Forces of Change: C-IoT and Industry 4.0

The technological advancements during?the fourth Industrial Revolution?transcend industries. Product manufacturing, design and usage?are being revolutionized by smart?technology. These?forces are altering conventional?business practices, bringing digital reality into existence.

What is Industry 4.0?

The term “Industry 4.0” came from a project in the high-tech strategy of the German government, popularized at the Hannover Fair, 2011 . The fourth industrial revolution, also?referred to as "Industry 4.0 " introduces the idea of "cyber-physical systems" to distinguish this new evolutionary stage from the?previous electronic automation. The main focus of this phase is to take industrial development to the next-level with the help of smart interconnective devices, big-data analytics, automation, and real-time data monitoring and exchange. Furthermore, the approach of Industry 4.0 is more inclined to be customer-centric, where smart manufacturing of products is enabling businesses to deliver enhanced customer experience. The process being driven by the power of data, IoT makes it seamless by collecting and analyzing data to understand customer behavior and requirements, subsequently creating more customer-friendly products.

Role of Cognitive IoT (C-IoT) for the advancement of Industry 4.0

Today, we are habituated to the Internet of Things (IoT) in our daily lives, thanks to devices like smartphones, smart TVs, fitness trackers, health monitoring systems, smart watches, city traffic, building security systems, and much more. Undoubtedly, IoT has raised the bar for automation as a whole.?But is this enough to support the major industrial shift? Well, IoT alone is likely to have limited capability. Industry 4.0 brings with it new-gen technologies like the industrial Internet of things (I-IoT).

Cognitive IoT (C-IoT) uses cognitive computing technologies like AI, ML, Robotics, natural language processing, big-data analytics, syncing into an ecosystem of information networks. Cognition, in general means the ability to learn, reason, and analyze. Cognition is closely related to how the human brain works. Therefore, AI helps to accomplish similar cognitive tasks in machines and sensors. Or to put it another way, cognitive IoT is the planned combination of connected devices and artificial intelligence. With the help of these enhanced capabilities to think and act, C-IoT is being trusted by various large enterprises for smart and accurate real-time business decisions. Furthermore, machines working in close sync with humans is another optimistic way to look at the intricate bond between the two opening paths for greater innovations for mankind.

Cognitive IoT is enabling a closer integration of products and services. The palpable distinction between products and services is decreasing with the advent of intertwined technologies. Devices like smartphones or watches, for instance, are not anymore just physical products rather they communicate with each other, upgrading your product experience with the help of data. In addition, the amount of data generation is getting massive as the industries are getting more equipped with IoT. Because of the huge influx and complexities of data analytics, conventional computing will not be able to expand and sustain. Therefore, it is important for computing to be cognitive in order to process and analyze information. Manufacturing must become cognitive manufacturing to effectively prepare the ground for Industry 4.0. Cognitive manufacturing effectively uses the data generated through appliances or customer experiences, yielding actionable insights for the entire value chain from product design to manufacturing to maintenance. With the help of IoT, cognitive manufacturing enhances the overall product quality, features, and reliability.

Conclusion

Companies?should think about adopting a comprehensive perspective on the Fourth Industrial Revolution and how it affects the way they do business. The term "Industry 4.0" refers to more than simply cutting-edge technology; it also refers to the manner in which these technologies are combined and the methods in which businesses can use them to facilitate growth and success.