IoT Tracking Devices Help with Data Analysis 

With COVID-19 ravaging economies worldwide, most news has understandably been focused on the destruction and death that COVID-19 has left in its wake.  Yet some industries and technologies have found themselves striving during this crisis, becoming more relevant than ever before with the Internet of Things (“IoT”).  In particular, IoT tracking devices have been able to provide new insight into how the virus is impacting certain industries in real-time. 

IoT Tracking Devices in Commerce

For example, industries that rely heavily on container and fleet vehicles to ferry their goods across borders have been able to rely on IoT to track the impact that COVID-19 has had on overall trucking and shipment activity.  By simply attaching IoT tracking devices to the truck or fleet vehicles, data can be collected in real-time.  As such, not only do the IoT devices track the trade activity in specific geographical locations, but they can also track whether or not more fleet vehicles are being used overall.  Vendors are able to adjust their shipments accordingly as they analyze the data sent back by the IoT devices. 

This data can not only help the vendors at a micro-level, but it also allows for more analysis about COVID-19 at a macro-level.  For example, if an area requires more goods than usual but has longer than normal transportation time, IoT tracking data can trigger analysts to look deeper into the affected location and determine whether COVID-19 is particularly active there and adjust the fleet vehicles accordingly.  And at a macro level, data regarding emissions can also be tracked by the same IoT devices, allowing scientists to track and analyze the impact that COVID-19 has had on the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions globally. 

Data Analysis Using IoT 

IoT experts also note that the analysis of data provided by IoT tracking devices during the pandemic will allow for better preparation when the next crisis hits.  More specifically, IoT data will help supply chains better predict and prepare for disruption in the future.  Similarly, governments and business will be able to use data provided by IoT tracking devices to better determine and predict how and when supplies will be delivered to them during crises.   

Key Takeaways on the Use of IoT Tracking Devices

The increase in adoption of IoT tracking devices during the COVID-19 pandemic has been helpful because:

• it returns real-time data that can be analyzed to determine COVID-19’s effect on supply chains;

• its data can be used in industries outside the direct user (e.g., studies on environmental changes or emissions); and

• it allows analysts to prepare for other global disruptive events in the future.

For more insights on data privacy, see our Technology Law Overview and Consumer Products Industry Legal Solutions pages.

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