New Cisco report reveals how UK is “harnessing the Internet of Everything”

Cisco has today released a report on how the Internet of Everything (IoE), a wider extension of the Internet of Things where objects, processes, data and people are connected to the internet, is playing a role in supporting some of the UK’s largest industries and helping “to solve Britain’s economic challenges”.

Unveiled at its Greenwich CREATE centre by Cisco UK & Ireland CEO Phil Smith, the report, entitled The Internet of Everything: Bringing the future to life, highlighted practical applications of IoE in retail, healthcare, manufacturing, energy and transport; the sectors “IoE will have the greatest impact”.

Created using an examination of the UK economy, recent statistics and case studies of small and medium businesses using IoE devices, the report predicts IoE will “radically transform and shape lives” with the estimate that 50 billion things will be connected to the internet by 2020, creating a £19tn market.

Examples of IoE already being implemented by businesses included a trial by Airedale NHS Trust linking 33 nursing and residential care homes to a 24 hour ‘Telemedicine Hub’.

Using IoE techology, over 1000 patients were connected to doctors and nurses via video link allowing patients to have face-to-face consultations with carers at any time, decreasing hospital admissions by a purported 45%.

Another example of IoE which has been rolled-out in Barcelona and is set to come to the UK, is ‘smart parking’; sensors in pavements which alert available parking spaces in real-time with the goal to reduce parking space search time and traffic congestion.

Said to represent a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs, educators and the public, the IoE report unveiling was attended by several leading figure heads, including Dame Ellen MacArthur,  Craig Ellis of Network Rail Telecom, and Dr Maurizio Pilu of government-backed innovation centre, the Connected Digital Economy Catapult, who each discussed what IoE meant to them.

Guest speaker Ellis outlined a number of IoE initiatives in the pipeline for Network Rail including ‘Living Train’ – 360 degree CCTV in trains which can be accessed by the driver and blue light services, ‘Track 2Train Intelligent Infra’ – providing data of the tracks without having to ‘walk’ them, and passenger apps – offering rewards for regular train users which it will monitor using connected data.

Discussing the report, Cisco’s Smith, said:

“We’re now moving into the next phase of the Internet of Everything- a digitized world where everything is connected. The Internet is now one of our basic human needs […] and IoE is changing the way we work, live and play.

“The UK is building a new super highway of digital abilities – the possibilities of connecting to things that have never been attempted before. With IoE who will the next eBay be?

“We’re only limited by our possibilities. Imagine when trees and cars connect to the internet, when we have sensors everywhere; heat sensors used to cost thousands but now only cost a fraction of a penny. Connected fridges are also becoming a reality and sensors are being built in cars.

Outlining the potential for entrepreneurs to exploit IoE, Smith continued:

“Currently, only 1% of things are connected to the internet so there is a huge amount of opportunity.”

You can download the report by clicking here.