When people think of technological advancement, they often view it as an intimidating matter. As humans, we are creatures of habit; anything new tends to be perceived as some sort of a threat. When it comes to technology, it’s the same thing. This can be noticed in the simplest of things; how many times have you, or someone you know, chose to go through unnecessary complications to manually do something that you could have easily done online? So, to put an end to the distrust, we compiled a list of the new technologies that actually help improve old industries rather than take their place.

1. Cobotics

The term stands for collaborative robotics. As the name suggests, products that fall under the title of cobotics are basically robotic; yet, they are fully operated by humans. It is an invention that has only been in some movies; like, Avatar, for example. Do you recall the yellow exoskeleton that was controlled by the main character? Well, that is it.

The technology plays a huge role in the manufacturing industry. In the beginning, the industry started off with great numbers of humans working in factories. Then, technology took a step forward, and the industry was introduced to robotics which was faster, stronger, and more efficient. However, programming them remained a huge issue. As clever robots are, they cannot be programmed to respond to every existent variable.

On the other hand, with cobotics, there is no need for programming, as humans remain in control of the technology. This means that with cobots, human workers get the strength, stamina, and efficiency of a robot, as well as, the creative mind of a human; it’s the perfect combination. This is a game changer when it comes to certain types of manufacturing; like, heavy machinery, vehicles, planes, and things of the sort.

2. Virtual Reality

While it started off as a technology that takes entertainment to the next level, the way people got used to it so fast has resulted in a huge expansion in VR technology capabilities.

Nowadays, virtual reality is used in several industries; ones that have been around for quite some time.

In the fashion industry, VR is used to allow people to try on anything they like virtually. In other words, if you go into a store equipped with this technology, you won’t need to go into a fitting room, take off your clothes, and put on the new items. All that’s there for you to do is to put on the gigantic goggles and you will be good to go. It’s also the same thing with interior designing; you could just insert your design into software that allows you to see it more realistically. Not to mention, retailers won’t need to constantly re-fold their merchandise after people try them on in fitting rooms.

As for the automobile industry, VR technology is used by some of the big names as a mean of simulation. It is used to make potential buyers understand how it would feel like being inside a certain car. That way, you won’t need to take a million cars for test drives since you’ll be able to choose more accurately. Moreover, you making a faster decision means that there will be a high customer turnover rate which stands for, more profit.

3. Computerized Maintenance Management Systems

Often abbreviated as CMMS, technology is one of the most helpful modern solutions that are impacting industries everywhere. In simple terms, the technology enables users to take full control over an entire manufacturing system. It connects all devices to the internet, and to each other. In doing so, managers get to observe their manufacturing lines, detect any anomalies; any malfunctions and effectively alter production in response. Not only that but also, the technology provides inter-connectivity between the various machinery in one process.

This way, if one machine falls behind, with the aid of sensors, other machines operating within different stages in the same production line would be able to respond automatically. Even without human interference. It is a step up in terms of efficiency, flexibility, and productivity.

Moreover, interconnectivity provides the possibility of production based on requests. When it comes to industries where the manufacturing of an object; like aircraft, requires a huge amount of money or resources, mass manufacturing is seen as a huge risk. The demand for any product is prone to falling at any time. With increased interconnectivity, companies would be able to connect their factory to their website so, when a purchase has been made, the machinery would start operating based on the purchased item, and the quantity demanded.

4. Drones

Surprisingly, just like VR, drones managed to make their way into several aspects of life, other than entertainment. Drones are used as tools for surveillance, monitoring, scouting, and so much more.

Their ability to reach great heights combined with their structure, and ease of controllability, makes them highly desired by several industries. These include farming, healthcare, and mining.

Farmers use the drones’ ability to “observe and report,” to monitor their crops. With farmers who work large fields, it is easier to move a drone around rather than to physically cover the entire area. With drones, it’s easier to monitor the health of the crops, as well as, detect any unwanted visitors.

The healthcare industry, however, uses drones to deliver medicines, syringes, and other supplies from a place to another. Health organizations are now able to deliver supplies to people, or hospitals, in isolated areas. Some hospitals even use it to deliver things from one floor to the other.

As for mining, drones are now being used by companies to scout areas, take measurements, provide live feeds of some locations, and the list goes on. Drones are often used as a substitute for sending in an initial scouting team which may be costly, and dangerous.

With what has been said put into consideration, do you not find technology more friendly? In fact, technology plays a huge role in protecting the environment in which we live in. So, while it is normal to have some reservations, it is important that you understand the value of technology and its role in improving our lives. See? There’s no need to fear the possibility of human slavery on the hands of technology.