Intelligent Systems: A New Industrial Revolution [Viewpoint]

A new industrial revolution is underway, driven by the integration of creative digital technologies into large-scale physical systems, creating intelligent systems that can operate more efficiently and improve quality of life. The best-known example of such an intelligent system is the smart grid. The same technologies that enabled the smart grid are being applied to many other types of physical systems. Intelligent systems are rapidly emerging in transportation, buildings, other energy infrastructures (e.g., gas, oil, and water), manufacturing, emergency response, and health care. Of course, the smart grid provides an essential foundation since all types of intelligent systems depend on reliable and high-quality electricity to power their operation. Various writers use terms such as cyberphysical systems,” “industrial Internet,” and the “Internet of Things (IOT )” to refer to what we are calling “intelligent systems.” While these terms do not necessarily mean the same thing, they all bring to mind a common set of enabling technologies that are making physical systems intelligent.