Vote for YOUR Favorite IoT Innovation Challenge Entry and Help Support Next Generation Technologists Building a Better Planet

Wow, just WOW! I am energized by the nearly 200 entries into the Keysight IoT Innovation Challenge. The entries – proposals by university students worldwide for how to use connected device technologies in smart-land and -water applications – delivered a wide breadth of solutions for positive environmental and social impact. As a technology careerist and a corporate social responsibility evangelist, I am simply awe-inspired by what these next generation technologists have put forth to help build a better planet. The entries represent a true intersection of technology and sustainability, at a time when it is so desperately needed.

Now is the time

Already, more than 90% of people worldwide live in areas exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for healthy air1, and more than 2 billion live in countries experiencing high water stress2. In addition, by 2050, it is expected that two-thirds of the world’s population will live in cities3, which will further exacerbate urban health conditions.

At the same time, advancements in technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) provide the ability to connect devices, sensors, and data analytics wirelessly in ways never before possible. While some may see such advancements as part of the problem, they can also be part of the solution! The World Economic Forum IoT for Sustainable Development Project, for example, is investigating viable IoT approaches to support positive environmental and social impact. For its part, Keysight created the IoT Innovation Challenge to not only engage great minds in next generation STEM fields, but to provide them a platform for innovative ideas that can help build a better planet for us all. And as I said before, the teams really delivered!

Breadth in solutions, impact and technology

First and foremost, I am impressed with the breadth of problems the teams looked to solve. Many entries focus on air and water quality but range in application from indoor and outdoor environments and testing, monitoring and/or reporting. In some cases, teams took air and water pollution into the future with predictability concepts, and even water storage approaches for future resource use. But other topics were tackled as well, using IoT to address solutions for:

These solutions were offered with various levels of impact as well:

Even the technical approaches were varied. Sensors, lasers, artificial intelligence and blockchain approaches, for example, were considered across the different solutions.

And did I mention the entries were submitted from around the world? In fact, entries came in from more than 20 countries across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Vote for YOUR favorite

While I was amazed by the submittals, don’t just take my word for it, go check them out for yourself! In fact, register to vote for your favorite entry and cast your ballot (by June 21) for the solution that most resonates with you. I’m glad I am not a judge, as the winning selection will be difficult. But I feel super privileged to review and see all the amazing entries.

  1. State of Global Air/2019
  2. United Nations World Water Development Report 2019
  3. Two-thirds of global population will live in cities by 2050, UN says
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