The 2000s saw a tipping point in consumer electronics that created something of a “Big Data Bang.”
Highspeed internet connections reached mobile devices and thus began the dawn of a new digital era that connected virtually everyone and everything.
The connected world has grown at an astounding pace ever since – from 2 billion “smart” devices in 2006 to an expected 200 billion by 2020.
This has led to an explosion of information and terms like the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), big data, 5G and the cloud becoming common vernacular.
At a basic level, these terms refer to the near ubiquitous ability of devices to send and receive data.
Users can then leverage this data to make more informed decisions and enable automated actions, thereby increasing labor productivity.
But what does that mean for businesses, particularly warehouses and distribution centers?