We are currently in the midst of a hugely important transformation in the way we make products because of the digitisation of manufacturing. This evolutionary period is so significant in fact, that it’s been dubbed Industry 4.0 as it is seen by many as the fourth revolution that has occurred in manufacturing.
- What is Industry 4.0?
- The Current State of Innovation in Industry 5.0
- The Role of Industry 5.0 for a Sustainable Future
- Industry 5.0 Across Other Sectors
- Summary
Describe Industry 4.0.
The mechanisation of industry led to the First Industrial Revolution around the end of the 18th century. The invention of electricity in the 19th century, which allowed for mass production, sparked the Second Industrial Revolution. With the advent of computers towards the end of the 1960s, the Third Industrial Revolution erupted. Industry 3.0 included computers, automation, robotics, and AI, but it lacked interconnection, a crucial component of Industry 4.0. 4.0 is unquestionably the start of the Imagination Age.
A vast array of technical developments in automation and data interchange, cloud computing, cognitive computing, AI, and other areas were united by Industry 4.0. Data sharing occurs at an absolutely amazing rate, and the paradigm shift in technical policy is breathtaking. True to its name, Industry 4.0 ushers in the Imagination Age.
Even if Industry 4.0 has given us incredible breakthroughs, there are still certain things we want to address, particularly the position of humans in the workplace. Even though some of their operations may be automated, having a genuine, creative person at the centre of every operation and collaborating in harmony with machines is the ideal partnership that Industry 4.0 just cannot give. Machines require people to function effectively.
The Innovation Situation in Industry 5.0
The ideal collaboration between intelligent people and intelligent production equipment is Industry 5.0. Whereas Industry 3.0 popularised computers and automation, and Industry 4.0 coupled these technologies to boost production and efficiency, Industry 5.0 places a heavy emphasis on humans.
It aims to offer us complete creative control over the networked systems we established through Industry 4.0, enabling us to collaborate with robots and intelligent equipment. It all comes down to assisting us in working more quickly, intelligently, and effectively by utilising cutting-edge technology like the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data.
As we go through these industrial revolutions, transformation is essential. According to the Industry 5.0 2021 EISR Report,
Industry 5.0 has a strong emphasis on both business and society, and it will influence how both of these are modified in the upcoming technology era.
There are various crucial aspects of Industry 5.0 to take into account.
Skynet aside, it is only normal to be a bit wary about robots and AI. Industry 5.0 is meant to help, not replace, people. Common concerns include the possibility of individuals losing their employment, difficult economic circumstances, and the value of “humans” dwindling.
Industry 5.0, on the other hand, aims to create an environment where people and robots/AI may work together to develop. Its goal is to enable inventive individuals to create new technologies and ideas with the aid of technology rather than to replace humans.
In Industry 5.0, productivity and efficiency must coexist. Industry 4.0 started the process of constructing productivity and efficiency; Industry 5.0 aims to totally optimise it. “Man and machine must be connected to meet the manufacturing complexity of the future in dealing with increasing customization through an optimised robotized manufacturing process,” said Marc Beulque, Vice President of Global Operations at Rogers.
Why not look into a better option if there is one? Industry 5.0 is giving us a once-in-a-lifetime chance to change the course of the planet for the better. Industry 5.0 is built on a foundation of sustainability. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined in the UN’s Agenda 2030 are being pursued by businesses, governments, and other organisations, and monies are being given immediately. strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies at businesses.
These political strategies, corporate plans, and climate control strategies all revolve around sustainability, and Industry 5.0 can and will operate as the engine for a sustainable future. Performance will just be one factor influencing innovation; another will be its long-term effects on business, society, and the environment.
But what are the main changes as we migrate from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0, and what difficulties may we face in trying to achieve this change?
Concerning Challenge Driven Innovation (CDI), one such distinction between Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 may be made. Companies and organisations all throughout the globe are using CDI to work on long-term social concerns in order to achieve the sustainability objectives outlined in Agenda 2030.
