In a world where sending a text through space to your partner’s phone is more convenient than walking one room over to ask them a question, it can be easy to take for granted what goes into making that technology work. In this episode of TWT, Tamara visits Avnet to learn about different IoT (Internet of Things) devices that they’ve developed. She sees how far technology has progressed using IoT, from a sock that can track your baby’s vitals while they sleep to a mobile ultrasound device that can be used to quickly assess injuries. In addition to healthcare, IoT devices are constantly being developed to make our lives more convenient. Here are some additional examples of IoT inventions that can improve our day to day lives:

Amazon Dash Button

For those of us who use our Amazon Prime subscriptions to replace our grocery trips, there is now an even more convenient way to shop for your most common household items. It may already feel incredibly convenient to simply go onto Amazon, find the product you need, and go through the ordering process- but now it only takes the press of a single button. Essentially, the Amazon Dash Button is a compact button that connects to your Amazon app on your phone using your at-home wi-fi network. When you set up the button you’ll connect it to one specific product so that when you press the button, your amazon app will automatically put in an order for that product. If your family tends to go through a lot of paper towels, for example, you can hang your button right by where you store them so that, as soon as you notice yourself running low, you can simply press the button and a fresh order will be on the way. It may be a little inconvenient that each device only hooks up to one product, so you’ll likely need to order a few, but it’s perfect for those few items your family goes through a lot of in-between bigger grocery hauls.

August Doorbell Cam

We know you’ve likely heard of doorbell cam’s before, but this is the latest in IoT doorbell cam tech. Using this device, you can easily answer your door from anywhere- whether you be upstairs or across the country (provided you have access to Wi-Fi). In addition to allowing you to easily answer the door, the doorbell cam also monitors movement outside of your door with 24-hour recording and motion alerts with very clear HD full-color video.

Kuri Mobile Robot

This adorable robot named Kuri is probably the closest we’ve come in terms of AI and IoT to having a robot integrated into your family. Kuri is able to seamlessly navigate through your home and is equipped with a camera and motion sensor so that she can sense her surroundings. Though she’s not equipped to handle your house chores, she has a myriad of functions. She has built-in speakers so you can play music or podcasts from anywhere in the house. Her camera allows you to check on your home while you’re away and you can give her specific tasks like ‘let me know when the kids get home from school’ and she can send you an alert via an app. You can tell Kuri to let the kids know it’s time for dinner or ask her to read them a bedtime story and she will. In addition, because she’s equipped with a camera, she has what is called ‘Kuri Vision’ which means she’ll capture little moments throughout the day in photos and videos and you can let her know which ones you want to keep. Using AI, she’ll learn which moments you like and make sure to capture those more often.