The alarm monitoring industry, traditionally anchored in security devices such as smoke detectors, intruder alarms, and lone worker alarms, is undergoing a vast transformation. 

The Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem is reshaping the industry, introducing a plethora of devices that extend far beyond conventional alarm systems, enhancing public safety in new ways. 

In this article, we’ll review how IoT is growing and how any Alarm Receiving Centre can enhance their services using this technology. We also have some exciting news to announce – read on to find out what it is!

The Growth of IoT

The IoT brings a paradigm shift in how we interact with technology in our daily lives. From IP-enabled waste bins to health monitoring devices, IoT is beginning to become omnipresent.

IoT Statistics

The global IoT market is projected to grow significantly in the coming years, with billions of connected devices used in homes and businesses. Here are some of the latest statistics:

• This year, the global IoT market is forecast to be worth USD 336 billion. This figure is expected to reach more than USD 621 billion in 2030.
• There are currently around 14.76 billion connected devices. In 2030, this is expected to reach 25.44 billion.
• The market for IoT in healthcare is forecast to be worth USD 289.2 billion by 2028.
• A global survey of telecoms professionals reveals that 81% consider the greatest IoT opportunities (after home automation) to lie in smart cities. 61% favoured industrial and manufacturing applications, while 52% cited the security industry as the most promising.
• Cloud technology is vital in supporting IoT. According to Mordor Intelligence, the telecom cloud market size will reach USD 107.4 billion by 2029.
• In 2021, 29% of EU enterprises used IoT, mostly for keeping their premises secure. In fact, this was the main purpose for using IoT across all economic sectors. Austria has been leading the way, with 51% of enterprises using IoT in general, followed by Slovenia (49%), Finland and Sweden (40% for both).
• The UK IoT Market should see revenues of £23.96 billion this year. Industrial IoT is expected to have the largest share, with a projected market volume of £8.18 billion.

Augmenting one’s processes and services using IoT won’t be just a ‘nice-to-have’ in the future – it will be expected. The figures above indicate just how quickly the demand is growing. As such, organisations that start integrating new types of monitoring will gain significant competitive advantage in the years to come.

Opportunities for IoT Diversification

The diversity of IoT devices offers a vast range of new monitoring opportunities, including those below.

Environmental Monitoring

There are a very broad range of use cases for environmental monitoring[KM1] . Devices that track temperature, humidity, air quality, and more can offer valuable insights for residential and commercial premises, ensuring optimal living and working conditions. Environmental monitoring also contributes to controlling emissions and improving sustainability.

In addition, sensors can track the presence of hazardous gases, triggering warmings to help the relevant organisation/personnel mitigate the consequences. Water quality is another use case, with sensors detecting the presence of contaminants and toxic substances that may compromise the safety of drinking water, for example.

Other uses include radiation monitoring, and the monitoring of mould, pollen, and dust. Other data can be collected to provide early warning systems for natural disasters, such as seismic data for earthquake warning systems.

Many organisations and their associated communities and workforces can benefit from monitoring environmental data, from industrial facilities to local authorities to hospitals.

Health Monitoring

As mentioned, the market for healthcare IoT is growing significantly. Wearables and other IoT devices can be integrated into monitoring services, providing real-time health data and alerts for individuals and healthcare providers.

Remote Patient Monitoring

IoT devices enable the remote monitoring of patients’ vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose and oxygen levels. Wearable devices can transmit data to healthcare providers, allowing for continuous monitoring without the need for hospitalisation.

This is particularly beneficial for managing chronic conditions, post-operative recovery, and elderly care. It also frees up resources, helping hospitals and other facilities to increase their capacity and meet demand.

Smart Hospital Beds

We’re also seeing the emergence of smart beds that can help in providing more comprehensive care. Pressure sensors can alert nurses on the optimal times to move patients to prevent pressure sores, while fall prevention sensors can alert staff when a patient is attempting to leave the bed.

Other possibilities include integrating weighing scales with smart beds so that patients’ weight can be monitored automatically. These beds can potentially be integrated with other novel technologies such as Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) devices which are used for pain management.

Access Control Monitoring

Access control becomes more comprehensive with the IoT. For example, IoT-enabled locks can be controlled remotely, allowing for keyless entry and the ability to grant or revoke access in real-time, sending instant alerts about unauthorised access attempts. 

With these systems, detailed entry and exit logs can be maintained in the cloud, providing valuable data for security analysis and compliance.

Also, integrating IoT with biometric verification offers highly secure, personalised access control.

IoT Solutions for Local Authorities

Councils can use IoT for smart cities to enhance urban management, improve public services, and enable sustainable cities. Here are some key use cases:

• Infrastructure maintenance: Sensors on roads, and structures such as bridges and tunnels can monitor structural health, predicting maintenance needs before failures occur, ensuring safety and cost savings.
• Smart waste management: Sensors in bins can monitor waste levels, optimising waste collection routes and schedules, which reduces operational costs, reduces fuel and emissions, and prevents overflow.
• Intelligent traffic management: IoT helps optimize traffic flow. Sensors collect the relevant data and signals timings are adjusted in real-time, reducing congestion and improving pedestrian safety.
• Parking solutions: IoT sensors can identify available parking spots, reducing time spent searching for parking and consequently lowering congestion and emissions.
• Public transport optimisation: Devices can provide real-time data on vehicle locations and passenger counts, improving service efficiency and planning.
• Smart lighting: IoT-enabled streetlights can adjust brightness based on the presence of pedestrians or vehicles, reducing energy consumption, and enhancing safety.
• Energy management: IoT applications in buildings and public spaces can optimise energy use, reduce costs, and lower carbon footprints through smart heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Alerts can be triggered if thresholds are crossed, assisting compliance efforts.
• Water management: As well as monitoring water from an environmental health standpoint, monitoring water levels, real-time consumption, and other variables can aid in conservation efforts. For example, alerts can be sent if leaks are detected, enabling early intervention.

IoT Implementation Challenges for Traditional Alarm Monitoring Services

Despite the clear trend toward IoT integration and the benefits it brings, some organisations are yet to adapt.

Barriers to adoption include technological limitations or a lack of IoT expertise. For example, consider the interoperability between hardware and alarm monitoring systems. This can be challenging in some cases, but GeminiSense, for example, is designed for interoperability, able to connect with and manage alerts from any existing hardware.

Overall, our team simplifies the implementation process by offering end-to-end support, from planning through to deployment, making the management of IoT alerts accessible to all clients.

Beyond implementation, we also provide comprehensive training and ongoing support to empower your team with the skills for using the system optimally.

GeminiSense’s Future IoT Plans

We have some exciting news to announce. Not only does our software integrate with IoT devices – we’re also introducing our own hardware product! This will be the first of many IoT monitoring devices in our repertoire.

This first product – resulting from a new partnership yet to be revealed – will monitor air quality, temperature, and humidity, helping local authorities combat the prevalence of dangerous mould growth in properties.

Mould is a critical issue in many older properties and we look forward to helping solve the problem. And of course, the device will integrate seamlessly with our existing software. So, stay tuned for more updates soon!

Conclusion

IoT presents a significant opportunity for Alarm Receiving Centres to innovate and diversify their services.

A few options include environmental and health monitoring, enhancing traditional security services such as access control monitoring, and various use cases for urban management.

The potential rewards are substantial – aside from new revenue potential, organisations now have greater capacity to keep the public safe.

To capitalise on this opportunity, contact us today to request a demo of our market leading software.

 [KM1]Link to the previous article, ‘expanding the scope of IoT monitoring’ when published.