CHAPTER 1

What Are Emerging Technologies?

We are in the midst of what many are calling the “Fourth Industrial Revolution.” With so many emerging technologies that are changing our society, it’s an accurate description. And, like the three previous industrial revolutions, our world will evolve to a completely new level.

But what are emerging technologies?

Emerging technologies represent any technology with massive potential that hasn’t been fully realized. It can be old or new tech. The key is that it can completely change society, either through its development or application.

Gene therapy is an example of an older technology that can still be classed as emerging tech. Developed in the early 1990s, gene therapy still has a lot of potential that hasn’t been explored.

More recent innovations that are classed as emerging technologies include artificial intelligence (AI)/data science, blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, 5G, quantum computing, and robotics (Figure 1.1). These are all technologies that are still in their infancy. Yet, they have already significantly changed the world we live in.

As these technologies evolve, the degree of change will amplify until we reach a point where society will be completely different from even a few years ago. A quick look at history proves that this is exactly what will happen.

The History of Technological Disruption

Humanity’s history is peppered with technological disruption. Throughout our existence, technology has played a significant role in our society.

Figure 1.1 Emerging technologies

From humanity’s invention of the wheel and the development of agriculture to the harnessing of electricity and the invention of computers, many of our significant leaps of societal progress can be attributed to technological progress.

Take the First Industrial Revolution. Starting around 1760, it introduced mechanical production, thanks to the invention of the steam engine. Suddenly, people didn’t have to do everything by hand. Steam-powered machines could do a lot of the hard work—they could also do it faster and often better.

People could also travel faster and more easily, thanks to steamships and trains, basically making the world a smaller place. It also saw the rise of the middle class.

Then came the Second Industrial Revolution, where things such as petrol engines, chemical fertilizers, and airplanes once again changed the world. This was also the age of mass production, making it easier for people to get what they needed.

And since people always follow employment, there was a significant migration of the population from rural to urban centers.

How people lived also changed. Things such as electric lighting, the radio, and the telephone transformed society.

The Third Industrial Revolution was dubbed the Digital Revolution and started in the 1950s. It saw the rise of semiconductors, personal computing, and the Internet.

The shift from analog to digital changed the world in ways no one could have expected. Every industry was affected, including global communications, energy, and manufacturing.

Think of mobile phones. They completely changed society. Before mobile phones, if something happened and you weren’t in reach of a telephone (like getting a flat tire in the middle of nowhere), one had to hope someone would come along who could help.

Now? All one has to do is whip their phone out and call for assistance. Of course, that’s if the car itself hasn’t already alerted the service provider of the problem. Then again, that is IoT, so we’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves.

Nevertheless, the past two decades alone have seen society change massively to what it once was. And all that is due to technological progress, which leads us into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Sci-Fi Coming to Reality

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is likely to be the biggest one yet. Previous revolutions centered around a few major inventions that drove others, in a domino effect, like the steam engine drove the First Industrial Revolution.

Now, we have a somewhat different situation. We have multiple emerging technologies that will not only each drive advancements but will also work together to create even more progress and change.

One thing that won’t change, though, is the danger of failing to adapt. Businesses that aren’t prepared to change and avoid adopting new tech will disappear.

Historically, those that didn’t adopt steam engines and stuck to their ways couldn’t compete. The same happened to companies that didn’t take advantage of the developments of the Second and Third Industrial Revolutions.

Likewise, businesses that do not evolve and get left behind in the race for tech adoption will experience the same fate, especially since we live in a consumer-driven world where the consumer is becoming increasingly tech-savvy, and expectations have skyrocketed.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the emerging technologies driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

AI/Data Science

The business world has evolved, moving past making decisions based on people’s digestive systems. Big Data is now primarily driving decision making.

However, Big Data is getting bigger every day, which makes analysis more challenging. And that is where AI comes in.

Without AI systems to analyze all that data, companies would be stuck with a slew of information that, in essence, would be useless. And without insights derived from the raw data, decisions would continue to be as gut-based as ever.

AI isn’t just being used to provide better insights, either, as machine learning (ML) solutions are increasingly being used in manufacturing and industrial settings to make decisions. From adjusting the working parameters of a machine on a production line to scheduling maintenance for a piece of equipment in an industrial facility to running simulations on a digital twin to identify failure points, ML algorithms are becoming an increasingly important part of Industry 4.0.

