Workplace safety in the energy sector
One of the most powerful and important benefits of Edge computing is its use in the oil and energy industries. These industries traditionally rely on collecting and transmitting data to surveillance centers located in remote locations. This means that even with real-time sensors monitoring, for example, pressure and conductivity, information about potential emergency situations can reach the data center much later than a critical failure occurs. With Edge computing, anomalies and problems can be tracked and resolved faster than ever before.
Security
Many different emerging technologies, and 5G and IoT are no exception, have their own vulnerabilities. In doing so, edge computing can be used to mitigate potential threats. Traditional centralized networks and data warehouses make it easy for attackers to sign in and access data, but Edge diversifies some aspects of attack and provides better protection.
This does not mean that edge computing is extremely reliable. In fact, for most of 2022, companies will be dealing with vulnerabilities, not the merits of Edge. According to Kollective, 66% of IT teams see this technology as a threat to their organizations.
One of the main threats posed by edge computing is the proliferation of physical data sources. Since Edge involves operating more physical resources in the real world, attackers have more targets to compromise networks. If they gain access to Edge devices, they can extract valuable information, tamper with or destroy node diagrams, or even change the OS and software of the nodes.
According to some experts, fears associated with Edge computing, to some extent, devalue their benefits and may even slow down implementation.
Customer experience
One of the hottest business uses for Edge is in customer service. By reducing latency inherent in this technology, companies can provide optimal service. For example, amusement parks use IoT sensors and edge computing to quickly communicate the performance of their rides. Based on this data, adjustments are made to optimize their performance and prevent possible failures.
Even more tangible is the significant increase in the speed of sales that Edge computing provides. A Deloitte Digital study found that a 100ms increase in mobile retail speed resulted in an 8.4% increase in sales conversions. Reducing latency can also help marketers process customer data in near real time. This allows for more personalized and interactive customer services, advanced chatbots, and even offline interactions.
Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the fastest growing area that includes edge computing devices. These include smart appliances, smartphones, wearable devices, gaming systems, printers, and more.
According to forecasts Statista, by 2025, the prevalence of smart devices will increase four-fold. This is expected to significantly expand edge computing capabilities. In fact, the rise of IoT could lead to great benefits in the Edge sector, such as lower latency. The growth in the number of IoT devices will not only contribute to its development, but will also revolutionize various industries such as healthcare and education. In fact, IoT devices are already being deployed at the edge in healthcare and for remote site monitoring.
Edge computing in healthcare
The healthcare industry is at the forefront of IoT adoption, so it’s expected to lead the way in edge computing as well. Large hospitals are realizing that it is more profitable for them to store medical sensor data, electronic medical records and digital imaging nearby, rather than transfer it to the cloud. An example is a real-time sepsis diagnostic solution. Thanks to Edge, this traditionally lengthy process has been reduced to almost one day.