Charities and the Internet of Things

I attended a workshop hosted by Debian IT the other day and one of the topics was on the Internet of Things, and how this industry is shaping the way that small businesses operate, specifically with regards to consumer behaviour.  This got me thinking as to how wearables and smart technology will be influencing the way that we engage with the charities that we support AND how charities will adopt some of the technologies into their daily operations.

Here are just some ideas I had as I listened to Vincent Fung present:

• Mental health organizations creating a mood support app based on readings garnered from sweat in your t-shirt

• Mobile donation apps that are triggered by GPS location on your smart phone

• Customized corporate sponsorships based on specific attendee data sets that are generated through their smart technologies (pushing them to certain auction items, or products/services an organization offers, a volunteer opportunity, etc)

• Volunteer check-in apps for organizations that operate in high-risk communities based on travel patterns and GPS readings

• Driverless cars to be the chauffeur for seniors and individuals needing to get to appointments who cannot afford, or do not have, the social network to draw upon

How do you see the Internet of Things shaping the way charities and non-profits operate?