To determine the crucial areas that must be the focus of each particular problem, it employs “challenge statements.“ By recognising a problem, utilising CDI to concentrate on the particulars of what the difficulty is and who is involved, leveraging this knowledge to create new adjustments, and finally arriving at the desired solution, we can fully embrace the next stage of revolution, Industry 5.0.
Industry 5.0’s Contribution to a Sustainable Future
Globally, Industry 5.0 is being used to develop solutions. In A Transformative Vision for Europe, an impartial expert study that was released in 2021, it is explained how Industry 5.0 would be utilised to change Europe into totally sustainable industries, guided by systematic transitions across a wide range of sectors.
This 2021 report goes into great detail about how we can use technology created by Industry 5.0 to combat climate change and prevent the complete extinction of our biodiversity, to sustainably transform the lives of the world’s 8 billion people, and to strengthen the economy that will give rise to new ecosystems.
Industry 5.0 will enable us to develop sustainable, clean systems for manufacturing, transportation, logistics, and energy. Climate change is a major global concern right now. The European Green Deal, which the EU has already signed, outlines the fundamental objectives of having:
0% net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050,
economic expansion divorced from resource use
no one or anything is left behind.
The EU Industrial Strategy, which outlines twin ecological and digital transformations, started with this Green Deal as its first step. It then covered the priority areas listed in the Green Deal before moving on to other ecosystems in the future. This strategy focuses on the industrial ecosystems currently impacted by the global crisis.
Industry 5.0 embraces this notion by placing sustainability at the heart of future operations. Sustainability is crucial. The EU Industrial Strategy is focused on creating a more competitive, intelligent, and socially inclusive Europe that is also greener and lower in carbon emissions.
Deeply ingrained in Industry 5.0, this kind of thinking has also permeated the banking sector, with financial behemoths Aviva promising to achieve Net Zero status by the year 2040. The fact that Aviva is addressing the climate catastrophe head-on will only encourage more businesses to do the same, demonstrating the interdependence between Industry 5.0 and sustainability.
Industry 5.0 in Additional Sectors
By revolutionising how AI is used in daily life and embracing a human-centric approach to digital technologies that improve every aspect of our lives, Industry 5.0 aims to alter everyone’s lives on Earth. In response to the growing use of AI and robots, the EU has also developed a Skills Agenda and Digital Education Action Plan for retraining and up-skilling European workers (particularly in terms of digital skills).
Everyone will be able to benefit from Industry 5.0’s innovations. innovative advantages and positively use their creative abilities in high-value positions of industry by expanding their knowledge base and giving possibilities for up-skilling. Sectors like healthcare will undergo a change because to solutions that put the needs of people first and make use of the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI to identify, treat, and study the myriad illnesses and disorders that now afflict our planet.
Industry 5.0 offers the possibility of having networked equipment that maximise output and efficiency while also enhancing safety by lowering risk and limiting waste generation. Solutions that combine mass customisation with a human touch are desperately needed in the healthcare sector.
Summary
Clearly, the rise of Industry 5.0 has enormous potential that we should not only utilise but also advance. The European Commission will outline the advantages and factors related to Industry 5.0, In a report expected out in 2021, we’ll discuss what it implies for the EU and how it should be applied to our futures. The European Commission claims that “the transition towards Industry 5.0 has already started” and has outlined the further actions that must be taken to bring about this beneficial shift, which include:
improving industry awareness
the adoption of technology necessary for Industry 5.0,
recognising current initiatives and Industry 5.0 potential,
promoting and fostering innovation,
the development of technologies should be guided by the main elements of Industry 5.0,
government oversight and direction for the future that Industry 5.0 will provide.
Industry 5.0 is without a doubt the way of the future and how our lives will be for a very long time. It is our obligation to seize it eagerly as it spreads over the entire world and make every effort to use it in our own technical realm. Even if we could just be at the beginning of this transformation, it is something we can all support in order to build a better, more inventive, and more advantageous future for every single person alive today.
DIFFERENT CONTRIBUTION
Richard Tuffs, a strategic thinker and authority on EU matters, notably in the areas of regional policy, smart specialisation, and regional economic growth, contributed to the writing of the paper. He has participated in several advisory committees for European initiatives.