It seems that the term Industry 4.0 came into our lives only yesterday, and already some mark the next industrial revolution and the era of Industry 5.0. Contrary to the previous industrial revolutions, Industry 5.0 is less related to technology and more about ethics – and SaverOne is an excellent example
It is common to see the beginning of the industrial age at the end of the 18th century. During this period, man learned to harness the power of steam to transport people and goods (inventing the train) and moving machinery (the first mechanical loom). Very quickly, the first factories that included mass production arose throughout Europe. This period, known as the “Industrial Revolution,” sparked social upheavals and propelled urbanization processes.
History tends to crown one industrial revolution, but those who delve into the processes may mark additional turning points, which have changed the industry beyond recognition.
Thus, towards the end of the 19th century, the “Second Industrial Revolution” broke out when electricity came into the picture, especially when the conveyor belt was invented and gave birth to the modern assembly line.
Towards the end of the 1960s, the third ‘industrial revolution’ can be identified, when computers and controllers were integrated into processes and streamlined.
The following “revolution” came around the turn of the millennium, with the digital age. It has earned the nickname – Industry 4.0. The technologies identified come from artificial intelligence, robotics, and smart communication between devices based on the “Internet of Things” (IoT) and broader automation.
A new step in improving productivity
The common goal of all the stages of development we have mentioned is that new technology has been harnessed to improve productivity. Technological development has also contributed to human well-being and made many products accessible – but the locomotive was economical. This, if you will, also mark the line between the four previous revolutions and the fifth revolution.
In many ways, we are still in the era of Industry 4.0. While technology is advancing rapidly, it is challenging to pinpoint a new technology that breaks paradigms from the ground up. So what has changed? In a nutshell, the focus on Industry 5.0 is not on the technology but its use.
The last few decades have led to the understanding that the industry also has a dark side. Air pollution, deforestation, and phenomena such as global warming are all perceived, to a large extent, as a by-product of over-industrialization. Industry 5.0 is a kind of utopian vision (which in many ways indeed manages to take shape) that seeks to get the industry to act ethically, not only by setting norms and adopting regulations but through technology itself. In other words, technology is assimilated to make industrial production processes more ethical.
This goes beyond clean energy production, neglecting raw materials, polluting production processes, and developing measures that do not harm the environment. Another aspect of the ethics that underlies the concept of Industry 5.0 is the well-being of employees and society. An example of this type of technological development can be found in the development of the Israeli start-up company SaverOne.
Safety is part of the transportation process
SaverOne was founded to address one of the sickest evils that the digital age has brought with it – cellular distractions.
Cellular distractions have become a global problem that claims the lives of thousands of people on the roads every year. SaverOne’s system is currently the only one that manages to deal with cellular distractions and prevents their feasibility. The system detects the driver’s phone, “takes over” it, and prevents it from using applications that could produce a dangerous distraction while driving.
Since Industry 5.0 approach looks at the industrial process as a holistic process, one of its significant components will be supply and transportation lines. Alongside ships, planes, and trains taking part in this Sisyphean and never-ending mission, the primary tool in industrial transportation is the truck. But trucks consume fuel, and that is why using electric trucks is a goal for Industry 5.0.
But it does not end there – the safety component also has an impact, and the involvement of trucks in road accidents is rising in the United States, Europe, and even in Israel. The ‘the national road safety department’ report, which reviewed the road accidents that occurred on Israeli roads in 2021, also recorded an increase in the involvement of trucks in fatal road accidents. Experts point to fatigue from the long hours on the road and essentially cellular distractions as the significant causes.
As mentioned, SaverOne’s system addresses the problem of cellular distractions, and its implementation among fleets of trucks serving the industry could save lives. This is a classic Industry 5.0 approach.
