The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of physical objects accessed through the Internet, as defined by technology analysts and visionaries. These objects contain embedded technology to interact with internal states or the external environment. In other words, when objects can sense and communicate, it changes how and where decisions are made, and who makes them.The IoT is connecting new places–such as manufacturing floors, energy grids, healthcare facilities, and transportation systems–to the Internet. When an object can represent itself digitally, it can be controlled from anywhere. This connectivity means more data, gathered from more places, with more ways to increase efficiency and improve safety and security. And with MediaSignage, Digital Signage is now an integral part of any business IoT solution.

Imagine having a customer pick up a product, and as soon as he does, the Digital Signage presentation begins playing a campaign that is specifically related to the products the customer is holding, it does not get any more relevant than that. A fire alarm that is connected to your Digital Signage screens instructs people to the best exit route, or a Digital Signage screen that greets (Hello) and turn on a projector for anyone walking through the front door of your business.

These and much more can easily be achieved with MediaSignage trigger and event system. Through IoT and the mediaCLOUD, you can adopt many of the popular IoT smart home / smart business automation devices and integrate them seamlessly into your business. Through an HTTP POST the SignagePlayer can trigger events at a local area network IoT hub (i.e.: Vera / Arduino / Ninja blocks etc) and using a local socket server, the SignagePlayer can receive events and sync the Signage presentation with relevant content.

The flexible architecture of trigger and events creates a limitless platform that can deliver any solution that you can come up with. Arguably, “things” have been existing at the edges of the Internet for many years. People turn off lights and open locked automobile doors using browsers and mobile apps, and industry has been getting feedback from sensors and monitors for many years. But now, for the first time, anyone can easily integrate these kind of solutions right onto their Digital Signage platform, and with MediaSignage you can do it for a fraction of the price of legacy systems.

Arduino

Arduino (arduino.cc) is an amazing prototyping platform that allows anyone with no special electronic skills to build a custom solution with a multitude number of sensors, relays and other gadgets and produce a specialized product that can send triggers and receive events through the SignagePlayer gateway. The Arduino Yun (aka the Arduino cloud) includes a second module that runs a lite version of the popular Linux operating system. The Linux side can communicate with the SignagePlayer socket server via HTTP post commands as well as communicate with the internal micro controller on the Arduino Yun to control sensors and switches. Thus the Arduino Yun is a perfect solution for anyone looking to create a fully customized IoT for their own business, or provide personalized IoT services to other businesses; all easily integrated with the mediaCLOUD Digital Signage network. Checkout the video tutorial below to learn more about Arduino and MediaSignage.

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Vera

Vera (getvera.com) is a popular smart home and smart business automation system that supports hundreds of off the shelf IoT devices. With Vera you will be able to integrate sensors, switches, relays and other smart devices and all with a simple plug and play setup. Checkout the video tutorial below on how to setup the Vera hub with MediaSignage.

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Everything connected

The expectation of communication between devices and objects is no longer a dream but a reality. The Internet of Things is not a futuristic technology trend: It’s here today, and it starts with your things — the POS terminals in your stores, the networks in your warehouse, the RFID tags in your supply chain and the smart phones your customers bring into your stores. That is the Internet of Your Things.

The devices, data and tools you use to run your business can be brought together and expanded in new ways you never thought possible. By implementing a Digital Signage strategy and integrating with the mediaCLOUD you can capitalize on the Internet of Things, you can stop just running your business and start making it thrive.