PRODUCT DESIGN AND INTERNET OF THINGS

• What is the Internet of Things?

The Internet of Things also known as IoT is a term that refers to anything that is basically connected to the internet whether phones, GPS Devices, Medical devices, Automotive accessories, etc. However, the term IOT can simply refer to the network of devices that are connected to the internet and each other; in other words, these devices are able to connect and exchange data in order to improve efficiency, reduce human exertion and improve the economy. These devices range from smart Bluetooth trackers to smart kitchens and smart houses, i.e., any device that can be connected to the internet can be transformed into an IoT device.

The Internet of Things can be used in various different fields and domains such as agriculture, automotive industry, aerospace industry, healthcare, and medical fields and many more due to the many benefits and advantages it brings.

• Benefits and Disadvantages of the Internet of Things

Benefits:

• The more information and date the devices gather, the easier for it to make the right decision.
• IoT devices can save the significant amount of time.
• IoT devices can keep track of things such as the heartbeat of a patient, quality of products, the state of the wheels of a car…
• Using IoT devices in factories and other facilities will save lots of money due to not having to hire humans to do certain tasks such as maintaining the supplies and monitoring the overall state of the machines and factory.

Disadvantages:

• IoT may be a new term for most people thus factory owners may not fully trust this technology.
• IoT devices are rather complicated in nature; therefore, there is a chance of error and failure.
• What makes IoT devices special is the fact that they are connected to the internet and can share a tremendous amount of data online, this can be their main flaw as they are more susceptible to hacks and pirating.

2) Product Design

• what is the Product Design?

Product design is the combination of simple steps that are necessary in order to design a product. So what do we mean by designing a product? Designing a product is simply defining the purpose of the product, what would the product be made out of, what are the dimensions and weight of the product and how would the product be made and where it would be used. Therefore, in order to manufacture or create something, one must first design it. In order to design a device or a product, a team of designers and engineers must work together with a harmony in order to achieve the best results.

• Steps of Designing a product

There are simple steps in designing a product:

• The very first step in designing a product is identifying the problem or identifying what the market really needs, therefore gathering information and doing research and collecting data from various different sources.
• The second step is to completely define what the product is, what the product would perform like, where the product would be used, what is the estimated lifetime of the product, and what materials it would be made out of.
• The third step is to sketch up an approximate model of what the final product would look like, this model may sometimes be called a prototype sketch.
• The fourth step is to design the model using a CAD software such as Solidworks, Catia, PTC Creo… this step should also include simulating the model, applying exact dimensions, and choosing the right materials.
• The fifth step is to apply changes if the simulation suggests that some changes are required.

If the simulations do not indicate any changes, it means that the product is well designed.

3) Conclusion

In conclusion, the Internet of Things is something that is considered to be revolutionary and that is for many reasons, it is expected that the daily devices we use will have connections to the internet and thus becoming IOT devices. While this may be a huge step in bringing more advanced technologies into our daily life; however, some actually worry that this may cause more harm than benefits especially those who do not trust the internet.