6 ways the Internet of Things is improving our lives

2. Cleaner air and water
The Internet of Things can help cities improve public health. Dirty air and water led to a staggering 9 million deaths in 2015 alone, according to a recent study. Cities suffering from chronic pollution, such as Delhi and Beijing, are beginning to deploy sensor networks designed to alert residents when levels are dangerously high.
In London, where up to 9,000 deaths per year are attributed to air pollution, Drayson Technologies has been testing sensors that are distributed to bicycle couriers and a fleet of fuel-cell cars. The sensors, which transmit data to smartphones via Bluetooth, allow Drayson to create real-time maps showing air pollution levels around the city.
In Oakland, California, an environmental sensing startup called Aclima has partnered with Google, EDF and researchers from the University of Texas at Austin to create a highly detailed block-by-block map of air pollution, using a fleet of Google Street View vehicles carrying specialized sensors. By expanding this model across cities, networks of sensors could help policy makers identify and reduce pockets of pollution.
Can smart cities be scaled? A team of tech providers (including Cisco), the UK government and the city of Manchester are trying to answer that question with a project called CityVerve. CityVerve is developing IoT infrastructure for everything from culture, healthcare, energy and travel, making Manchester a more sustainable city while also providing a blueprint for others.
3. Smarter agriculture
From massive agribusiness players like Cargill to small organic farmers, growers all over the world are using the Internet of Things to reduce their consumption of water and fertilizers, cut waste and improve the quality or yield of their products. Examples range from tracking microclimates across cropland, to closely monitoring temperature changes and humidity levels as perishable goods move from field to warehouse to store in order to extend their shelf life and eliminate waste.
California's recent historic drought forced many growers to search for ways of using less water. Tech providers are helping them with tools such as drone imagery and soil sensors, which measure real-time conditions. According to The Nature Conservancy, such precision agriculture can enable farmers to cut water and fertilizer use by up to 40 percent, without reducing yields.