Remote monitoring. Monitoring will

Remote monitoring. Monitoring will constitute many Internet of Things applications. By placing sensors, transmitters, or RFID tags on machinery and other assets or on pallets, containers, or packages, companies are able to monitor how equipment is performing or being used and to track merchandise and parts as they make their way through supply chains. For example, FedEx’s SenseAware program allows customers to track the progress of packages almost continuously. Customers place a small device—about the size of a mobile phone—into a package. The device includes a global positioning system as well as sensors to monitor such conditions as temperature, light exposure, relative humidity, and barometric pressure, which are critical to some cargo such as biological samples or sensitive electronic equipment. The device is programmed to relay its location and atmospheric conditions periodically so customers can know the exact whereabouts of their packages—and learn immediately when they deviate off course or when ambient conditions change significantly. This type of continuous data availability obviously has implications for companies that operate long and complex supply chains.