One of the biggest applications of AI and ML in an Industry 4.0 context is in the area of market demand management. Anticipating future market demand typically involves analyzing historical data. With AI and ML tools, however, manufacturers will be able to go much further.

A ML algorithm can look at things such as weather patterns, major events, socioeconomic issues, and consumer behavior to make assessments on market demand for products before they hit the productionline.

The ML algorithm can then use this analysis to optimize everything from staffing to inventory to raw material purchasing to ensure optimal performance. As these ML tools become more widespread, they will have a game-changing impact on the manufacturing industry.

Blockchain

Blockchain has already started to change retail, government, banking, and many more sectors. By decentralizing systems, blockchain eliminates many inefficiencies and, more importantly, creates never-before-seen transparency.

Unsurprisingly, blockchain is driving change simply by existing. For example, even if traditional financial organizations haven’t jumped on the blockchain bandwagon, they’ve had to improve their services to remain competitive.

In terms of Industry 4.0, blockchain technologies have transformative potential in a range of areas. One example is supply chain management, where blockchain technologies can improve transparency, reduce risks, and cut processes that traditionally take days or weeks down to minutes or hours.

By using blockchain technologies, products can be monitored in real time as they move through the supply chain, with no risk of someone trying to alter, for example, a completion or delivery date. Delays in communication can also be minimized as everyone in the supply chain can have access to the same information at the same time, reducing the need for ineffective and inefficient communication methods such as e-mail.

Financial transactions in the supply chain can also be streamlined with the additional benefit of maximum transparency. Again, this can help to eliminate delays caused by communication inefficiencies and human error.

Other applications for the blockchain in the factory of the future include:

• Quality control—where each component, manufacturing process, and assembly process is stored in the blockchain along with multiple other data points, from temperatures to humidity levels to dates and more.

• Traceability—traceability is a key process in many industries, and it is becoming more important, even when regulations don’t require it. Blockchain offers a decentralized and highly efficient method of ensuring product traceability throughout the full product life cycle.

• Compliance—compliance is a major consideration in industries such as pharmaceuticals and food production, and companies are always looking for ways to streamline their compliance processes. New blockchain technologies have the potential to achieve these efficiency savings.

• Fraud prevention—product fraud is a major issue for a range of industries, from clothing manufacturers to pharmaceuticals. The un-editable nature of blockchain technologies makes them ideally suited for the creation of new fraud prevention tools to help protect the manufacturing sector.

IoT

The IoT is turning sci-fi into reality. “Smart” equipment that transfers data without the need for human input is revolutionizing the way we do everything.

From heart monitor implants keeping people healthy to refrigerators that can order groceries, IoT is changing how we live and do business.

Another example of how IoT technologies are transforming business in the Industry 4.0 era is R&D and new product development. In the past, product development teams would be forced to use incomplete and often inaccurate data, as well as subjective opinions, to determine the focus for future development. With the IoT, product developers can get real-time information on exactly how people are using products, as well as on how well those products are performing. This will lead to a much more user-first approach to product development across all industries.

There is also the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). It is an extension of the IoT as it focuses on the technologies that apply to industrial and manufacturing environments. As with the IoT, the IIoT is about connecting a range of different devices, equipment, and machines in an industrial setting.

However, where the IIoT is making the biggest impact is in narrowing the gap between IT (information technology) and OT (operational technology).

Traditionally in the manufacturing sector, IT and OT were completely separate, with little connectivity or integration. So, for example, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), accounting, and sales apps that are part of IT would have no integration with the equipment, systems, and platforms that produce the products on the factory floor.

IIoT technologies are playing an important role in facilitating the integration of IT and IIoT, improving productivity, efficiency, and oversight in manufacturing organizations.

3D Printing

3D printing has already disrupted multiple industries. In health care, medical professionals are printing prosthetics and replicas of bones, organs, and blood vessels, all tailored to a specific patient.

It can also help reduce waste, build homes for everyone, provide clothing, feed the homeless, and more.

Essentially, this is a technology that, when combined with all the other emerging tech, can eventually lead us to making whatever we need with the push of a button, from vehicles to food.

Even simple applications are being transformed by 3D printing, such as producing a prototype of product currently being developed. 3D-printed prototypes can be produced in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost with less costly equipment. This is just one other example of how 3D printing really is a gamechanger.

5G Technology

5G is already taking the world by storm as it offers faster speeds, more capacity, and reduced latency for mobile networks. In other words, more data can be transferred at much higher speeds, which will drive significant change in our society.

