Helium is an incredibly cool blockchain network designed to provide a decentralized wireless network for connected devices that are a part of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT devices are smart devices that connect and exchange data over a network. Smart home products are a familiar application of IoT devices in the consumer market, but there is a broad spectrum of devices that are being applied to commercial settings as well. Everything from sensors in parking garages to remote blood pressure monitors in hospitals can be made more efficient and effective by the Internet of Things.
One of the most difficult components needed to effectively deploy IoT devices is the wireless network used to connect them. Traditional WiFi has range issues and cellular networks are similarly limited in coverage and can be expensive to use. Helium aims to address key issues like monopolistic wireless providers, invasive data collection, and poor coverage by constructing a decentralized wireless network that uses long-range radio waves to reach broad areas. Since Helium is built using blockchain, people can set up Hotspots that serve data to devices and function as Helium miners. By helping expand and support the network, miners are compensated with Helium Tokens (CRYPTO: HNT).
