Girls in Tech: Designing innovative IoT solutions
The Internet of Things (IoT) has become one of the most important and most rapidly developing technologies of the 21st century.
Now that we can connect everyday objects – from kitchen appliances and cars to thermostats and baby monitors – to the internet via embedded devices, seamless communication is possible between people, processes, and things.
Experts are expecting over 22 billion items to be connected to the IoT by 2025, leaving ample opportunity for developers and strategists to design seamless, intuitive experiences across every sector.
The Girls in Tech 2021 Virtual Hackathon invited people with a variety of skill sets to come together online and design innovative IoT solutions using technology. These are the three winners.
1st place: TrackMyTruck
Truck drivers experience high levels of stress at work, often resulting in health issues that result in them being sidelined from their jobs, contributing to the $10 billion spent each year in operations costs by the freighting industry.
TrackMyTruck was designed by five women who wanted to address the issues of trucker wellbeing, road incidents involving large vehicles, and operational efficiencies of managing vehicle fleets.
The solution developed is a clever IoT system that integrates with the government-mandated Electronic Logging Device to help companies reduce accidents and increase productivity while improving driver wellbeing.
The system is trying to help drivers manage the maintenance of their trucks, increase safety on the road and increase truck driver health, wellbeing, and job retention.
2nd place: Speesh
The creators of Speesh wanted to develop a portable security system for women based on IoT. The concept included an app for smartphones combining alerts, video and voice streaming services paired with a smart pendant and electric shock gloves for self defence.
The project pitch suggested uptake by smart cities to boost safety, minimise incidents of harassment, and warn women of unsafe areas.
3rd place: Hodo
Hodo was designed as a travel companion to help people access activity ideas, safety advice (including COVID-related information and emergency services information), transport options and planning materials. It was developed to solve the challenge of not knowing what to do or where to find support before you travel, and while you’re travelling.
It takes the guesswork out of travel planning by making lesser-known, and usually unrated information known in a broader way – for example, revealing ‘hidden secrets’ and promoting places that may not have websites or ratings.
The app connects with a text chat service for when the Internet isn’t available, so users can make plans and get ideas on-the-go.
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