Industrial Revolution Technologies Research Articles

Urban solid waste challenges and opportunities to promote sustainable developing cities through the fourth industrial revolution technologies

Purpose In less than a decade to Sustainable Development Goals, the urban solid waste (USW) emanating from households, especially in developing countries, calls for concern. Several policies have been suggested and some implemented, but the challenges facing USW management remain, especially in developing nations. Past studies demonstrated that the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies can be used to improve urban public services. The role of 4IR in mitigating the challenges of USW is yet to receive in-depth research in Nigeria. Thus, the study investigated 4IR role regarding mitigating the challenges facing USW.Design/methodology/approach Seven cities across Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory, were used as the study area to achieve the research objectives via a qualitative research design. Thirty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted from selected regulators, households, legislators, ICT experts, NGOs and waste managers. A thematic approach was adopted to analyse the collated data.Findings Findings group the USW challenges into five categories. The 4IR technologies can be used to manage USW; thus, they create an opportunity to integrate and promote sustainable clean cities.Research limitations/implications This study is confined to the 4IR role concerning mitigating the encumbrances facing USW in Nigeria and proffered feasible policies to enhance a sustainable healthy environment.Practical implications Proffered policy solutions will stir policymakers and construction practitioners to think outside the box and offer and better understand how 4IR technologies can be utilised to mitigate those challenges. The outcome will create sustainable clean cities as part of the implication contribution to the body of knowledge.Originality/value Evidence from the reviewed literature shows a paucity of literature focussed on 4IR roles in mitigating the encumbrances facing USW in Nigeria. Therefore, this study contributes to the existing research work on 4IR concerning its role in enhancing USW in Nigeria and, by extension, to other developing countries.

The Opportunities and Challenges Associated with the Implementation of Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies to Manage Health and Safety.

The fourth industrial revolution (4iR) technologies offer an opportunity for the construction industry to improve health and safety (H&S) compliance. Therefore, implementing the technologies is of top priority to improve the endless H&S incidents in construction projects, which lead to poor quality of work, late project delivery, and increased labour injury claims. Central to improving the nature of work and other industrial processes, the 4iR technologies have emerged. Concurrent with this trend is the importance of 4iR technologies in enhancing health and safety performance on construction sites. However, the implementation of 4iR technologies in the construction industry is faced with various challenges. Therefore, this paper reports on a study aimed at examining the challenges associated with implementing 4iR technologies in the construction sector in South Africa towards effective management of H&S. The study followed a systematic literature review, data collection using a questionnaire survey and thereafter, descriptive, and inferential analyses were conducted. The findings revealed that the implementation of 4iR technologies is challenged by a lack of adequate relevant skills, the unavailability of training capacities, expensive technologies, and negative perceptions such as fear of job loss by industry professionals. The findings are essential for the advancement of H&S research and implementation. In addition, the findings are important to industry decision-makers in order to elevate their awareness and promote the use of 4iR technologies to manage construction activities. The study implications include the need for the construction industry to collaborate with higher education institutions to conduct research and include 4iR in the curriculum.

A Machine Learning Based Model for Energy Usage Peak Prediction in Smart Farms

Context: Energy utilization is one of the most closely related factors affecting many areas of the smart farm, plant growth, crop production, device automation, and energy supply to the same degree. Recently, 4th industrial revolution technologies such as IoT, artificial intelligence, and big data have been widely used in smart farm environments to efficiently use energy and control smart farms’ conditions. In particular, machine learning technologies with big data analysis are actively used as one of the most potent prediction methods supporting energy use in the smart farm. Purpose: This study proposes a machine learning-based prediction model for peak energy use by analyzing energy-related data collected from various environmental and growth devices in a smart paprika farm of the Jeonnam Agricultural Research and Extension Service in South Korea between 2019 and 2021. Scientific method: To find out the most optimized prediction model, comparative evaluation tests are performed using representative ML algorithms such as artificial neural network, support vector regression, random forest, K-nearest neighbors, extreme gradient boosting and gradient boosting machine, and time series algorithm ARIMA with binary classification for a different number of input features. Validate: This article can provide an effective and viable way for smart farm managers or greenhouse farmers who can better manage the problem of agricultural energy economically and environmentally. Therefore, we hope that the recommended ML method will help improve the smart farm’s energy use or their energy policies in various fields related to agricultural energy. Conclusion: The seven performance metrics including R-squared, root mean squared error, and mean absolute error, are associated with these two algorithms. It is concluded that the RF-based model is more successful than in the pre-others diction accuracy of 92%. Therefore, the proposed model may be contributed to the development of various applications for environment energy usage in a smart farm, such as a notification service for energy usage peak time or an energy usage control for each device.

