Ready to deploy IoT?
The internet of things or IoT, is nothing but a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines and their ability to transfer data over a network are so uniform that even without human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction the data can be performed. Certain organizations are increasingly using IoT to operate their work more efficiently. Also for enhancing customer and to understand them better, they are providing internet services. These services also help the firm to improve their decision-making skills which ultimately leads to business improvement
IoT: A Revolution for the Disabled???
Disability is commonly known as the biggest limitation for performing basic activities of life or drawback for performing day to day activities of life. Most of the disabled person gives a thought that how will their life change where they need assistance for doing everything. IoT can help to change your life not wholly but basic things can be done without having anyone for need.
You can think of some of the potential improvements that IoT might bring for you when entering an unfamiliar environment:
- You can control the air conditioning from your smartphone without even wondering which of the many buttons increase or decrease the temperature without the need to call the front desk to send someone to come and adjust the settings
- You can even switch the lights off without spending time feeling for the way around electrical appliances and walls to find the off hidden switches
- You could also set the temperature for your shower without deciphering how the different knobs affect the temperature and direction of the water
- You could use your smartphone to turn the TV on, avoiding the unfamiliar remote buttons or control; play your music through their sound system and watch a film – yes even blind people do watch films – in English, Hindi or any other languages with audio description
- You can also find the restaurant, the meeting room, and even break out of your house prison to visit the local shopping mall to find a present you’re your Love ones
Empowering in Public services
IoT is not only helping an individual in their home but also empowering in public services which includes local authorities’ health care center and also various organizations that can leverage the IoT to provide basic care and services. Major parts of the cities have monitored conditions, remote diagnostics and include video-based consulting that can improve the services with cost reduction. Speaking about public transport IoT enabled everything including buses, trains, shops, supermarket, airports that feeds information to allow disabled people to navigate better and allowing them to interact with the environment alone which will make them feel more engaged citizen on every level. Also, the automotive industry is trying to set a goal in a self-drive car for a blind person where they can literally drive a car. THINK ABOUT IT!!!
Products and Services that Can be Helpful for People with Disabilities
Easy Navigation
Services which are based on location generally required technologies such as wifi, Gps and many more are being updated so that they can be brought to use to make certain places easy to navigate.such technologies are ideal types and continuously transmit signals that are very low due to which a smartphone can scan and display very well. Beacons also come in use and are specially placed in a very rural area to help those disabled people who cannot visually impair their places and with the help of these, they can navigate easily with the help of their Smartphone. Certain Apps are inbuilt in the Smartphone that can translate these signals into voice directions for people having a visual impairment. .There are also companies working on GPS-like technologies that help anyone find their way in complex buildings.
Accessible homes appliances
Another area where IoT had made a lot of improvement by helping the one living independently with all the improve accessibility in the home. Here basically IoT had used most of the home appliances and turned them into smart home devices, for instance, smart speakers that help you to control electronics devices cooking appliances and many other devices using only your voice. The invention of Google Home and Amazon Echo smart speakers is available in India with a very consistent price which can be afforded by most of the disabled persons.
These devices may be a little expensive but the technologies used to make them can be easily approached in India. In fact, in 2018 students of Kerala studying in NSS College of Engineering built a low budget cost voice-controlled wheelchair that would help many disabled people. The students did this using the motor of a car wiper and a small chip called a voice module was installed on the macro-controller of the wheelchair. The voice detector can translate the voice directions of a student wearing a headset with a microphone fitted on it and through the voice, the wheelchair uses the directions in action.
Affordable smart devices
There are so many cheap smart devices that can automatically turn on or the lights, ceiling and standing fans that can be made using Ardiono boards. Other smart devices that can be made using arduino boards include smoke detectors, security cameras, alarms and much more These types of boards can be used to make cheaper smart devices targeted at people with disabilities. They can also wear or use wearables that are available for enhancing independent living especially without the help of smartphones because here they are not so efficient
For instance, there are some hearing devices that have various listening effects to provide a studio-level sound quality for users. Also, smartwatches set another example that keeps a track on your fitness or health every day and everywhere you go, and also have such smart features that if you are not well or fallen down somewhere it can help you to call a doctor right away
In the upcoming year, it is believed that such devices and other smart wearables machines will eventually get cheaper and their prices will go low as more units get exported to India as the demand grows. Eventually, in the future, every street will be attached to these devices to help with accessibility.
Thus there is no doubt that IoT Revolution can resolve many more issues just by giving it some initial thoughts, designs and how such smart devices can be constructed