Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Con

Disrupter Series Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Con

The ability of devices to communicate with other devices is revolutionizing industrial practices both in the United States and abroad. Already there are examples of smart components sending data about their performance and condition to workers who can monitor the equipment and if necessary replace it before it breaks down. Municipal water systems embedded with sensors can relay information about blockages or leaks that would help ensure that the water keeps flowing. Another example is how electricity providers can monitor electrical grids embedded with sensors and relays that can identify outages or surges, locate alternative pathways, and ensure that electrons keep flowing. Looking forward, the potential to further improve manufacturing processes through the combination of new technologies stretches the imagination. Utilizing IoT and other emerging technologies like augmented reality, workers will be able to virtually make adjustments to industrial systems to understand how to improve efficiency and then implement necessary changes without interrupting the manufacturing processes. IoT-connected factories will be able to monitor their need for raw materials and then order those materials from IoT-connected warehouses. IoT-connected transportation service providers will then deliver necessary products without the intervention of the human. These and other opportunities allow IoT-connected manufacturing centers the ability to devise their own ways to run more smoothly.