Internet of Everything (IoE): Guide & 15 Use Cases in 2025

The Internet of Everything (IoE) connects things, data, people, and processes using sensors and communication systems, going beyond just device connectivity to a fully integrated ecosystem. IOE solutions create value on healthcare, smart cities, retail, smart homes and industrial processes areas.

Explore the definition of IoE, focusing on its four main pillars-things, data, people, and processes- and how they create a smart, connected world that enhances efficiency and sustainability:

What is the Internet of Everything (IoE)?

The Internet of Everything (IoE) expands on the Internet of Things (IoT) by connecting people, data, processes, and devices to enable smarter decision-making and automation. IoE creates more integrated systems, allowing interactions between these elements for enhanced efficiency in various sectors like healthcare, transportation, and industry.

For example, in a smart city, traffic lights, vehicles, and public transport systems communicate in real-time. This integration optimizes traffic flow and adjusts transit schedules, improving urban mobility and reducing delays.

4 pillars of the Internet of Everything

Figure 1. Pillars of Internet of Everything

Source: Intelligent Services in the IoE Paradigm: A New Age of Collaboration.¹

Four pillars (People, Things, Data, and Processes) distinguish IoE as the next stage of evolution from IoT. By extending beyond physical devices to include humans and strategic interactions, IoE creates a dynamic ecosystem poised to transform industries, enhance user experiences, and generate significant economic value.²

1. People

In the IoE framework, people act as sensors and knowledge sources. Through their interactions with connected systems, individuals contribute to data collection, assist in decision-making, and influence behavior modification. The integration of person-to-person (P2P) and person-to-machine (P2M) communication ensures that the IoE is not just about devices but also about enhancing human experiences.

2. Things

Things represent intelligent devices or machines equipped with physical sensors and actuators. These devices generate and process large volumes of unprocessed information, facilitating interaction with the physical world. From fitness trackers monitoring health to industrial machinery optimizing the production process, connected things form the backbone of IoE systems.

3. Data

Data serves as the raw material for IoE’s advanced capabilities. By collecting, analyzing, and utilizing information, IoE systems enable informed decision-making and effective control strategies. This pillar ensures that information flows across networks to enhance knowledge processes and improve outcomes in diverse applications.

4. Processes

The processes pillar focuses on delivering the right information to the right recipient at the right time through the most effective channels. These strategic interactions are designed to maximize value and efficiency. By linking machine-to-machine (M2M) and human-centric communications, processes create actionable insights, improve system functionality, and drive innovation.

IoT vs IoE

IoT and IoE differ in focus scope, components, data flow, analysis, and use cases.³

Internet of Things (IoT): building blocks for an automated world

IoT revolves around the interaction of physical devices and connected devices within a networked ecosystem. It focuses on machine-to-machine communication, enabling individual devices to collect data, transmit it to cloud systems, and facilitate real-time monitoring of physical objects. Examples include smart devices like fitness trackers, household appliances, and sensors used in smart buildings and industrial internet applications.

Key characteristics of IoT include:

• Focus scope: Primarily concerned with specific tasks, such as monitoring energy consumption, performing predictive maintenance, or reducing costs in production processes.
• Data flow: Unidirectional; IoT devices typically send collected information to a centralized cloud for analysis, focusing on raw data and device performance.
• Use cases: Practical applications include managing air conditioning, tracking wind speed, and monitoring a wearer’s blood pressure with minimal human intervention.
• Analysis: Basic, centered on optimizing individual devices for enhanced end user satisfaction and efficiency.

Internet of Everything (IoE): beyond devices to connected ecosystems

The Internet of Everything IoE builds upon IoT by integrating people, processes, data, and things, referred to as the four pillars of IoE. This concept transforms isolated networking capabilities into an intelligent, distributed ecosystem of internet-connected devices. IoE focuses on machine-to-people interactions, leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to create new capabilities and adapt to dynamic environments.