Thinging teachers: gleaning nearness in dis/embodied eLearning through poetic inquiry

abstract This piece aims to give glimpses of how we slide and dis/connect in embodied-virtual nodes and nets during Covid-19 lock-down, where lecturers reach from the virtual to be near students whom they normally care for in a contact university. Similar to how the concept of the global South helps us to look at the world in more encompassing richness, poetic inquiry contributes to insight by exposing diversity and difference and by grounding research in body and emotion − because traditional research might miss the grains within which the stories sing. I conducted performative interviews to engage through Zoom with three women lecturers from the Durban University of Technology, where I support staff in eLearning. For close to thirty years here, I have been ever-perplexed by how we are affected and how selves morph as we criss-cross the thin membrane between corporeal and virtual. Here, encounters are often out-the-box performances that ring with grit and great heart, as networks of tech and teacher perform feats to be near their students. Bearing in mind teachers in relation to technology as things, I explore nearness philosophically − Heidegger’s (1971) preoccupation with “when the thing things”, and then, how Irigaray (1999) extends this western philosophical concept into embodied, intuitive knowing. To understand and analyse this line of argument, I wrote poems rooted in my personal, visceral-virtual, but also natural world – thus implying that the divide between us and nature is fluid too: similar to there being no “bright red line” between us and our technological tools, as Jackson (2014, p.232) says in ‘Rethinking repair’. While rightfully many current debates concentrate on Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as implants, these poems invite you to spot and think about more subtle, ordinary, often overlooked, “artefacts and forms of knowledge associated with women”, to quote Judy Wajcman (2009, p.144).

Application of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies in contemporary South African art

Significant studies have looked into Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technology, particularly in the science and technology industry. These technologies range from AI, robotics, 3D printing technology, IoT, CPS, and digital technologies. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of research regarding the operation of 4IR technologies in the arts. The 4IR is digital, and creativity, as well as critical thinking, are at the centre of this revolution. Creativity and critical thinking are at the centre of art practice. Interestingly, although there is an attempt by scholars to link creativity and critical thinking in 4IR, little information is available on research regarding the application of 4IR technologies in the arts. This study aims to bridge the gap that exists in literature by discussing 4IR in the context of visual art. Furthermore, the paper attempts to look into digital art technologies as part of the 4IR.

Micro and nanofluidics for high throughput drug screening.

In this book chapter, we elaborate on the state-of-the-art technology developments in high throughput screening, microfluidics and nanofluidics. This book chapter further elaborated on the application of microfluidics and nanofluidics for high throughput drug screening with respect to communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases such as cancer. As a future perspective, there is tremendous potential for microfluidics and nanofluidics to be applied in high throughput drug screening which could be applied for various biotechnology applications such as in cancer precision medicine, point-of-care diagnostics and imaging. With the integration of Fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies with micro and nanofluidics technologies, it envisioned that such integration along with digital health would enable next generation technology development in medical field.

MES Dynamic interoperability for SMEs in the Factory of the Future perspective

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) hold a significant proportion in the economy and more than half of employment worldwide. Nowadays, many SMEs are embarking on a digital transformation journey by embracing and deploying the Fourth Industrial Revolution (a.k.a. Industry 4.0) technologies with a vision of the “Factory of the Future”. Factory of the future aims to enhance production by making improvements in three dimensions: plant structure, plant digitization, and plant processes, which cut across many key function areas of Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) such as management of product definitions, resource scheduling, order execution and dispatch, production analysis, product quality, and materials track and trace. The technological shift with the Factory of the Future, e.g., the adoption of information, communication, and networking technologies in the form of the cyber-physical production system (CPPS) in order to manage interoperability at the factory’s functional levels in real-time, demands a fresh look at the functional aspects of MES as well as the interplays between MES and an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and a process control system (e.g., SCADA). The Factory of the Future may lead to hierarchical changes in MES byways of redesigning the value chain for dynamic production and mass personalization scenarios. Deployment of the responsive and adaptive value chain in MES is still state-of-art-issue. The authors will address dynamic interoperability between modular functionalities for end-to-end integration and consider microservices scenarios to form a service-oriented architecture that supports the part of MES in the responsive and adaptive industrial value chain. Primary modules of the manufacturing execution system have been identified from ISA-95 standards and demonstration of end-to-end integration via OPC-UA server/client and PubSub mechanism contributing to the execution of business and manufacturing functions. Each element or activity runs in its own process and provides a microservice; each microservice communicate with other services and form a service-oriented architecture for MES. Finally, a universal framework solution has been proposed for dynamic interoperability, which intends to upgrade the value chain and networking of a conventional industry towards a factory of the future.

