5 examples of how IoT is improving government services

Many parts of society are already using IoT to improve and ease lives, but it seems universally agreed that the public sector haven’t got involved. But is that true?

In this blog we look at examples of how government have dipped their toe in the connected tech waters… 

IoT projects currently underway…

• River Clyde Housing is to test the Internet of Things with a new project that will install sensors on a housing estate. The sensors will be installed to monitor temperature, movement, wind speed and heat etc.  
• Older people are being taught how to use technology in a number of “smart homes” to help boost digital skills in West Essex. This programme was started from funding from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to improve older and disabled people’s lives through the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund. 
• A pilot project in Hull City Council is trialling the use of smart bins. The project will install 30 sensors in 15 bins around the city monitoring waste levels and alerting street cleaning teams when the bins need emptying. The sensors will also detect motion to let authorities know when bins are being vandalised.  
• Caithness General Hospital has trialed a system which used bluetooth tags to monitor medical beds and improve access to maintenance data. The data included location of beds and their maintenance records.  
• In 2017 Cardiff City Council installed 3,000 detection sensors in on- and off-street parking spots and rolled out a mobile app to help drivers find vacant spaces around the city.

 So, there you have it as far back as 2017 the public sector have been commisioning internet of things projects in order to improve services for citizens. As the use of connected devices continues to accelerate, we will certainly see more and more public facing services utilising the power of internet of things…