Key distinctions of IoE include:

• Focus scope: Emphasizes creating richer experiences by connecting various systems, processes, and other technologies to generate actionable insights and foster intuitive interactions.
• Data flow: Multidirectional; networked devices communicate with humans, other devices, and systems, allowing for the seamless exchange of correct information across multiple platforms.
• Use cases: Applicable in practically every industry, IoE enables preemptive repairs, supports quality products, and facilitates real-time monitoring of interconnected processes.
• Analysis: Advanced; IoE solutions employ big data analytics and machine learning to analyze external data and predict outcomes, reducing the need for human intervention while enhancing digital features.

Key Differences between IoT and IoE

1. Scope of Interaction
   • IoT: Focuses on connecting and automating physical devices for specific, task-based operations like monitoring, measuring, or controlling.
   • IoE: Expands beyond devices to include the integration of people, processes, and data for comprehensive, system-wide interactivity.
2. Data Flow
   • IoT: Primarily unidirectional, where data flows from connected devices to centralized systems for analysis or action.
   • IoE: Multidirectional, facilitating interactions between devices, people, and processes in a dynamic, decentralized environment.
3. Level of Intelligence
   • IoT: Relies on basic rule-based systems to ensure machine-to-machine communication for predefined actions.
   • IoE: Incorporates machine learning and AI to interpret patterns, predict outcomes, and dynamically adapt to user needs.
4. Use Cases
   • IoT: Tailored for isolated applications, such as smart devices in homes, industrial internet systems, or wearables for tracking health metrics.
   • IoE: Encompasses broader ecosystems, enabling richer experiences like real-time optimization of cross-functional systems or holistic business process transformation.
5. Value Creation
   • IoT: Focused on improving the performance and monitoring of individual devices for operational efficiency.
   • IoE: Unlocks new capabilities by transforming collected data into actionable insights that benefit entire ecosystems, enhancing end user satisfaction and enabling greater innovation.

IoT and IoE in Action

To illustrate, consider a smart device like a coffee mug:

• In an IoT scenario, the mug sends a notification when the liquid reaches a desired temperature, leveraging basic connectivity.
• In an IoE ecosystem, the same mug interacts with other devices (e.g., a thermostat), analyzes usage patterns via artificial intelligence, and suggests optimal settings based on collected information to improve the user’s experience.

Use cases of the Internet of Everything

Healthcare

1. Smart apparel

Smart apparel leverages IoE technology to integrate intelligent sensors into clothing and accessories, enhancing user comfort, health monitoring, and functionality.

Nike’s self-lacing shoe captures the wearer’s blood pressure through embedded sensors in the shoe. It then automatically loosens/tightens the shoe accordingly.⁴

2. Health monitors

Patients can wear wearable monitors to track their sugar levels, for instance, and connect it to a smart pill dispenser. The dispenser itself is connected to the patient’s Electronic Health Records (EHR), which houses their prescription details. Whenever the patient’s sugar level falls below a certain threshold, the monitor alerts the pill dispenser to dispense the relevant dosage and sends a notification to the patient to their pill.

Figure 2. An Internet-connected pill dispenser

Source: Amazon⁵

3. Telehealth

For those wanting to lose/gain weight, smart refrigerators leveraging sensors, cameras, and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology can send a transcribed list of all the foods stored in them to the cloud, accessible by a dietician.⁶ The dietician could then curate a personalized dietary plan, point out dos and don’ts in their current food inventory, and monitor their daily consumption.

Explore IoT in healthcare in more detail.

Smart cities

4. Water management

Tel-Aviv’s municipality equipped water pipes with Cisco’s smart-water camera chips.⁷ By transmitting data from underground pipes to the Cloud, the supervisory control center was able to monitor leaks, drains, water levels, and water pressure. With the generated data from these pipes, Israel hopes to reduce costs, prevent water shortages, and moderate water consumption.

5. Smart traffic management

By connecting physical devices such as street cameras, smart traffic lights, and GPS-connected vehicles and analyzing the generated data, traffic congestion can be more efficiently managed. For example, during rush hours, algorithms would process this data in real time to dynamically adjust traffic light timings.⁸ Or navigational applications would provide alternate routing suggestions to disperse the traffic.

