Page 127 - The Fourth Industrial Revolution

Shift 8: The Internet of and for Things

The tipping point: 1 trillion sensors connected to the internet
By 2025: 89% of respondents expected this tipping point to have occurred
With continuously increasing computing power and falling hardware prices (still in line with Moore’s
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Law ), it is economically feasible to connect literally anything to the internet. Intelligent sensors are
already available at very competitive prices. All things will be smart and connected to the internet,
enabling greater communication and new data-driven services based on increased analytics
capabilities.
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A recent study looked into how sensors can be used to monitor animal health and behaviour. It
demonstrates how sensors wired in cattle can communicate to each other through a mobile phone
network, and can provide real-time data on cattle conditions from anywhere.
Experts suggest that, in the future, every (physical) product could be connected to ubiquitous
communication infrastructure, and sensors everywhere will allow people to fully perceive their
environment.

Positive impacts
– Increased efficiency in using resources
– Rise in productivity
– Improved quality of life
– Effect on the environment
– Lower cost of delivering services
– More transparency around the use and state of resources
– Safety (e.g. planes, food)
– Efficiency (logistics)
– More demand for storage and bandwidth
– Shift in labour markets and skills
– Creation of new businesses
– Even hard, real-time applications feasible in standard communication networks
– Design of products to be “digitally connectable”
– Addition of digital services on top of products
– Digital twin provides precise data for monitoring, controlling and predicting
– Digital twin becomes active participant in business, information and social processes
– Things will be enabled to perceive their environment comprehensively, and react and act
autonomously
– Generation of additional knowledge, and value based on connected “smart” things

Negative impacts
– Privacy
– Job losses for unskilled labour
– Hacking, security threat (e.g. utility grid)
– More complexity and loss of control

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