Steam, electricity, and automated machines have underpinned fundamental shifts in how people live and work, and each has been the driver behind its own industrial revolution. But while their lasting impact has been substantial, none of these revolutions have been “smart.” That changed with Industry 4.0.
As the “Fourth Industrial Revolution,” Industry 4.0 has introduced intelligent, data-driven, adaptive technologies that have retooled factories for unprecedented efficiency and accuracy in manufacturing and transformed many of our everyday activities.
Below we’ll consider some of the most impactful Industry 4.0 innovations and demonstrate how these translate directly to tools that are making our lives easier. In addition, we’ll introduce two online industrial technology programs specifically designed for those wishing to pursue careers fueled by this bleeding-edge technology.
Industry 4.0 Comes Home From the Factory
The cloud, the internet, artificial intelligence (AI), 3-D printing, virtual reality, and advanced analytics. These complex tools and technologies have become household words in recent years. You may not know what they’re doing—or soon will be doing—“under the hood” for you daily, but their reach and impact is significant. Consider this scenario:
You’re 30 miles from home when your phone buzzes with two alerts: one informing you that your window has been broken and another announcing that your doorbell has rung. You also realize you forgot to turn the oven off before you left. You answer the door on your phone to see and converse with your neighbor—who has come to apologize that his child’s baseball went through your window—via your doorbell camera app. You thank him and then, relieved that no one has broken into your home, switch that oven off.
You enjoy peace of mind behind the wheel as you deal with these potential emergencies on your phone because you’re in an autonomously driving car that’s doing most of the work. Once you arrive home, you verbally command your oven to turn back on so you can prepare dinner and then ask Alexa to play your favorite music. A voice confirms your playlist will begin.
As you sit down to relax, your phone reminds you that you have a dentist appointment the next morning to receive a crown on one of your teeth. You’re relieved to know that the process won’t require multiple visits and weeks of waiting, the way it did for your father back in the day, who himself recently had a successful hip replacement via robotic surgery. Your dentist will create a new crown on the spot for you with an advanced 3-D printer.
What You Have to Look Forward To
Your home may already have some smart features, and smart technologies may begin to appear more often in other parts of your life. Like most people, you may not yet have a self-driving vehicle. If you have a late model car, however, there’s a good chance it may already be parking itself or steering you back into your lane when you inadvertently cross onto the shoulder of the road.
You’re experiencing these and countless other innovations in mobile apps and home-based technologies because you’re fortunate enough to live during the Industry 4.0 era! Get ready to witness more amazing strides in your personal and professional life that were not possible before Industry 4.0. (Industry 5.0, with an anticipated focus on ecology, sustainability, and people, is on the horizon and will provide even more career options.) Make sure you’re ready for new opportunities with the required expertise.
Credentials for Your Industry 4.0 Career and Beyond
If your interest in Industry 4.0 technology is connected to your career goals, The University of Texas Permian Basin has two online, AACSB-accredited degree programs that can help you. Let’s look at what they’re about and how they can benefit you professionally:
Online Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology (BSIT)
Created to be your first college degree program or a second bachelor’s degree, our BSIT equips you with a practical understanding of core principles and skills crucial for managing industrial operations across any enterprise. Through our curriculum, you’ll develop the proficiency to overcome complex engineering, design, and technical complications effectively.
Get more details, including career paths and salaries related to this degree.
Online Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Industrial Technology (BAAS-IT)
Already earned an Associate of Applied Science? Advance your education by pursuing a BAAS-IT with us. Our curriculum delivers vital management principles, optimization theory, and supply chain management, equipping you with the skills necessary to tackle industrial and technical obstacles within your organization. Elevate your expertise and resume with an optional 12-credit online undergraduate certificate in petroleum technology.
Get more details, including career paths and salaries related to this degree.
UTPB Program Benefits—Including One Exclusive
We understand that life doesn’t slow down for a university education. These industrial technology programs are available online exclusively at this UT System institution. Our flexible learning platform enables you to balance your professional and personal obligations while completing your degree. With access to our asynchronous lectures, you can complete coursework at your convenience from virtually anywhere worldwide. There are no mandatory campus visits. And our tuition rates are among the most competitive of any accredited university.
Sources:
https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-are-industry-4-0-the-fourth-industrial-revolution-and-4ir
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/revolutionizing-road-safety-how-ai
https://www.forbes.com/sites/technology/article/self-driving-cars/?sh=284c10355e07
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007339.htm
https://online.utpb.edu/about-us/articles/industrial-technology/smart-factories-how-iot-and-big-data-are-revolutionizing-industrial-operations/