The Fourth Industrial Revolution represents a fundamental change in the way we live, work and relate to one another. It is a new chapter in human development, enabled by extraordinary technology advances commensurate with those of the first, second and third industrial revolutions. These advances are merging the physical, digital and biological worlds in ways that create both huge promise and potential peril. The speed, breadth and depth of this revolution is forcing us to rethink how countries develop, how organisations create value and even what it means to be human. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is about more than just technology-driven change; it is an opportunity to help everyone, including leaders, policy-makers and people from all income groups and nations, to harness converging technologies in order to create an inclusive, human-centred future. The real opportunity is to look beyond technology, and find ways to give the greatest number of people the ability to positively impact their families, organisations and communities.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
How decentralized systems can help rebuild local communities
Cutting-edge technology makes the local management of data and resources as efficient as central management. Local communities can again manage themselves.
Digital Inclusion
Smart cities are great but we also need smart villages
Connectivity allowed people to learn, socialize and work from home during COVID. But for 3.6 billion people without internet access, all of that was impossible.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
This robot looks for lost items
MIT researchers have created a robotic system that can sort through clutter to find an item, with potential applications in manufacturing and more.
Advanced Manufacturing and Production
90 manufacturing sites are scaling innovations on our learning network
The Global Lighthouse Network is developing, replicating and scaling innovations, while setting new benchmarks for the global manufacturing community.
Road to COP26
How 'digital highways' could boost inclusion and advance the SDGs
DPIs connected people with vital services during the pandemic. Building more of these digital highways will boost inclusion and help us achieve the UN SDGs.
Future of Health and Healthcare
How the digital revolution can make healthcare more inclusive
Highly individualized medicine is now within reach. We highlight three examples that support the contact between patients and doctors using digital tools.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Scientists have now made it possible to 'touch' holograms
Precisely controlled jets of air are paired with computer generated graphics to create the sensation of touching the hologram.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
Q&A: Everything you need to know about intelligent automation
Intelligent automation can take on mundane, repetitive tasks, freeing workers up to take on more creative elements of their work. Expert Pascal Bornet explains.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
We are closing the gap between technology and policy
The C4IR Network centres are building scalable models to positively pilot and integrate regulations in law and industry standards.
SDIS2021
How 4IR is enabling policy-making for a more sustainable and agile future
The application of 4IR and agile governance can equip governments to ‘turn the tide’ so businesses and public can transition to a sustainable future.
Fourth Industrial Revolution
How a robot's gaze can affect the human brain
New research shows that a robot's gaze can trick us into thinking we're socially interacting and slow our decision-making process, with implications for the deployment of humanoid robots.
Future of Health and Healthcare
Tiny robots could deliver drugs directly to our central nervous system
New research has developed soft robots that can be controlled using magnetic fields. It's hoped the robots could be used for targeted drug delivery.