04 Jan 4 ways Industry 4.0 will look different in 2017
It’s been a big year for Industrial IoT — or Industry 4.0 — as both long-term established companies and start-ups have worked to find solutions to problems that have plagued traditional workplaces for many years. Underlying aims have included increased efficiency, improved supply chains, reduced waste and greater safety and speed.
Amidst an advancing ecosystem of interconnectivity, initiatives such as robotics, wearable technology, 3D imaging, AR and smart shipping processes have led the way.
Let’s take a look:
1. Robotics on the factory floor
The notion of robotics in factories and warehouses is often viewed in the first instance as a replacement to human labor without due consideration that robotics and automated processes have been a feature of large-scale workplaces since their creation. The use of robotics can increase efficiency, decrease strenuous workplace roles, improve the supply chain and reduce wastage. An example is InVia Robotics, a company that this year launched the world’s first “goods-to-box” robotics system, which was created to transform the fulfillment and material handling operations of e-commerce providers and warehouses.
Read full article at ReadWrite>>