IoT ( Internet of Things), translated as “internet of things/objects,” is a concept that involves connecting various devices together on a network. Such solutions are used, for example, in smart spaces.
IoT technologies in smart spaces
Increasingly, in the spaces around us, e.g. homes or apartments, we use solutions that communicate with each other. Remotely we are able to manage lighting and heating, raise or lower the blinds, check what supplies we have in the refrigerator. Many of the devices that we can connect as part of smart home systems are equipped with screens – we already find them in almost every room: living room, bedroom, kitchen or bathroom. What’s more, it is likely to be an overview of various data visualization technologies – in addition to LCD-TFT displays – also LCM or OLED, and sometimes EPD.
We can manage each of the devices functioning within the smart home systems from the control panel. Most often they implement LCD-TFT displays – these can be standard solutions with universal parameters, e.g. optimal readability of the presented content will be achieved already at a brightness of 250 cd/m2. Typically, these types of devices are operated by touch – this requires applying a touch sensor and protective glass to the LCD-TFT display.
Smart home systems are just one example of smart spaces. Increasingly, we are also encountering solutions to improve the quality of our lives in other places such as offices. Learn more about solutions suitable for smart spaces.
Displays in wearable devices
In addition to consumer electronics such as smartwatches, the wearables category also includes solutions used in telemedicine. The need for constant monitoring of the patient’s condition generates the need for such wearable devices as glucometers and pulse oximeters, which will alert the appropriate services if a disturbance in vital functions is detected.
The preferred data visualization technology for wearable devices is monochrome OLED displays, which – thanks to their high contrast and wide viewing angles – provide excellent readability of the content presented on them. What’s more, these are matrices that do not require additional backlighting(each individual pixel is built from an OLED, which is anindependent light source), making them energy-efficient solutions, perfect for battery-powered equipment. Learn more about medical solutions.
IoT technologies in industry
When referring to the application of IoT solutions in industry, the term IIoT, or Industrial Internet of Things, is sometimes used. It refers to various devices, such as measurement equipment (sensors, meters or counters), which are part of applications implemented, among others. At production processes. Using this type of solution makes it possible to collect and analyze data that can not only be used to measure performance, but can also be the impetus for making improvements on production lines, for example.
In this type of measurement equipment, including portable variants, monochrome OLED displays are the best, which – in addition to providing excellent readability of the presented content – are adapted to work in extreme temperatures (these are ranges usually defined between -40 and 80°C). If complex data in the form of graphs, for example, are presented on the screen, an alternative may be several-inch LCD-TFT displays with appropriately selected parameters – it will be necessary to pay attention primarily to brightness (at least 1000 cd/m2), viewing angles (full) and operating temperature range (at least -20~70°C).
Human-Machine Interface (HMI) control panels are commonly used in industry. Sometimes you can still find boards with buttons, switches, dials or meters/counters, which today are being displaced by screen-based solutions, including those with touch functionality. These types of control panels most often use LCD-TFT displays with appropriately selected parameters, to which touch sensors and protective glass are then applied. Models that will be perfect for this type of application are the 7- or 10-inch all-in-one modules in the STM32 Embedded Displays series designed by the Riverdi team. Their resolution (1024×600 or 1280×800), brightness (at least 800 cd/m2) and contrast (1000:1), as well as full viewing angles, will ensure excellent readability of the content, even in conditions of intense lighting (e.g., in production halls). A feature of the series is modularity, making numerous variants with different parameters available off-the-shelf, including models such as. With touch panels and protective glass.
For devices intended for industrial use, additional safeguards may be necessary to protect electronics, including modules with screens, from contamination (such as dust) or flooding (such as water). Such solutions include enclosures with the appropriate level of waterproofing, which is determined by IP codes defined in PN-EN 60529. Learn more about solutions for industry.