Challenges Faced by Teachers in Integrating 4<sup>th</sup> Industrial Revolution (4IR) Technology in Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL)

The use of technology for teaching has become an integral part of success in the teaching and learning of the English language which has been demonstrated to be beneficial in many parts of the world. Technology improvements in schooling are exerting an increasing amount of strain and many teachers are facing challenges in integrating it in teaching ESL learners. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate the challenges faced by teachers in integrating 4IR technology in teaching ESL learners. In this context, the study has focused on critical discussion regarding 4IR technology. A qualitative research design is employed by involving 10 ESL teachers from different schools in the same district. Moreover, it has been found that technological implementation has huge benefits for increasing students learning and knowledge. However, several challenges are also associated with this implementation. The findings of this study stated that teachers face varieties of challenges in integrating 4IR technology in teaching ESL learners for example, internet connection, lack of exposure and lack of technology equipment. Theories such as diffusion of innovations and constructivism have been discussed that are supported the ESL learning process. The paper ends with a recommendation for future researchers who wished to delve deeper in the context of this study in terms of the usage of 4IR technologies among ESL teachers.

Application of Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies in Contemporary South African Art

Application of Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies in Contemporary South African Art

The Internet of Things impact on smart public transportation

Business models and supply networks will be fundamentally altered by the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0). The Internet of Things (IoT) is a relatively new technology that, when combined with other fourth industrial revolution technologies like artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and "Big data," has the potential to drastically alter the world we live in. The Internet of Things (IoT) enables organizations to implement new services more rapidly and at lower risk.The researcher gathered information on the various public transportation bodies’ functions. There were data gathering trips to several European transport authorities. Data was gathered throughout analyzing different case studies to study the impact of internet of things on the global transport system. In order to find examples of IoT technologies that may be used internationally, a literature review had been constructed based on the activities and goals of these public bodies. These included long-term parking calculation, weather monitoring, scheduling and simulation.Aviation companies tend to use Internet of Things in its aviation operations to monitor weather, schedule and simulate flights. Using Internet of Things can help Aviation companies to stay on top of critical systems including engines, powertrains, and fuel tanks to identify and correct issues before they become potentially catastrophic, and to provide maintenance professionals with real-time data analysis capabilities.

LEAPFROGGING PATHWAY FOR FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: A CASE OF PROCESS INNOVATION WITHIN AN AUTOMOTIVE SUBSIDIARY FIRM

The relationship between Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and innovation makes for an interesting case, as innovation seeks to unlock a level of competitiveness for its users, the extent of which is covered in this research paper. The premise of this study is that subsidiary firms lend themselves to the practice of process innovation. The focus of this study was on a South African automotive subsidiary firm, and a case study methodology was adopted. Data was collected in the form of questionnaire responses from specialists and interview feedback from managers in order to derive insights that would inform the state of firms’ technological capabilities, the dynamics behind them, and the leapfrogging measures that might be taken. This study showed that the current state of technological capabilities in the sample firm ranged from inadequate to satisfactory. Three priority areas were defined: robotics, big data and cloud computing, and advanced manufacturing systems. The workers’ mindsets were found to be a serious barrier to taking full advantage of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. This study covered measures that would be necessary to ensure a successful digital transformation, best realised through an incremental innovation strategy. The main metrics of firm competitiveness were outlined as quality, volume, and cost, all of which could be influenced by process innovations. Keywords Fourth Industrial Revolution; Process Innovation; Leapfrogging Pathway; Competitiveness; Automotive

Smart City Architecture based on Fourth Industrial Revolution Technology

Smart City Architecture based on Fourth Industrial Revolution Technology

A Study on the Development Plan of Rapid Acquisition System of the ROK ARMED Forces

