Over the years, many thoughts have been made How this may affect the implementation of the technology in an industrial context. The results have always been polarized between whether this adoption is going to cost jobs or not. A question, by the way, not yet fully resolved.
Meanwhile, other types of analysis are emerging that try to influence more specific aspects and answer the questions developed by the research group of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU): Can technology affect worker safety and health?
The Basque Country, perhaps that goes without saying One of the industrial pillars of our country As well as a technologically advanced one.
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Reason enough to try to find out What are the types of occupational hazards? If any- companies may depend on the technology they have implemented. However, as the researchers themselves admit, the larger the sample the more conclusive the data.
However, use this survey to check it On the one hand, technology can contribute to improving the safety and health of workers. But, on the contrary, it can also create some risks.
Research Group’Technological Intelligence for Sustainable Economic Growth of Enterprise in Society’ UPV/EHU was able to prove that the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies contributes “positively to certain aspects of the occupational health and safety of workers”, in addition, as we said, new risks that arise must be analyzed with special attention. As a result of the insertion of these technologies.
The benefits provided by Industry 4.0 technologies are very wide and varied: “They reduce processing time, resources and tools required, Improve operations management and increase productivity…”, details the authors of the study.
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The UPV/EHU research group is designed to analyze how all this affects the occupational health and safety of people A survey answered by 130 managers or technicians from pioneering companies In the development of Industry 4.0 technologies.
“Next, we select representative technology integration projects from eight technology groups –Additive Manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Vision, Big Data and Advanced Analytics, Cyber Security, Internet of Things, Robotics and Virtual and Augmented Reality- They should be analyzed in depth. To do this, after 37 interviews, we analyzed other sources of information, such as project reports and technical reports,” explains Iker Laskerin, a member of the research team and one of the authors of the work.
Investigation revealed.In general, the analyzed technologies have a positive impact on the health and safety of workers and employees of any company”. However, “there are also new problems or emerging risks -mainly psychosocial- which companies must take into account to maintain the confidence and health of the working people. “Influences on new emerging risks have been detected in all technologies except the Internet of Things,” emphasize German Arana Landin and Michael Ituret.
They cite a very concrete and very enlightening example: “Artificial intelligence enables proactive monitoring of office camerasThe camera captures information to help improve the ergonomics of the template. on the siteAt all times the movement of employees can be collected and information can be extracted to make corrective recommendations,” says Benat Landeda Manzano, another member of the research team.
However, “Employees can feel cared for And emphasized by that act,” he adds.
Something similar is happening with the advent of robots in the enterprise. “Robots can take over dangerous jobs and free existing workers from repetitive, stressful and burdensome tasks. Robotics will create many new jobs, so people who lose their jobs will need to learn new skills and retrain.” They summarize the key response of technology used in industrial environments to counter the uncertainty that can create situations of stress and anxiety.
Very talented and competitive
Despite everything, the authors agree that “Industry 4.0 technologies offer many more opportunities, They help companies to be more efficient and competitive”. Regarding their implementation, “Earlier communication and training are key factors in managing occupational health and safety, as they reduce new risks that are created. It is a way to engage employees of any organization in the change process”.
One of the future technologies in the industry, In addition to artificial intelligence -which already exists-, it will be computer. Aitor Moreno, director of intelligent control and management systems at Ibermática, recognizes that “it will allow us to solve more complex problems, in a more variable and more effective way”.
As he explains, computer technology “All industries have applications Because it uses quantum properties, it allows us to speed up information analysis and information retrieval.”
In the same way, artificial intelligence “Accelerating the creation of data-based knowledge”, He adds that this makes it possible to acquire behavioral patterns that deal with and correct potential problems in the industrial sector.
In this context, Moreno defends Creation of a “Basque Ecosystem in Quantum Technologies” that allows the commercial sector to be at the forefront. “We have great scientists and engineers in quantum computing, optics, lasers, manufacturing, great physicists…”, he asserts.
Aitor Moreno attended +Industry conference organized by SPRI, the Business Development Agency of the Government of the Basque CountryWith a paper on ‘Applications of Quantum Technology in Industry’.
