EU Announces the Era of ‘Industry 5.0’

The Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission has published a new policy brief on Industry 5.0, which it says compliments the existing Industry 4.0 paradigm, which was coined over a decade ago, by highlighting research and innovation as drivers for a transition to a sustainable, human-centric and resilient European industry.

It moves focus from shareholder to stakeholder value, with benefits for all concerned. Industry 5.0 attempts to capture the value of new technologies, providing prosperity beyond jobs and growth, while respecting planetary boundaries, and placing the wellbeing of the industry worker at the center of the production process. Six categories have been highlighted as part of technological frameworks:

• Individualised Human-machine-interaction;
• Bio-inspired technologies and smart materials;
• Digital twins and simulation;
• Data transmission, storage, and analysis technologies;
• Artificial Intelligence;
• Technologies for energy efficiency, renewables, storage and autonomy

The vision ‘Industry 5.0’ recognizes the power of industry to achieve societal goals beyond jobs and growth, to become a resilient provider of prosperity, by making production respect the boundaries of our planet and placing the wellbeing of the industry worker at the center of the production process. It moves focus from solely shareholder value to stakeholder value, for all concerned. The concept of Industry 5.0 provides a different focus and highlights the importance of research and innovation to support industry in its long-term service to humanity.

European Commission policy breif “Industry 5.0” – click to get the PDF.

The initiative intends to produce industrial case examples, labatory demonstrations and methodologies for digital maturity within human-centric automation, sustainable production and recilience of data and information and knowledge sharing.

Author: Tim Cole
Image Credit: European Commission