For example, it could help improve public safety in emergencies. The ability to handle higher volumes of high-quality video means that authorities can more effectively analyze emergencies, thereby leading to more effective responses.

5G technology is also a key driver of the IoT, plus it enables highly innovative edge computing solutions. Those edge computing solutions don’t just mean data can be collected from almost anywhere. 5G technology also means that data can also be processed at the edge, improving performance.

There are multiple reasons why 5G is important to Industry 4.0. First, 5G enables faster communication between systems, platforms, and equipment. This reduces latency to a point that is close to wired connections, so helps to optimize production processes where physical connections are impractical.

5G technologies also make it possible to transmit critical communications reliably and in real time. This was not possible previously when the only option was 4G technologies. Not only does the reliability, speed, and low latency of 5G have productivity implications but also safety benefits.

Quantum Computing

Quantum computers will be able to solve many computationally impossible problems, which will revolutionize many industries.

For example, quantum computing can help scientists discover and develop new drugs much faster. At the same time, in finances, these systems can provide better analytics and help improve trading, data speed, and transactions.

While this technology is in its infancy, quantum computing has usage applications across a wide range of areas. Enhancing risk management is one example, as well as enabling manufacturers to achieve faster and more customer-centric production. Business strategies such as mass customization are set to become the norm as quantum computing develops further.

Quantum computing will also see the introduction of sensors that are smaller and more sensitive. This will not only have benefits for the products that manufacturing companies produce but it will also help to improve manufacturing processes, given the importance of sensors in developing smart factories.

Metrology is another area of manufacturing that quantum computing is predicted to have a significant impact. For many manufacturers, metrology is an essential driver for quality assurance and, by extension, optimizing manufacturing processes. Metrology technologies and solutions that utilize quantum computing will take the field to another level, providing manufacturing organizations with new data and insights, as well as achieving even greater levels of measurement accuracy and process repeatability.

Robotics

Progress in robotics is accelerating, and we’ve already seen automation implemented in the manufacturing industry, leading to increased efficiencies. But robotics continues to evolve and, as AI and ML progress, it won’t be long before robots can take over many more of the jobs that humans have to do now.

As robots become more prevalent, productivity will rise, and the economy will grow. However, we will also see a shift in society as the types of jobs humans do will change.

One area of robotics that is rapidly advancing in the Industry 4.0 era is the development of robotic solutions that work alongside people. This type of equipment is often referred to as cobots. From autonomous vehicles to manufacturing and assembly lines, the efficiency gains that can be made with cobots and similar technologies is significant.

It isn’t just efficiency and productivity gains, either, as cobots also have significant health and safety implications, helping to keep workers safe even in the harshest of conditions.

Then there is the concept of the lights-out factory, where robots are responsible for 100 percent of manufacturing and assembly processes, and are able to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They can do this without taking holidays, without making mistakes, and without getting tired or sick. We are still some distance away from this concept becoming a reality on anything like a widespread basis, and there are some who believe it won’t be feasible. However, the lights out factory is the general direction of travel.

There are many reasons for this, and advances in robotic technologies are high up on that list. There are also other, more traditional considerations that are important too. Access to labor is one that can’t be ignored. In many industries, upgrading production lines with robots isn’t about replacing people. Instead, it is about changing a process because they are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit and train the right skills.

Summary

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is happening right now. This revolution is being driven by multiple technologies that are disrupting the world individually. However, when one combines these technologies, they will drive even greater levels of change.

Robotics is an excellent example. We started with robots that had to be programmed to perform the tiniest action. When we needed them to do something different, the code had to be changed. They certainly couldn’t learn or think on their own. But AI and ML are changing that.

This book will focus on two of the biggest emerging technologies, namely AI/data science and blockchain. We’ll look at what these emerging technologies are and how they’re changing the world. The reason we focus on these is because they are the most popular ones, and they add the most value out of all other technologies. Indeed, while 5G is a great facilitator of telecommunications, and IoT generates massive amounts of data, they require methods borrowed from data science in order to generate value, and any applications of this kind can work synergistically with blockchain. Also, robotics can be seen as an application of AI, which is related to data science.

Therefore, these two technologies are what a decision maker really needs to know about right now.

We’ll also be looking at why businesses need to adopt these technologies to remain competitive. After all, history proves that lagging in tech adoption will only lead to obscurity.