If you are a Raspberry Pi enthusiast, you are not alone. This microcomputer can be used to power a lot of DIY projects. You can easily connect it to sensors, a monitor, input devices, and other modules to create a complex system with a specific set of purposes. There are even repositories of projects and DIY ideas to explore, all based on Raspberry Pi.
If you think that Raspberry Pi is only for enthusiasts, however, you are mistaken. The small board is now powering a lot of IoT devices. Those devices are used in different situations, including as part of business solutions. Looking at the bigger picture, there are several prominent reasons why IoT – and Raspberry Pi behind it – is changing modern businesses.
Low Entry Barrier
The fact that Raspberry Pi works really well with sensors and third-party modules is actually one of the board’s biggest appeals. As mentioned before, it is easy to craft different devices with a Pi at the core. There are even starter kits to help enthusiasts and professionals build the IoT devices they need.
The available starter kits are bundled with supporting hardware required to create a working solution. Vilros is the best e-commerce site to check out if you are looking for Raspberry Pi starter kits. You can, for instance, pick up a complete kit for building your own arcade machine with classic games.
The kits from Vilros are great examples of how easy it is to get started with Raspberry Pi. More importantly, sites like Vilros completely eliminates entry barriers into the world of IoT devices. Businesses with little to no experience in programming can start experimenting with IoT.
More Data Streams
As mentioned before, a lot of modules and hardware for Raspberry Pi are designed to capture data. They are sensors that can track anything from room temperature to the number of people that go past a door. There is also the possibility of combining multiple sensors for even more specific applications.
This results in more data streams for businesses to use. The data streams allow businesses to analyze monitored situations in real-time. When implemented for warehouse management, for example, businesses can use IoT to keep track of inventory level by scanning shelves and monitoring changes.
On a certain level, data analysis can be performed directly in Raspberry Pi. Triggers and alarms can be fully automated, allowing businesses to be more agile without relying too much on manual tasks and human input. As companies gain real-time insights, productivity and business performance can be improved along the way.
Improvement to Customer Experience
With customer experience becoming an important metric for businesses, using IoT to deliver a smoother, more seamless experience is the logical next step. Companies that manufacture their own hardware are integrated IoT features to allow for remote monitoring and seamless integration with maintenance.
The same can be said for the retail industry. Combined with more advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), IoT simplifies the entire process of monitoring retail spaces and making sure that all customers can find what they need quickly.
There are also more advanced reasons for better integration of IoT for automation. Coffee shops can completely automate their purchasing workflow using scanners and automation software. When the inventory of coffee beans reaches a certain level, a purchase order for more beans can be automatically issued, minimizing any delay along the way.
A Boost in Efficiency
Once IoT is used alongside automation and other technologies, it is easy to see how the small, connected devices can significantly improve business efficiency and effectiveness. Sticking with the previous example of automated coffee bean inventory monitoring, eliminating manual purchase orders alone allow the coffee shop to redirect resources towards serving the customers better.
That boost in efficiency is apparent in other industries as well. Logistics companies can now monitor their fleet in great details, and then use the collected data for improvement. Rather than sticking with a predetermined route, vehicles can be routed based on maximum efficiency, better delivery time, and other parameters.
The same is true with bigger industries like mining. Sensors attached to drones and different areas of a mine can send back valuable data about day-to-day operations. That constant stream of data, when analyzed properly, produces insights that are invaluable to the company itself; imagine being able to monitor possible issues with pipelines without doing manual inspections.
IoT for the Future
Something as simple as a Raspberry Pi can power the solutions and use cases we discussed in this article; that’s an incredible feat on its own. There are also better ways to integrate IoT with other solutions. There are even ways to integrate IoT with more powerful cloud computing.
The possibilities are endless. As businesses uncover more reasons to use IoT to meet business objectives, expect to see more use of Raspberry Pi and IoT devices commercially.
