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 When you consider the internet, you often imagine someone in front of a computer, typing away, or someone on a touch device. Maybe it’s somewhat more complex, with them asking their home device to turn on a smart light or switch off an internet-connected thermostat.     Unbeknownst to many, the type of interaction between internet-connected devices that doesn’t involve human input at all is the future of our digital world.  

The Internet of Things (IoT): What Is It?

Every day, thousands of devices are plugged in, switched on, and connected to the web. Once they’re on, they perform all manner of smart functions, pushing and receiving updates, speaking to other devices, and building a web of interactivity around us, one we can’t see but continue to enjoy as it makes our world easier, and more accessible. The easiest example to understand what the Internet of Things is, is to consider how a smartwatch connects to your smartphone, and the data and sensors involved that send and receive data back and forth throughout your day. Now imagine this type of interaction, but on a grander scale, spanning the world the same way our internet does. That’s the future of the Internet; our things (or devices) connected. Millions of devices are already connected in this way, and many of them are products developed or supported by ASUS. In fact, the IoT is expected to grow to $520 billion (£400 billion) by 2021. It’s already taking place in millions of homes; now it’s time to introduce the full potential of IoT to the business world.  

How Will IoT Change the Way We Work?

There are many applications when it comes to implementing IoT into our working world. Everything from data sharing to management and inventory tracking is possible. Combined with the advancements in AI and machine learning, IoT will remove the repetitive tasks in business, leaving us time and resources to pursue a better working environment and more creative applications of our time. When your entire business ecosystem is connected, it’s easy to see where you can increase productivity or efficiency, enabling your internal operations to grow without causing issues, as well as allowing you to reduce costs or operation wastage. When you’re presented with a comprehensive data set of all your business operations, it becomes easy to see where improvements can be made.  

Improving the customer experience

Using IoT, you’re able to see how customers use your products, and respond smartly. All the data your business collect from each customer touch point gives your business a multi-dimensional understanding of your customer, allowing you to respond quickly to customer issues, and offer increasingly attractive services or products that your customers will love. One example of how businesses are using this is airports, who are implementing IoT sensors to make the typical journey through customs, security lines, and so on a more stress-free and painless process. The data these airports collect means they can quickly open additional gates, security checkpoints, and more, raising their services as demand increases, or lowering it if demands drops – saving them man-hours and money.  

IoT Meets Gaming

Gaming is a booming business, and it’s no stranger to IoT. IoT is already helping to bridge the various pieces of hardware together, and creating a web of links between devices, enabling businesses to put together experiences and advertising that cater to customers perfectly – and it’s likely we’ll only see this trend increase in scale in the coming years. Applications of IoT in gambling for example, include casino experiences on smartwatches, enhanced security that makes full use of security hardware and applications, linking them and providing increased protection for the casino, and tailored marketing. ASUS’ Gaming applications include our industrial motherboards feature a wealth of I/O and connectivity, linking multiple peripherals together to meet gaming requirements. The ASUS Tinker Board is a single board computer, that offers class-leading performance in an astonishingly small form-factor, complete with a 40-pin GPIO interface; perfect for those looking to power an IoT ecosystem in their own business. Finding new ways to do business Often, it can be hard to find new marketing methods, new ways of doing things. Introducing a connected IoT and the inclusion of AI will allow your business to see how its performing, where issues arise, and give you and your colleagues a clear understanding of where improvements can be made. Additionally, having such a comprehensive understanding of your business process can open up new avenues your business can use to get to the same result – only easier and more cost-efficiently.  

ASUS and IoT: How ASUS is Paving the Way for A Connected Future

ASUS is already offering a wealth of IoT-centric devices for businesses to make use of and improve the way they work. Our single-board computers, particularly the Tinker range, are ideal to start transforming the way your business operates easily. Make sure you head to https://iot.asus.com to explore the range of products ASUS offers to power the future of the business world, connecting devices and improving how we work together.