Smart Factory and Industry 4.0. The Current State of Application Technologies

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Theoretical Principles
• Technological Systematization
• Production and Logistics
• Smart Factory Concept
• Internet of Things
• Internet of Services
• Further “Internets” in Literature
• Smart World
• Industry 4.0
• Cyber-Physical Systems
• Definition of Smart Factory
• Human-Machine Interaction
• Development of the Human-Machine Interaction
• Kinds of Human-Machine Interaction
• Further Conceptual Distinction
• New Technologies of Human-Machine Interaction
• Expert Survey
• Conceptual Review
• Expert Survey
• Survey Design
• Statistical Methods for Study Analysis
• Study Analysis
• Technology Roadmap

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis aims to determine the technological readiness of Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) technologies within the Smart Factory context. It investigates the feasibility of implementing these technologies in production logistics, considering both technological challenges and potential solutions.

• The definition and systematization of key concepts related to Industry 4.0, Smart Factories, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
• An analysis of Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) and its evolving role in the Smart Factory.
• An evaluation of the technological readiness of selected HMI application technologies (wearable technologies and recognition technologies).
• Identification of current technological challenges and potential solution approaches for the selected HMI technologies.
• The development of a Technology Roadmap visualizing the predicted timeline for technological readiness of the selected technologies.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

Introduction: This chapter defines the research problem, outlines the objectives, formulates research questions, details the chosen research method (expert survey and technology roadmap), and provides a summary of the thesis structure. The central question addresses the technological readiness of HMI in Smart Factories, acknowledging the complex interplay of technological and societal factors.

Theoretical Principles: This chapter establishes the theoretical foundation by defining and differentiating "Technologie" and "Technik" (in the German context), explaining technological paradigms, and clarifying the concepts of logistics and production logistics. It emphasizes the importance of a human-centered approach in Smart Factory design.

Smart Factory Concept: This chapter defines and differentiates key concepts like the Internet of Things (IoT), Internet of Services (IoS), Industry 4.0, and Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS). It explores the "Smart World" concept and positions the Smart Factory as a crucial element within the broader context of Industry 4.0 and IoTS, highlighting its new technological capabilities enabled by CPS.

Human-Machine Interaction: This chapter analyzes the evolving role of the human worker in the Smart Factory, contrasting technology-centered and human-centered automation approaches. It discusses human capabilities and limitations in relation to HMI, advocating for a human-centered design that leverages human strengths while mitigating limitations. The chapter introduces different types of HMI and highlights the importance of intuitive, multimodal interaction.

Expert Survey: This chapter details the methodology used to gather data, including the design of the expert survey, the selection of participants (experts from research and industry), and the statistical methods employed for data analysis. The chapter acknowledges limitations of the study design and discusses the challenges of obtaining comprehensive and high-quality responses in a complex field.

Technology Roadmap: This chapter presents the results of the expert survey, analyzing the technological readiness of selected HMI application technologies (mobile devices, smart glasses, smart watches, speech recognition, gesture recognition, and gaze recognition). It identifies technological challenges and potential solutions, visualized in a technology roadmap that projects the timeline for achieving technological readiness for each technology.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Smart Factory, Industry 4.0, Human-Machine Interaction, application technology, Mobile Device, Smart Glasses, Smart Watch, Speech Recognition, Gesture Recognition, Gaze Recognition, technological readiness, Technology Roadmap, production logistics, Cyber-Physical Systems, Internet of Things, Internet of Services.

Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview

What is the main focus of this document?

This document provides a comprehensive preview of a thesis examining the technological readiness of Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) technologies within the Smart Factory context. It explores the feasibility of implementing these technologies in production logistics, considering technological challenges and potential solutions.

What are the key themes explored in this thesis?

Key themes include: the definition and systematization of Industry 4.0, Smart Factories, and the Internet of Things (IoT); an analysis of HMI and its evolving role in Smart Factories; an evaluation of the technological readiness of specific HMI technologies (wearable technologies and recognition technologies); identification of technological challenges and potential solutions; and the development of a Technology Roadmap.

What is the methodology used in this research?

The research employs an expert survey and a technology roadmap. The expert survey gathers data from experts in research and industry, using statistical methods for analysis. The technology roadmap visualizes the predicted timeline for technological readiness of selected HMI technologies.

What HMI technologies are specifically examined?

The thesis focuses on the technological readiness of several HMI application technologies, including mobile devices, smart glasses, smart watches, speech recognition, gesture recognition, and gaze recognition.

What are the key chapters and their content?

The thesis includes chapters on: Introduction (defining the research problem and methodology); Theoretical Principles (establishing the theoretical foundation); Smart Factory Concept (defining key concepts related to Industry 4.0 and IoT); Human-Machine Interaction (analyzing its evolving role in Smart Factories); Expert Survey (detailing the methodology and data analysis); and Technology Roadmap (presenting the survey results and technology projections).

What are the main findings or objectives of the study?

The study aims to determine the technological readiness of HMI technologies in Smart Factories, analyze their feasibility in production logistics, and identify technological challenges and potential solutions. A technology roadmap is developed to project the timeline for achieving technological readiness for the selected technologies.

What are the keywords associated with this research?

Keywords include: Smart Factory, Industry 4.0, Human-Machine Interaction, application technology, Mobile Device, Smart Glasses, Smart Watch, Speech Recognition, Gesture Recognition, Gaze Recognition, technological readiness, Technology Roadmap, production logistics, Cyber-Physical Systems, Internet of Things, Internet of Services.

What is the overall structure of the thesis?

The thesis follows a structured approach, beginning with an introduction that outlines the research problem and objectives, followed by chapters establishing the theoretical framework, analyzing key concepts, presenting the methodology and results of the expert survey, and concluding with the development of a technology roadmap.