Purpose: A rapid demonstration acquisition project has been underway since 2020 to compensate for the shortcomings of the current weapon acquisition system, which usually takes more than 10 years to acquire a single weapon system, and to quickly apply fourth industrial revolution technologies such as AI, drones, and un-manned technology to the defense sector. As it is applied first without institutional completeness, however, var-ious problems are being exposed at the site. In this study, we would like to diagnose the causes of these problems and suggest solutions. Method: Quantitative research on rapid acquisition demonstration projects is limited due to the short history of implemented and policy-based systems, so qualitative research was conducted to improve the efficiency of the current rapid acquisition project. The causes of problems between the implementation of the system were ana-lyzed, and through laws and regulations related to it and the examples from the U.S. military, a solution that could be accepted by the agencies involved in the rapid acquisition demonstration project was presented. Results: To mitigate the responsibility of organizations and personnel implementing the rapid demonstration acquisition project on-site and to boldly implement the project, a solution was presented to ensure necessary conditions. The burden on quality assurance and loss & damage of equipment was reduced and the property registration process of equipment under test operation without property registration was presented. It was also proposed to promote rapid research and development by breaking away from the purchase of current commer-cial products to ensure the completeness of the rapid acquisition demonstration system. Conclusion: The rapid demonstration acquisition project is to first test-use commercial products applied with new technologies and quickly introduce them to the military through formal decisions if they can be used militar-ily. As we have taken the first step through a lot of research and discussion, we hope that the system will be supplemented and implemented boldly and challengingly to meet the original purpose and establish it as a viable and sustainable formal weapon system acquisition procedure.

해양무인이동체산업 활성화를 위한 교육훈련체계 수립에 대한 연구

Marine unmanned vehicles, which are the culmination of the 4th industrial revolution technology, including marine drones, maritime autonomous surface ships(MASS), unmanned ships, and smart ships, are being applied and utilized in various industrial fields on land and at sea as an essential factor for innovative growth. In this regard, major developed countries are specializing in the marine sector based on the general unmanned vehicle industry, selecting it as a new growth driving industry in the future, and promoting policies for technology development, market preoccupation, and cultivation of professionals. Marine unmanned vehicles such as MASS, USVs, UUVs, wave gliders, sea gliders, and ROVs are required to have a future-oriented education and training system for professionals, which is the core of industrial development. Therefore, this study aims to establish and recommend the vision and strategy of education and training by comparing the macroenvironmental analysis(PEST) and the environment of internal education users/stakeholders after defining concepts related to various marine unmanned vehicles and analyzing technology trends of related companies.

Opportunities of and threats to consumer well-being in the age of Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) technologies

PurposeFourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) technologies have strong potential to affect consumer well-being, positively or negatively, so the current paper aims to review potential opportunities and threats that these technologies represent for consumers in several core economic sectors: health care, education, financial services, manufacturing and retailing.Design/methodology/approachThis paper proposes a conceptual framework for how IR 4.0 technologies affect consumer well-being in five representative sectors: health care, education, financial services, manufacturing and retailing. The authors argue that the potential transformations of these specific sectors, facilitated by these technologies, may have profound effects on consumer well-being, with urgent public policy implications.FindingsEmerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, three-dimensional printing, machine learning and blockchain, provide customers with novel approaches toward decisions regarding health, education, finances and other fundamental parts of their lives. The organizations that provide these services, such as hospitals, universities and banks, actively adopt the innovations offered by IR 4.0. These evolving and disruptive technologies thus are changing reality for consumers and providers.Originality/valueThis paper proposes some novel public policy implications of IR 4.0 technologies for consumer well-being, and it outlines further research directions that can enhance understanding of relevant technologies and the consequences of their use for society.

Digital Environment in Academic Libraries: Leveraging on Advanced Information Communication Technologies for Better Service Delivery

The advancement in technologies coupled with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and its associated technologies such as artificial intelligence, AI, robotic technology, virtual/augmented reality, big data, blockchain, cloud computing, and the likes have entered into the academic and other types of libraries have all brought changes into the digital environment of academic libraries. In light of this, this chapter examined the current digital environment of academic libraries. The chapter discusses the concept of the digital environment and academic libraries, describes digital components in academic libraries (old versus new), describes the impact of the digital environment on academic libraries, identify the new knowledge and skills required for academic libraries users’ and librarians’ functionality in the digital environment of academic libraries, and identifies changing formats ofthe environment of information material; the technological issue; the changing role of librarians; a collection of virtual information, archiving or preserving the virtual information; accessing of virtual information; special skills needed for librarians in building a virtual library; the cost factor of information technology; and the likelihood of job loss by the librarians as current challenges associated with the digital environment of academic libraries. The chapter recommends based on the findings that Academic librarians and studentsshould work to develop in-demand skills and continuously learn to use tools that reveal their capabilities and expertise to function in the digital environment of academic libraries and to provide efficient and effective information service. The academic librarians should anticipate and integrate new technologies to redesign access and delivery mechanisms to maximise utilisation of information and to minimise the costs of supporting such services. Keywords: Academic libraries, Digital environment, Digital literacy, Digital skills, Advanced technologies, Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies.

