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Our colleagues Andrei Olariu, Head of Partnerships, and Felix Plopeanu, Business Relations Manager, attended Hannover Messe 2024. They experienced the most important European industrial technology event. They joined the debate on Industry 4.0 software and devices, AI & ML, sustainability, and cybersecurity standards, which are essential for both hardware and software development.
Industry 4.0 is about obtaining the best results with fewer resources through technology. Sectors that have been growing fast lately, thanks to technology, include automotive, aerospace and defense, chemicals, and consumer goods. According to Gartner, this year’s trends in industrial manufacturing are focused on improving, growing, and emerging. So, there’s a growing demand for development for software and hardware innovations for Industry 4.0.
The exhibitors at Hannover Messe 2024, the world’s industry-leading show, offered a real-time view of the newest technologies in the field, showing that a high-quality, secure, and sustainable system might be the right combo in almost every industry.
One of the main pillars of Industry 4.0 is represented by embedded software development specialists, who empower evolution through innovation. Developing systems for Industrial IoT (IIoT) is one of our embedded areas of expertise, where we deliver solutions for some of the most important industries: energy, healthcare, manufacturing, automotive, smart agriculture, and forestry. In the last year, we’ve witnessed the transformation of the interoperability of such systems, where AI and ML had a massive contribution.
Artificial Intelligence has become one of the top 5 topics of interest for decision-making specialists in companies, so it was one of the main topics at Hannover Messe, too. Industry 4.0 software allows the creation of adaptive manufacturing ecosystems that can respond fast to changing market demands while driving competitiveness and innovation across industries.
Industrial (r)evolution was highlighted in many discussions among specialists. Some interesting projects showcased at the fair were focused on data analysis – a tool designed for industrial use to help data scientists automate part of their tasks to quickly generate AI models and a medical platform that interprets data about the heart, which is collected through an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) system.
It seems that Industry 4.0 software allows the improvement of firefighting – an exhibitor presented the first drill extinguisher in the world, which is extremely useful for large buildings and challenging to reach fire spots. Other solutions facilitate the development of sustainable solutions through artificial intelligence and contribute to mobility evolution, especially in the autonomous vehicle field.
Among our integrated expertise in software services, Intelligent Automation is an important expertise in the AROBS Group, too, allowing us to help other businesses reach their full potential.
As connectivity increases day after day, so do cyber threats – Industry 4.0 software can be a tempting target for cyberattacks. IT/OT (Information Technology/Operation Technology) security was an important topic at Hannover Messe, given that studies show that more than 80% of cyberattacks target human vulnerability, and in most cases, they are successful. Security concerns apply not only when it comes to application use but also when we think about how professionals use industrial equipment now that it is more automated.
In an industrial setting, there is a need for more focus on operational technology (OT) security. OT represents a combination of software and hardware that detects or causes changes by monitoring and controlling industrial equipment, assets, processes, and events. On this topic, exhibitors pointed out that users must be aware of the internal security measures; companies should choose certified equipment with authentic software and hardware, and company members must transfer or communicate sensitive data through an encrypted channel.
57% of companies anticipate security breaches, making stakeholders more focused on improving their safety measures in the organization. The right partner in cybersecurity can help you avoid major damage to your organization. This is why our experts are learning continuously, ensuring they can face the newest threats and follow the highest standards to ensure resilience through cybersecurity, such as the NIS 2 directive. To ensure that organizations avoid data and financial loss, we implement a preventive approach – we specialize in penetration testing services, process audits, vulnerability management, threat hunting, and other preventive actions to avoid damage.
As we develop embedded systems for different autonomous systems, we can see how dynamic the field of AI is and how important it is to create stable and secure solutions. Seeing the Industry 4.0 software and hardware advancements shows us how AI can improve life (and even save it), but also how important it is to adopt preventive measures to ensure that systems work flawlessly. Any breach in the industrial field can cost money, can disable production temporarily or permanently, and can even damage partnerships with other companies. The impact can go all the way to creating catastrophes.
Want to develop secure software solutions together? Let’s build success together!
Image source: Deutsche Messe/ Rainer Jensen, https://www.picdrop.com/deutschemesseag/HM2024?file=e52db1406b2f08758472acece1c3ab8a