6. Urban planning

In Istanbul, the municipality is using live satellite images and camera pictures, in addition to traditional population datasets, to build more daycares and parks districts with the highest number of children and the elderly present.⁹

Figure 3. Istanbul’s district children population density

Source: Kent95¹⁰

Retail

7. Automated checkouts

Automated checkouts powered by IoE redefine the shopping experience by using interconnected devices and sensors to enable seamless, cashier-free transactions.

Amazon Go has automated checkouts. When users enter the store, they are automatically logged into their Amazon account.¹¹ And each item they pick off a shelf is automatically added to their virtual cart. And once they leave the store, the total receipt amount is deducted from the card they’ve saved on Amazon’s system.

Figure 4. Amazon Go shopping experience

Source: Amazon¹²

8. Restocking shelves

IoE-enabled restocking solutions use RFID-equipped shelves to monitor inventory levels in real time, ensuring timely replenishment and efficient stock management.

Shelves that are equipped with RFID tags monitor the items on each row.¹³ Whenever an item is picked off the shelves, one is automatically deducted from the total number of that item in the inventory management software. When the quantity falls below a certain level, the software notifies the staff so they can restock the shelves before they are empty.

9. Supply chain management

Sensors and GPS on delivery vehicles and products allow for real-time tracking, ensuring that products arrive on time and in the right condition, thereby streamlining the supply chain. Especially for companies that are distributors, they can monitor the ETA of products and exchange data in real-time with the retailers.

Real-time freight tracking enhances e-supply chain management by providing accurate visibility and timely insights, enabling improved coordination, optimized logistics, and higher customer satisfaction.¹⁴

Explore IoT in retail in more detail.

Smart homes

10. Security systems

In homes with smart lights, cameras, and sensors, security systems could automatically be engaged when there’s no sign that anyone is inside the house. This is particularly useful when people go on vacations and forget to lock their doors. Moreover, these systems can send real-time alerts to the owner’s phone and enable remote control.

11. Energy management

IoE-driven energy management leverages smart metering and environmental monitoring to optimize resource consumption, detect anomalies, and provide real-time insights for sustainable energy use.¹⁵

Smart thermostats can learn from your behavior and adjust the temperature accordingly whilst allowing remote control on mobile devices. Other technologies, such as smart lights or irrigation sensors, can also monitor their environment and learn from your usage patterns. For example, for conservation reasons, you might only water your lawn once a week. The sensors would learn to automatically turn on without you having to program anything manually.

12. Entertainment systems

Smart TVs, sound systems, and other entertainment devices can be controllable and adaptable to user preferences over time. For example, the TV could learn to turn on when the user comes home at 5 PM every day and unlock the door. Or, on weekends, jazz music can start playing in the mornings if the user has passively (i.e., without programming a schedule in it) trained it to do so.

Industrial processes

13. Predictive maintenance

Sensors placed on pieces of machinery and equipment can monitor their temperature, vibration levels, speed, and operational time to generate data to preemptively notify the maintenance and engineering department when maintenance is needed. This would happen before the machine goes into breakdown, thus reducing repair downtime and extending its useful life.

In addition, the IoT data from one connected device could be compared with other pieces of equipment to constantly carry out facility-wide inspections.

Learn more about predictive maintenance.

14. Quality control

Data from multiple sources, such as sensors on the production line, quality check systems, employee feedback, and even customer reviews, can be aggregated and analyzed collectively. This data-driven approach provides a multi-faceted view of quality.

For example, let’s say a phone manufacturer’s phone batteries keep catching fire. The company can aggregate all mentions of battery issues on social media to understand how and in which settings the fires are breaking out. The data could then be used to lower the alert threshold of sensors on factors such as temperature, voltage and current, electrolyte leakage, etc.

Then, the serial numbers of new production batches can be tracked to see if the issue keeps happening.

