there will be multi-billion-dollar startup opportunities, from next-gen CSP companies to new forms of liquified energy." Amyx refers to liquid hydrogen and ammonia as fuels that store renewable energy and make it easier to export it around the globe. "We are talking about advanced commercial fuel cells and industry batteries with a larger capacity than Tesla's Powerpacks (greater than 100 to 200 kWh while costing $2.13 to $2.51 per Wh). We’re also talking about energy harvesting and wireless power transfer technologies to help our cities and homes be completely cord-free and the aboveground space infrastructure-free." In Amyx’s words, when you apply this type of transformation to each sector or industry, what you get is nothing short of multi-billion to multi-trillion-dollar opportunities. "Many of today's Fortune 500 companies (and midcaps and SMB’s) are resistant to change and will become obsolete, or be acquired, or go private just to go bankrupt and be sold in pieces or die a slow death because their management and employees can't imagine a world that's different from the framework that they operate in today. Replacing them will be the startups of the future that will harness the power of AI, robotics, and other exponential technologies to fundamentally change both the game and the way the game is played." Our place in the future Amyx thinks it's important to understand that the fourth and subsequent Industrial Revolutions will be both good and bad. And, in his words, it mostly depends on which segments of the population that we focus on. "As we have seen across industries, technology is about driving down costs. Over time, in everything from genome sequencing to hard drives, the marginal cost drops down to a tiny fraction of what it used to be. This is a major benefit to society," he clarifies. "Moreover, these disruptions will also create unimaginable new industries and jobs that we can't begin to fathom today. Who would have thought a decade ago that Snapchat, an AR photo filter, or chat app would be worth billions of dollars and employ engineers to create AR filters for selfies? But there are downsides." Amyx discussed this in The Human Race: How Humans Can Survive in the Robotic Age, his second book, in which he explores the imminent net job loss from artificial intelligence, robotics, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its impact on income inequality across the globe. “AI-driven cyber-physical automation is expected to displace 50% to 80% of the human workforce by 2030. As the pace of convergence of exponential technologies reaches a near vertical slope, the trend of human displacement is unstoppable,” he stated in his book. But with the revolution come opportunities, too. We are facing a new era of advancement where connectivity is within the sight of development. As we move towards automation, we must be prepared to adapt to innovation. This, Amyx thinks, entails pursuing job training and labor force development in human-to-human services that leverage our ability to empathize with the human condition. After all, even in the age of technology, when we are the witnesses of change, empathy business models and services will become the bedrock of post-Fourth Industrial Revolution.