The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing in the UK. As the volume and fleet of connected devices grows, so do the demands on IT Managers. Modern Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solutions allow businesses to have visibility over every device – regardless of the form factor, connection protocol or operating system – increasing transparency and protection against security risks.
Wearable electronic devices such as fitness trackers and smartwatches, have long been established. In fact, the number of devices in the UK is set to increase by 150 million by 2024, with wearables accounting for 40% of all IoT connections. Between 2014 and 2021, a total of 1.853 billion wearables were launched on the market. Even assuming a device lifespan of three years, more than one billion people are currently wearing a digital twin on their wrist. By 2025, IoT is likely to include more than 75 billion devices. Tablets, scanners, sensors and actuators are accelerating this revolution.
Transparency in the Device and IoT Landscape Thanks to EMM Solution
The set of connected devices is endless but modern-day platforms can give enterprise complete control and visibility over all mobile devices in the field. Such platforms are integrated with an EMM solution that connect all aspects of a business-critical mobile strategy, taking the business operation to the next level of digitisation.
IT decision-makers in various industries have a dose of scepticism when looking ahead. The transportation and logistics (T&L) sector shows that while many recognise the key role of mobile-first technologies, some still underestimate the potential of new technologies.
For example, according to SOTI’s research, The Last Mile Sprint: State of Mobility in Transportation and Logistics, 71% T&L businesses globally believe mobile devices will be critical to delivery in the T&L sector. While 50% said mobile-first technologies will play the most important role in accelerating delivery processes.
Wearable Leap: From Hand Scanner to Glove
Since the handheld scanner requires six steps and movements, compared to three for the glove scanner, it’s likely that the handheld scanner will be replaced in some industries in the near future.
ProGlove, a leading global provider of a range of industrial wearables, speeds up the scanning process by up to six seconds and enables 33% less errors thanks to intuitive feedback. According to Data Science Central, such input errors in procurement, supply chain and other industry sectors can add up to $600 billion of losses annually.
Like tablets or cell phones, enterprises must successfully manage a fleet of gloves. The power of modern EMM platforms can be illustrated by key questions an IT leader may ask when looking into the performance of a glove scanner: Where is the glove? Is it online? How is it performing? What software updates are due? What is the security status of the glove? What version of software is it running?
Data gloves have numerous sensors. These include IMU sensors (motion sensors), which measure all motion sequences. Similar to fitness trackers, data gloves can measure steps and other movements like lifting an object. This can then be used to form entire motion records – ProGlove refers to this as a motion index. The goal here is to create the right balance in the workload. After all, employees should be able to fulfil their target without having to over-exert themselves.
However, looking at the wearable alone is not enough. The data glove is used by a human being – specifically by an employee who generates the movement data mentioned above. This collection of data spins a now predominant concept in IoT, the digital twin.
From Glove to Human Digital Twin
These classic digital twins represent an inanimate physical object. In the case of the data glove, each data set is given a virtual representative in the system. From glove to human digital twin, certain parameters of the employee are assigned to the glove scanner and extended by the human dimension.
In this way, the glove’s process data is supplemented with work-related data from the employee. Connections between the two data sets can then be visualised and help with opportunity for improvement. Movement and motion sensor patterns are evaluated to identify process deviations or bottlenecks, as well as to shift resources in real-time to meet demands. Ergonomics can also be improved in the company’s processes and as a result, injury-related downtime and operating impacts can be minimized.
The human digital twin concept is also beneficial in warehouses, digitally recreating production with contextual information from processes, equipment and task status. When such data is transferred to an MES or WMS system, the human digital twin adds substantial insight. Time and motion analyses for a variety of activities, like picking, sorting, order processing, can be compared across workstations. Scanning events can be incorporated into order processing workflows and analyses to identify and resolve bottlenecks.
The hub in all of this is an EMM solution which can remotely manage, support and upgrade all endpoints. Companies can have insight into their fleet of mobile devices and technology infrastructure and resolve and prevent any issues from arising. An EMM tool can help businesses keep their devices up to date with the latest software, prevent devices from going missing and ensure secure and smooth data transfer among devices and systems. This is particularly crucial in sensitive industries such as logistics, retail and healthcare. Only if transparency is guaranteed and data can be evaluated at any time will companies be able to stay one step ahead of their market competitors.
