IoT is an umbrella term that tracks lots of attention now. To put it simply, the Internet of Things is a network of connected electronic devices that can operate without human interference. These devices collect and analyze various data, transmit it to a computer, and choose a suitable response for any changes. For example, a smart home is such a network. It has several sensors and microcontrollers that collect data. Imagine that the temperature drops, the sensor collects this data, transmits it to the computer, and provides a response – turn on the heating. And all of that without any effort from people.
IoT is changing retail, healthcare, the automotive industry, and many others. It allows better and faster ways of manufacture, customer service, and response. IoT software development is now in great demand because of the huge benefits it offers to businesses. A recent study shows that 80% of large corporations are implementing IoT technologies in their activity right now. The number of IoT devices worldwide has also increased drastically from 0.9 billion in 2009 to 20 billion in 2020. That’s why it is one of the most rapidly developing technologies right now.
Projects IoT Software Development Can Handle
IoT developers are highly-qualified professionals that deal both with software and hardware development. The two main branches of this trend include the creation of new, more advanced devices and programming the code that powers them up. Here are just several important solutions that IoT developers can tackle:
- Development of various web and mobile applications, such as apps that go together with a fitness bracelet, for example;
- Creation of different connectivity software that ensures communication between devices;
- Data analytics solutions, including industrial and marketing systems;
- Incorporation of AI, machine learning, and Big Data into IoT systems;
- Powering all types of IoT networks, from smart homes up to energy or water supply management for industrial production;
- End-to-end applications, etc.
The best part is that almost any IoT software solution can work for many industries. Here are several examples of the industries that hugely benefit from this trend:
- Automotive. Connected vehicles are a reality now. Almost all cars already have sensors that detect the proximity to other cars or any obstacles. Some systems analyze traffic and make route suggestions. There is also a great focus on developing automatic driving solutions that will control the vehicle without human effort. All of these devices are designed to improve safety. For example, radar sensors collect data on the traffic and the speed of the cars on the road.
- Smart homes. This is another growing industry that becomes more widespread every day. Now such systems that control the environment are used not only in individual households but also in schools and other institutions. They care about energy supply, lighting, heating, and control of various machinery, like coffee makers, for example. The main goal is to make out living more comfortable and reduce human involvement in operations that IoT can take care of.
- Healthcare. Another great benefit is that IoT software development can be used to make healthcare more efficient and accessible. The easiest examples are different wearable things – from fitness bracelets that collect data on heart rate and movement, to pacemakers and glucose monitoring systems. Many of them are already implemented in the medical routine, such as connected medical devices in hospitals that collect information and send immediate signals to personnel in case of any significant changes. There are even smart cases for medication that help patients to know when they need to take pills.
- Retail. This industry is changing massively thanks to the IoT trend. First of all, such devices as Amazon’s Alexa can collect a huge amount of customers’ data. This information can be analyzed and used to understand the buyer’s persona better and predict what people can be interested in. It is all about providing the best experience for the clients, whether it is a digital signature service, online check-out, or future smart stores. The IoT solutions also help to manage the business workflow, warehouses, and shipping.
IoT Developers: Qualifications, Skills, and Expertise
Of course, all of this couldn’t be possible without IoT developers, true heroes behind innovation. As we mentioned before, they are highly valued now all over the world. And it is hard to find them because of the large demand. Here is where HireIoTDevelopers.com comes in handy. This website offers all the necessary information on how to find a perfect team for your project.
An expert IoT developer needs to be knowledgeable not only in the programming languages but have several other important skills, such as:
- Expertise in sensors and microcontrollers;
- Experience with the particular devices or cloud solutions they are going to work with;
- Knowledge of the security best practices for IoT networks;
- Skills in web and mobile app development;
- UI/UX;
- Management of databases;
- Multithreading;
- Data Analytics, data structures, and architectures, etc.
The major programming languages required for various IoT projects are:
- Assembly;
- Java;
- JavaScript;
- Python;
- C;
- C++;
- PHP.
Of course, it is important to understand that every project has its specific requirements. If the scope includes working with a cloud platform, the development team needs to have a good understanding of a particular solution, whether it is AWS, SAP, IBM Watson, or Microsoft Azure. The same goes for the hardware requirements. If your project concerns a new device that is going to connect with Alexa, a programmer needs to have a certain experience working with it.
In Summary
IoT developers are the ones that power this amazing technology. They make such futuristic ideas as smart cities possible and help to make our lives better and more comfortable. This is a profession that requires strong technical knowledge and a great skill set, which might make the recruiting process a bit challenging sometimes. But IoT is a trend of the future that develops pretty fast and scalable, so it is impossible to miss. The major companies in almost any industry implement these solutions to achieve new success.
