In recent years new types of intelligent drones have been developed that are able to act in three phases: before, during and after the fire.

One of the biggest concerns in times of high temperatures is the increased risk of fires in areas with a high density of vegetation. Galicia, Extremadura or Andalusia are communities prone to suffer these catastrophes in their large green areas with the consequent human, animal and plant losses that the fire can cause. This is why public administrations are extending the duration of prevention campaigns all year around instead of only during the most dangerous months.

Our best efforts are not enough in the fight against a scourge that in more than 90% of cases is the result of the actions of a human being, directly or indirectly. It is everyone’s responsibility to contribute to its eradication with all the means at our disposal.

Once again, technology has come to help us with issues that we once had trouble managing in the past. Thanks to IoT, in recent years a series of intelligent drones have been developed which can act against fire in three phases: before, during and after the fire.

Surveillance and monitoring

In prevention work, the drones can monitor high risk areas and help by alerting when the first signs of fire appear, as well as keep an eye on the natural resources of the area. In this way, the performance of emergency services is more efficient and faster, avoiding putting people’s lives at risk and minimize the costs incurred.

During the fire, these drones can detect heat, wind direction and even capture real images thanks to their incorporated sensors and cameras. In addition, thanks to IoT it’s possible to send real-time and detailed information to emergency services. An undoubtedly fundamental help, thanks to it firefighters and security forces, such as the UME, can carry out the extinction tasks in a more precise and guided way.

Intelligent fire extinguishing system

In fire extinction processes there are also larger drones (up to two meters in diameter) that can store up to 300 liters of water and cover between 50 and 100 meters of an area on fire. This drone has structural modifications that allow water misting and transportation, as well as control systems, thermal cameras and navigation. They also include helicopter tracking systems that make the fight against the fire more effective.

With the implementation of these drones it will be possible to save lives by managing the workers correctly in the extinction. In the same way, they will be very effective since they are able to get closer to the flames, preventing the pilot from risking his life or the helicopter from suffering damages. This proximity will result on a more concrete and effective action against the hottest points of the fire, even at night thanks to its infrared cameras, becoming an important working tool for firefighters.

The possibilities of the IoT applied to drones against fires don’t end here. They can be helpful in the reforestation phase too.

Tree plantation

Lauren Flechter, an engineer at BioCarbon, has created a solution to plant up to a billion trees a year with the use of drones. The drone is loaded with germinated seeds that are fired to the ground with compressed air from a height of about 2 meters. The seeds remain inside a nutritious capsule that besides protecting them in the fall will feed the future tree. Thanks to the IoT, the drone determines the best place to plant the seed by taking into account factors such as humidity, location or type of existing vegetation.

Public administrations have taken note of the advantages of these drones in the prevention, detection, and extinction of forest fires. Some communities have already implemented them to inspect the fire safety sections around urban and rural areas safely from the air.
 

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.

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

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.