15. Workers’ health and safety

Workers can wear smart watches that monitor their vital signs, such as body temperature and even levels of exposure to harmful materials.¹⁶ If a sensor detects abnormal levels of, say, heart rate, it can alert the worker and the safety manager.

Training modules or production schedules can then be dynamically updated to teach the worker how they can lower their heart rates (by learning relaxation techniques) and manage the workload to avoid strenuous production timelines.

Learn more about Industrial IoT.

IoE’s challenges

1. Security

This is, arguably, an unsolvable challenge of IoE. As long as data is stored in the cloud, there is the threat of cybersecurity. For example, if a household uses a smart lock for entry and exit, and hackers hijack the application, then they could, theoretically, lock the family out of their own house.

This is just one example. Imagine a power plant’s software being hijacked or a self-driving Tesla, with a passenger inside, driving to the unknown.

2. Privacy

Interconnected to security, privacy is another main challenge facing IoE. Consider smartwatches, for instance. They are already capable of predicting a heart attack based on the recognition of vital signs.¹⁷ If a health insurance company, through your smartwatch, accesses your medical data, they will be able to blindly discriminate against you in the shape of costly blanket policies.¹⁸

3. Compatibility

The number of IoT devices is on the rise. There are thousands of different programmers creating more devices and software each year, using different methods, codes, and standards. Connecting all these devices into a harmonious ecosystem can require more oversight, larger IT expenditures, and longer downtime in case of repairs.

The good news is the existence of composable applications. Composable application (CA) is the idea of using app builders to estimate what the most useful blocks are among multiple complete applications and then “compose” these blocks into a new application. This helps streamline the integration process.

Further reading

• Capture More IoT Market Share
• IoT-5G For a Fast and Consistent Connectivity
• Edge Computing: A Better Alternative Than Cloud for IoT

And if you believe your business will benefit from an IoT or IoE solution, feel free to check our data-driven hub of IoT solutions and tools.

External Resources

• 1. Taves, A. A., da Costa, V. C. F., & Eduardo, C. (2024). Intelligent Services in the IoE Paradigm: A New Age of Collaboration.
• 2. Taves, A. A., da Costa, V. C. F., & Eduardo, C. (2024). Intelligent Services in the IoE Paradigm: A New Age of Collaboration.
• 3. Chauhan, D., & Jain, J. K. (2019). A Journey from IoT to IoE. International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE), 8(11).
• 4. Nike's self-lacing sneakers to return in 2019 . The Express Tribune
• 5. Pill dispenser. Amazon. Accessed: January/08/2025.
• 6. Xie, L., Yin, Y., Lu, X., Sheng, B., & Lu, S. (2013, September). iFridge: an intelligent fridge for food management based on RFID technology. In Proceedings of the 2013 ACM conference on Pervasive and ubiquitous computing adjunct publication (pp. 291-294).
• 7. Israeli firms co-develop unique water monitoring system. Smart Energy Internationl
• 8. Humayun, M., Afsar, S., Almufareh, M. F., Jhanjhi, N. Z., & AlSuwailem, M. (2022). Smart traffic management system for metropolitan cities of kingdom using cutting edge technologies. Journal of Advanced Transportation, 2022(1), 4687319.
• 9. Istanbul Wants to Make Urban Data Available to Everybody - Bloomberg. Bloomberg
• 10. Bakırköy - Kent95.
• 11. Amazon Go is a new kind of corner store. Amazon. Accessed: January/08/2025.
• 12. Amazon Go is a new kind of corner store. Amazon. Accessed: January/08/2025.
• 13. Smart Shelves - Scitech Patent Art. SciTech Patent art
• 14. Jean, G. (2024). Impact of Real-Time Freight Tracking on E-supply Chain Coordination and Delivery Performance.
• 15. ᐉ IoT Energy Management & Monitoring | ThingsBoard. thingsboard
• 16. Monitoring employee vital signs | Zerintia Technologies. Zerintia Technologies
• 17. Can a Smartwatch Save Your Life? - The New York Times. The New York Times
• 18. Blanket Insurance Definition, What It Covers, Who Needs It. Investopedia