We have a thing for the Internet of Things - best IoT use cases

IoT (the Internet Of Things) is not just a buzzword anymore, and it’s not part of sci-fi movies only either. This field is a huge game-changer in terms of urban (and not only) lifestyle. It shows the power of technology and what it can do to improve our way of life at its very best. 

Simply put, the Internet of Things is the extension of Internet connectivity into physical and everyday objects. From Amazon’s smart fridge which knows when to reorder milk by itself to Apple’s HomePod or Amazon’s Alexa, we are entering a new era in terms of how we interact with objects around us. Or better say - how they interact with us.

If you’re developing your own IoT product, either using loads of AI or not, here is why you should seriously consider working with us in two words: experience and passion.

Here are some of the IoT projects in our portfolio. It starts with the very first project I worked on as Lead iOS Developer before starting Wolfpack Digital, an app development company in Romania. 

As you can see, we simply love the Internet of Things to the roots!
 

1. FashionTech smart jewellery by Vinaya (United Kingdom)

Vinaya’s brand was all about providing digital detox by means of technology. Does it sound a bit paradoxical? It may, yet the London-based fashion tech startup was a huge hit in 2015. It achieved million-pound investment, sales, and important media mentions. The company sold smart modular jewellery that would help filter out notifications to ensure a more mindful lifestyle. The user could set which notifications (phone calls, messages, email etc.) would trigger the custom vibration of your high-end designer ring, necklace, bracelet, shirt, or cufflink. You could leave your smartphone in your bag and focus on conversation and the present moment, knowing the advanced filtering (including keyword-based) works to significantly reduce interruptions.

Unfortunately, the company had to close up shop while they were working on their second product. Looking back, it’s safe to say they were a bit ahead of their time. 

Having worked as a Lead iOS developer on the project, this is my favorite all-time mobile app I have worked on as a developer. The complexity of the coding was quite high given the proprietary software the chip inside the piece of jewellery was using and the low-level coding, Sometimes we literally had to program the smart ring using 0’s and 1’s.

Moving on now to some Internet of Things products developed by Wolfpack Digital. After the birth of the pack almost 5 years ago, we gained wisdom and passion for the field while working for this British startup:

2. Microlocalization using beacons for moving vehicles for the transportation sector (United Kingdom)

Our work here is partly classified and ongoing for more than 2 years. However, what we can say is that beacons make it easy to provide precise localization not just when roaming in physical stores or spaces, but also when your location is actually moving and you are on the road. When GPS doesn’t do the trick anymore and more granularity is needed in terms of localization, beacons are an excellent solution.

Using beacons (iBeacon protocol and not only) and Bluetooth technology, it’s possible to know exactly what spot the user is in when uploading/downloading data and content to/from the cloud. We have developed multiple apps using beacons for the transportation sector, on both iOS and Android, and the backend to support them. This technology can also be used to locate a person in case of an emergency.

3. GreenTech solution for home & office by RainDrops (Romania)

It’s time to enter the realms of another apparent paradox: how can technology be used to bring us closer to nature, or to bring nature closer to our home and office?

Well, RainDrops, which is our own beloved greentech startup project, is a smart flowerpot with a slick design. It allows the user to schedule irrigation for multiple plants using a single flower pot. We are building with other entities from the Cluj-Napoca startup ecosystem. The iOS and Android apps show you just how happy your plant is, depending on the level of available water.

We have worked on everything app-related for the project: building the server logic and the API. We also have built the user interface for the mobile apps, preparing the smart flowerpot setup using WiFi and Bluetooth, communicating with the proprietary software used by embedded technology, etc. 

The project has just successfully passed the prototyping phase and is scheduled to enter production at the end of 2019.

4. Missions for kids guided by smart ball by Storyball (Israel)

Again, technology gets crazy in IoT, by means of smart toys aimed at keeping children away from, well… technology, sort of. 

Storyball is a hot startup from Tel Aviv providing a unique smart ball and the accompanying mobile app to complete the experience. This way children can once again enjoy a screen-free childhood. So, you may be asking yourself: how does it work? 

Kids get various missions via the mobile app which is connected to the smart ball via Bluetooth. Then they can keep away from the smartphone screen and run off into the wild (figuratively) to complete their tasks. The smart toy has an internal speaker guiding children to jump, run, etc. Wolfpack Digital has worked on the iOS app since 2018, helping with Bluetooth connectivity and user interface implementation.

“We were happy with the work of the Wolfpack Digital team. It’s proven very useful and we were able to manage the project from long distance. Thank you for your services!” — Chen Lev, CEO at Storyball

5. Improving athlete performance by Goalplay (Germany)

This sports tech iOS app is work-in-progress. However, we strongly believe it will be a massive game-changer in the world of sports, by helping performance athletes with their training. 

By using smart sports equipment and AI, based on knowledge from genuine World Champions, the user can see personalized metrics and tips on how to improve their performance. Wolfpack Digital has been helping with connecting the mobile app to the smart sports equipment via Bluetooth. We also have built an interactive user interface since early 2019. 

We look forward to seeing this product live and being able to share more about it!

And that is it for now!

Be it fashiontech, greentech, transportation, entertainment or sports, we promise to keep you updated and to always keep our hunger and sense of wonder for IoT! 

Want to work with us? Because Wolfpack Digital is hiring.

Want us to build your app? Because Wolfpack Digital is the right app development agency for that.