Digital Environment in Academic Libraries: Leveraging on Advanced Information Communication Technologies for Better Service Delivery

The advancement in technologies coupled with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and its associated technologies such as artificial intelligence, AI, robotic technology, virtual/augmented reality, big data, blockchain, cloud computing, and the likes have entered into the academic and other types of libraries have all brought changes into the digital environment of academic libraries. In light of this, this chapter examined the current digital environment of academic libraries. The chapter discusses the concept of the digital environment and academic libraries, describes digital components in academic libraries (old versus new), describes the impact of the digital environment on academic libraries, identify the new knowledge and skills required for academic libraries users’ and librarians’ functionality in the digital environment of academic libraries, and identifies changing formats ofthe environment of information material; the technological issue; the changing role of librarians; a collection of virtual information, archiving or preserving the virtual information; accessing of virtual information; special skills needed for librarians in building a virtual library; the cost factor of information technology; and the likelihood of job loss by the librarians as current challenges associated with the digital environment of academic libraries. The chapter recommends based on the findings that Academic librarians and studentsshould work to develop in-demand skills and continuously learn to use tools that reveal their capabilities and expertise to function in the digital environment of academic libraries and to provide efficient and effective information service. The academic librarians should anticipate and integrate new technologies to redesign access and delivery mechanisms to maximise utilisation of information and to minimise the costs of supporting such services. Keywords: Academic libraries, Digital environment, Digital literacy, Digital skills, Advanced technologies, Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies.

안전관리에 대한 사업장의 역할

This research begins with the idea that the workplace plays a significant role in occupational safety and accident management. Government programs to address safety events and disasters have recently included the science and technology of the fourth industrial revolution. As a result, the purpose of this study is to investigate the experimental impact of these policies and responses to the fourth industrial revolution on workplace safety management. According to the research, it was discovered that the larger the policy influence, the better the workplace safety management. The interaction between policy impact and the response to the 4th industrial revolution was investigated, and it was found that the response to the 4th industrial revolution had a positive effect that reinforced the good impact of government policies on workplace safety management. Therefore, the government should develop policies to notice and respond to workplace safety incidents on a daily basis. We are also drafting policies so that workplaces can conduct their own safety management based on the characteristics of employees and organizations, as well as safety management techniques that combine technologies from the 4th industrial revolution.

Perceptions on adopting artificial intelligence and related technologies in libraries: public and academic librarians in North America

PurposeThis study aims to understand how artificial Intelligence (AI) and related technologies are currently being utilized in public and academic libraries and how librarians perceive the adoption of new technologies in their relative libraries.Design/methodology/approachUsing an online survey questionnaire, the authors collected survey responses from both public and academic librarians that were subscribed to information science-centered listservs in North America. The quantitative survey responses (N = 242) were measured through use of multiple chi-square tests and crosstab analyses.FindingsThe current use and awareness of AI and related technologies were more reported from academic librarians; however, public librarians' reported perceptions on such technologies were generally more positive. In all, 67% of them responded that AI and related technologies will transform the library's functions, and 68% of librarians reported that they are interested in training. This study discussed the significance of training for preparing librarians for AI and related technologies and the further examination on the role of librarians in the new era.Originality/valueThis study examined public and academic librarians' perceptions toward the adoption of six emerging technologies which often appear in the LIS literature as well as addressed as the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies.

Extent of Application of Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies to Enhance Tourism Sustainability: A Case of Selected Tourism Operators in Victoria Falls

This study sought to analyse the extent of the application of Fourth Industrial Revolution techniques (4 IR) in the tourism sector of Zimbabwe using the Victoria Falls as a case study. The objective of the study was to analyse the effectiveness of 4IR technologies on the competitiveness amongst tourist operators and to determine strategies that could be adapted to improve the use of 4IR technological trends. A sample of 96 tourist respondents were used in the study, as well as 30 tour operators. The study also used probability sampling through systematic random sampling for tourists and non-probability sampling through random sampling for tour operators. The findings clearly showed that pre-travel technologies used by tour operators have enhanced tourists choice of patronage. However, on-site technologies used by tour operators were limited acording to tourists who indicated that they were not satiesfied with the extent to which on-site technologies were applied. The reasons behind slow adoption of 4IR technologies by most operators emanated from lack of managerial skills, lack of expertise and lack of desire to innovate. The study recommended that operators should urgently adopt the use of artificial intelligence, they should budget towards technological upgrading as well as installation of cyber crime security systems. Organisations should also invest in digital transformation.