You probably already knew that watches, drones or thermostats were Web-connected. But car tyres, fire hydrants or deep fryers ? Read on to discover seven objects that are already connected to the Internet without you knowing …
The Internet of Things is THE area where start-up businesses and entrepreneurs show off their vivid imagination. Watches connected to a tennis racket, wands that turn you into an expert bartender, the choices are endless… Here below a small selection of seven objects.
The Seb deep fryer
The French reference in small domestic equipment took the world by surprise when it launched its Actifry in 2007. It was a « healthy » deep fryer that allowed you to bake fries with only one spoon of oil. Last year November saw the launch of the new Smart XL model which is Web-connected: a mobile app allows you to prepare more than 200 recipes (starters, main courses, desserts). You can even monitor the cooking time and check nutritional programmes when buying a monthly subscription for 0,99€.
The Michelin tyres
Michelin is busy connecting and identifying tyres via « Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) ». Michelin Tire Care, a tire maintenance and reporting service for professional transport companies, offers various program solutions for truck drivers : maintenance records on your smartphone, electronic prevention, traceability of your tyre fleet, …
What are the benefits ? You can for example keep an eye on your tyre pressure (responsible for extra fuel consumption), avoid changing your tyres prematurely (approximately 15% of all tyres are replaced too early) and of course avoid accidents because of badly maintained tyres.
The Bayard fire hydrant
This big (but discrete) SMB from the Rhône valley is market leader in France (70%). Their market dominance does not stop them from innovating : all models installed after 1971 are now « smart » and connected to the Sigfox network.
The purpose : help local authorities, utility companies and other companies like Veolia or Suez detect whether the valves are open or closed, receive warnings when they run the risk of freezing, or sound an alarm when they are damaged. In short: to make sure that there is water when they need it, and to monitor the correct functioning of the fire hydrants.
The GeniCan trashcan
We do not mean a real trashcan, but rather a small box that is attached to your garbage bin and then connected to the Internet. Why would the American Genican company do such a thing? Simply to simplify your life and your shopping. When you scan the barcode before throwing a product in the bin, or when you say its name out loud, you are actually telling GeniCan to send this information via WiFi to an app which adds the product to your shopping list on your smartphone.
The Feeligreen cosmetic kit
We already have many health and well-being products that are connected to the internet. And now thanks to Feeligreen (headquarters on the French Riviera) we can add beauty to this list. Their product is called I-Feel, a collection of cosmetic care creams that are used in combination with a device that produces bipolar micro-currents and photodynamic treatment by LED. The LED-functionality is Web-connected which allows the user to program their cosmetic care via a smartphone. The company is then able to gather useful information about the use and effectiveness of their products.
The Philips lamps
Firstly, the Philips smart lighting system can be used to remotely program and control your lights. And not only the intensity, but also the colours.
However, the Dutch lighting giant is taking this a step further : together with telecom companies, insurance agencies and energy providers they are “faking” your presence while you are on holiday. If burglars do enter your home, they are treated to flashing lights that can even blind the intruders. You will also get a warning on your smartphone if the alarm has sounded. Brilliant !
The Ti’Be key chain
If you often say « where is my phone ? », followed by « where are my keys ? » then Ticatag from Brittany is your saviour. They have invented the smart TiBe key chain. How does this button work ? Just attach it to your key chain, your children’s cuddly toy or your luggage (you can track up to 5 TiBes via a mobile app). You can then retrieve your stuff through geolocation, sound or light. You can even warn other users that you have lost something. You can also click the button and have your smartphone call you.
Bron : http://lexpansion.lexpress.fr
