Technology is constantly changing and adapting. New technologies seem to be popping up every day, making their impact felt on a wide variety of industries. Below are four innovations poised to be next to break the industrial status quo.

Industrial drones

Figure 1. Drones safely conduct a variety of inspection, surveying and assessment tasksFigure 1. Drones safely conduct a variety of inspection, surveying and assessment tasks

Drones have great potential in many industries including civil engineering, energy and utilities, oil and gas, agriculture and mining. They can be used for inspection, maintenance, mapping and surveying. Almost any activity that requires viewing can be performed by a drone.

Currently, industrial drones are being used in areas where traditional inspections are difficult or time-consuming, including solar and wind energy parks, power lines, engines, bridges and offshore utilities. Drones can fly into hard-to-reach spaces and get closer to problem areas than humans – both more efficiently and safely.

Augmented and virtual reality

Augmented reality (AR) adds digital elements to a live view through the lens of a device, while virtual reality (VR) provides a total immersion experience into an imagined environment. Both technologies have already made inroads into the gaming world.

In an industrial context, AR and VR hold tremendous promise in several areas. One specific example is training. Many jobs involving specialized machines require experience to master, which can put new employees and trainees at risk. That danger can be eliminated by training on headsets in a virtual space.

Another example is collaboration with remote workers. Team members using headsets can hold online meetings, allowing them to communicate as if they are all sitting in the same room. Inspections and even some maintenance tasks can be performed remotely, offering the potential for reduced costs.

Wearable technology

Wearable technology is a major growth area, with applications in almost every industry. Wearables might even be considered the future of injury prevention and safety. Some wearables can alert a worker when they come into proximity with danger, such as stepping near a hot surface. Others are designed to help workers in high-risk occupations track their biometrics while on the job. Smart watches can serve as health monitors that alert the user when they are overexerted, dehydrated or need to be mindful of other health factors. Smart clothing can monitor oxygen levels, heart rate and skin temperature, and store data for sharing with medical professionals.

AR technology integrated into wearables can improve overall efficiency. Smart glasses, for example, can display text to tell sorting workers which products to address next. Smart watches can help fork lift operators scan large products with ease.

3D printing

With applications ranging from printed clothing to printed homes, 3D printing has made a tremendous impact on the world. In an industrial context, the technology can simplify and speed up production processes. It provides designers more freedom in the creation stage, enabling them to create cost-effective prototypes and test out even the smallest design tweaks.

3D printing also makes the manufacturing process eco-friendlier. Traditional manufacturing requires raw material to be processed into new products, generating scrap that is usually left on the factory floor to be thrown away. By printing only what is needed, waste and storage needs for surplus inventory can be largely eliminated. Put simply, 3D printing saves time, money and space.

Conclusion

These are just a handful of technologies certain to play a role in the future of industry. They have already made impacts by disrupting traditional processes and creating new paradigms for best practices. It is likely that each of them will continue to become more prevalent, and begin to dominate the industrial landscape of tomorrow.