For a growing number of companies, the internet of things (IoT) has moved past the experimental phase and is now entrenched in vital business processes, providing a competitive edge across a variety of sectors. For example, there's Sanmina, a producer of integrated manufacturing equipment, which has leveraged connected sensors and the cloud to improve the performance of its factories while also addressing IoT data security challenges. Tire maker Michelin has used IoT to gain greater visibility into its supply chain, tracking sea-freight containers in real-time and improving customer satisfaction in the process. And Hudl, which provides video tools that enable coaches and athletes to more effectively review game performance, has figured out ways to use IoT to automate video processing. Examples such as these show how IoT can address specific needs and challenges companies face -- and deliver benefits to their customers.

Since Amazon began bringing robots to its warehouses in 2014, company executives have repeatedly claimed that they improve worker safety. But company records obtained by Reveal showed that between 2016 and 2019 serious injuries occurred more often in Amazon warehouses with robots than those without them, suggesting that robots made employees less safe by causing managers to raise performance quotas. Analysis of filings with the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) by The Washington Post found that in 2020, serious injuries were roughly twice as likely to occur in Amazon warehouses than those run by other companies. A separate analysis of OSHA data by labor union coalition the Strategic Organizing Center found the same pattern for 2021. Amazon didn't mention that track record late last month when it announced a machine called Proteus, which company officials call their first fully mobile and collaborative robot.

Amazon plans to begin delivering some packages by drone to homes in a few Northern California communities this year, the company said Monday. Residents of San Joaquin County farming towns Lockeford and Acampo, as well as parts of Lodi, will be able to order "thousands of everyday items" online and can expect a drone to drop them in their backyards in less than an hour, said Av Zammit, an Amazon spokesperson. The Amazon Prime Air drones can carry packages that weigh 5 pounds or less -- such as beauty and cosmetic items, office and tech supplies, batteries and household items -- and will typically be the size of a large shoebox, Zammit said. The company is building a facility in Lockeford from which the drones will launch. Though Amazon Prime Air received certification to commercially fly cargo in 2020, it is still seeking approval from the Federal Aviation Administration and county officials for its plans in San Joaquin County.

Jeff Bezos went on 60 Minutes in 2013 and pledged to fill the skies with a fleet of delivery drones that could zip parcels to customers' homes in 30 minutes. Asked when this future would arrive, the Amazon.com Inc. founder said he expected drone deliveries to commence in the next five years or thereabouts. Almost a decade later, despite spending more than $2 billion and assembling a team of more than 1,000 people around the world, Amazon is a long way from launching a drone delivery service. A Bloomberg investigation based on internal documents, government reports and interviews with 13 current and former employees reveals a program beset by technical challenges, high turnover and safety concerns. A serious crash in June prompted federal regulators to question the drone's airworthiness because multiple safety features failed and the machine careened out of control, causing a brush fire.