The way we interact with complex machinery is changing in a pretty considerable way. I wrote earlier this year, for instance, about a new project by the University of Essex to allow people to collaborate virtually on the same piece of equipment.
We have also seen a Stanford led project to make biotech labs controllable remotely. It’s all part of a trend they’re calling interactive biotechnology. The team developed a robotic lab that was capable of having experiments carried out remotely.
The automated factory
Similar trends are emerging in the modern factory, with Rockwell Automation one of the lead exponents of automated manufacturing.
Factories are equipped with thousands of sensors to collect data on everything from wastewater to inventory levels. This data is then transmitted to smartphones, thus allowing plant managers to monitor their factory from anywhere.
Indeed, they can even operate equipment remotely via the same interface should they need to.
The service comes with a number of triggers that can alert managers if performance drops below a certain level, and there can even be a sense of gamification included.
It’s increasingly the case that physical walls and fences become irrelevant in the maintenance of operational functionality.
A recent study into manufacturing trends identified four key developments in the field.
- The provision of all operational data and functionality via mobile devices
- Performance data is provided in real time wherever you are
- A totally paperless environment
- Increased collaboration with both suppliers and customers
It is an increasingly active area, with GE recently releasing its Proficy Mobile app for smart factories last year.
“It’s a productivity enhancement,” GE said at the time. “All the alerts will find you.”
Whilst there are clear advantages to such technologies for factory owners, there are also clear concerns for those employed in current facilities. The Economist wrote recently about the difficulties faced by relatively unskilled men in the developed world, and trends such as this highlight the need for new skills to be learned as quickly as possible.
You sense however that the surface has merely been scratched and that this movement will evolve considerably over the coming years. Certainly a trend to watch out for.
