“The fourth industrial revolution, however, is not only about smart and connected machines and systems. Its scope is much wider. Occurring simultaneously are waves of further breakthroughs in areas ranging from gene sequencing to nanotechnology, from renewables to quantum computing. It is the fusion of these technologies and their interaction across the physical, digital and biological domains that make the fourth industrial revolution fundamentally different from previous revolutions.” ― Klaus Schwab ―
I say, there is a change. It was needed and so it happened. The way we look at a half filled glass of water, the reasons we raise a toast to and the numbers we crave today were very different ten years down the memory lane. To get here - 2018 - was not a simple task. It required myriads of people, cultures, ideas and time to come together and perform. What once seemed impossible, was made practical and tenable for the public. One of the many fields that grew massively and was underpinned by science and history is technology. Around 3.5 billion years ago, humans were just equipped with a large brains and four limbs, however size never determined intelligence.
In fact, early humans were at the lowest position in the food chain since they were born as premature, dependent and unintelligent animals. The struggle to reach the top of the chain is another history which reveals the making of stone tools, fire and ways of adaption. So with time, humans evolved and as their neutral networks kept growing and growing, they figured out ways to fight circumstantial crisis and build social ties. It is a long touted and pervasive story that has been narrated from time to time to encourage further developments in the society.
Photo Credits: Suresh Rao Design Studio, kjpargeter, macrovector n FreepikFast forwarding to the current scenario, we are midst of a huge transformation regarding manufacturing and remodeling of products in the markets. This transition is being viewed as the fourth revolution and is called the Industry 4.0. The first, second and third revolutions spoke a lot; from the mechanization of plants to the building of computers and adoption of automation and it has all costed a stalwart amount of dedication.
However now the systems are modeled to be termed as smart devices fueled by machine learning algorithms and real-time data. This phase focuses on heavy inter-connectivity and digitization of markets. In the simplest terms, the idea is to enable computers to communicate with each other by building networks and taking decisions with zero human effort involved in the process.
Soon in no time smart factories shall come into existence, making the production process constructive by avoiding maximum wastage, thus also helping a whole lot of other concerned fields which are dependable on factories for development. Smarts devices shall outgrow the term smart with time and experience, the more the exposure to real time data, the smarter the machine gets.
Photo Credits: liviawong/pixabayOnce organizations start accepting such factories, their logistics and supply chains will be optimized. Robots built with AI will learn how to take up the work space and perform bench work, voice ideas and demonstrate their decisions. From picking products at a warehouse to getting them ready to ship, autonomous robots can quickly and safely support manufacturers. Today, robots move goods around Amazon warehouses and also reduce costs and allow better use of floor space for the online retailer. These will not only solve business problems but eradicate conventional methodologies of handling information. This is the big picture that scientists, engineers and common folk are thriving towards.
The internet of things is a well developed complicated network of computation and communication however it has made simplicity a reality that serves as a boon in all situations. Not only does this help internal operations, but through the use of the cloud environment where data is stored, equipment and operations can be optimized by leveraging the insights of others using the same equipment or to allow smaller enterprises access to technology they wouldn’t be able to on their own.
“Creating life at the speed of light is part of a new industrial revolution. Manufacturing will shift from centralised factories to a distributed, domestic manufacturing future, thanks to the rise of 3D printer technology.”
― Craig Venter ―
Well let me decode it further by examples that are already in progress and shortly will be available in the markets, there is a smart fridge that simply maintains the quantity and quality of food being stored inside and it alerts the user when there are any signs of reduction and degradation of food. On the other hand, there are smart drones that are used to project official conferences saving time and travel effort during work hours. Similar transitions are imminent in the educational, financial, scientific and marketing sectors.
While industry 4.0 is still under work and is evolving, we might not have the complete picture until we look back 30 years from now, companies who are adopting the technologies realize Industry 4.0’s potential. These same companies are also grappling with how to upskill their current workforce to take on new work responsibilities made possible by Internet 4.0 and to recruit new employees with the right skills.
Psychics already project it in their crystal balls, it’s high time you see it coming, the change.
Written By
Manasvi Bendigeri
