Technology

Many industries that rely on physical assets, from construction to manufacturing, to energy & utilities, are still working to fully realize the benefits of Industry 4.0. But the data they are gathering now will help them build that next step, cementing the foundations of Industry 5.0.

Industry 4.0, or the Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIR), is a concept that has been around since the mid-2010s when Klaus Schwab at WEF coined the term. This revolution was rooted in digitalization and the implementation of digital transformation. This was marked by using connected devices, data analytics, and automation for process-driven shifts. Combined, these digital elements play a huge role in our everyday lives, whether we’re at work or at home. Industry 5.0 is the next rung on that digital ladder and the natural progression to what we've learned so far.

When Industry 5.0 emerges, we can expect to see the convergence of all that work and collected data. The next industrial revolution will be steeped in bridging the physical and the digital realms. Effectively this goes back to that human versus machine argument, but optimizing both human and machine to enhance their capabilities. AI and cloud computing will reach a harmony where workers can produce their best results, which can be replicated in processes throughout the supply chain. Industrial AI powers our lives in the back end. Industrial AI capabilities will enable power decision-making, and won't be a force for contention despite speculation. While AI is set to join the disparate data and physical elements to create Industry 5.0, remember that AI is only as good as the data it’s trained on.

Data Begets Innovation

Using AI to integrate the data points from physical assets will unlock new avenues for innovation and variation. Real-time insights from production machinery and equipment will help drive operational excellence and provide an edge over competitors.

This is where Industrial AI truly makes a difference.

As well as operational excellence, Industry 5.0 sees the intersection of AI and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks. AI presents a serious opportunity for businesses to drive sustainability throughout their workflows, physical operations and, to that extent, the larger supply chain. By harnessing AI-driven insights companies can optimize their processes from a manufacturing-based level, with AI proposing opportunities to reduce waste of all kinds to achieve greater profitability, use of time, and sustainability.

For businesses that manage physical assets, this integration is a reality not an overstatement. The decision-making processes for businesses with significant capital assets will be transformed. Through advanced decision analytics, asset-rich enterprises can optimize capital allocation, manage risk, and drive more precise, data-driven business decisions. In an increasingly data-centric environment, industrial AI can provide a competitive edge by helping companies prioritize high-impact investments, adapt to changing regulatory and market conditions, and align with sustainability goals.

We live in a world of servitization where companies increasingly rent or lease industrial equipment instead of buying it outright. Think of robotics, aircraft engines, heavy construction machinery, or even delivery vehicles. As a result, manufacturers will be designing and building higher-quality machinery with in-build smart technologies to meet the demands of the servitization era.

AI can detect anomalies and maintenance issues in this equipment before determining the proper court of action. Monitoring workflows for redundancy in the network and calling out a field service engineer to remedy the machine. At the same time, rerouting the planners of other field service engineers to recoup any time losses. Again, this is streamlining operations and minimizing industry downtime until the machinery is up and running again. Industrial AI will change the entire value proposition of production in the circular economy, identifying parts and components that need servicing before they show any physical signs of wear and tear.

Building Digital Twins Into Strategy

Taking something from the physical world and replicating it virtually is a technical concept. A concept that becomes crucial in an environment with integrated Manufacturing Execution Systems. Historically, these worlds were separate. Data would generate manufacturing orders and necessitate translation. Digital twins bridge this gap by processing information in real-time, breaking down the silos between the virtual and physical environments quicker than humans can. Again, achieving true optimization in milliseconds rather than seconds or even minutes.

There’s a cycle that occurs: simulation informs business practices which change the parameters for simulation, and so on. Simulations help identify the areas needed for improvement, allowing for iterative adjustments until the desired outcome is tested, proven and achieved. An easy way to visualize this process is to think of a farm. With the farmer’s current systems in place, it takes him three days to harvest. The farmer is sure, however, that there is a more efficient way of doing things but is hesitant to experiment with his live environment. With Digital Twin technology, the farmer can optimize tool usage, harvesting routes, and crop storage before muddy boots even hit the soil. Taking a three-day and optimizing it so it’s achievable in just a single day.

Considering the time-to-value aspect, whether implementing universal AI across the business or focusing on specific edge cases, is crucial. In the above example, it’s before the harvest even happens in August. Lifecycle production time can be reduced, production waste minimized, and service efficiency increased. These, in turn, lead to environmental gains with minimal energy consumption, optimized delivery routes and reduced charging times for electric vehicles.

Innovation in Industry 5.0 is using technological advancement to attain industry foresight and adaptation. Digital twins can empower customers to drive operational efficiencies and unlock productivity in a way never seen before. Integrating Industrial AI gives businesses a holistic view of their resources to find other areas of opportunity with informed decision-making at a granular and investment-based level.

Eliminating the Complexity

From the regulatory complexities of data collection and storage to varying levels of AI adoption within businesses, a successful transition into Industry 5.0 requires expert support. Costs of AI investments can snowball, so you must be strategic and targeted at improving specific areas of your business. Generic, off-the-shelf AI tools trained on irrelevant data won’t help here. To remain competitive at a global scale, companies need to invest in this technology and work with proven partners.

Businesses that can effectively harness the data they collect and employ AI to create actionable insights will be ready for Industry 5.0. Delivering more value to their customers, improving their employees’ working lives with better everyday processes, to become a true industry leader. Whether in manufacturing, construction, or any other physical asset-focused industry, the businesses that can't see the wood through the trees with their collected data will miss out on Industry 5.0.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Finding the perfect gift for a finicky teen is no small task. To help you out, we asked the teens in our own lives what they've got on their wish lists. Here's our teenager-approved list of the best gifts for teens.

Deals on electronics, household appliances and gift ideas went live today, and the event runs through Sunday, Oct. 13.

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 8

Amazon Prime Day is here now, but alongside all the great deals to be had, shoppers have been warned to be careful when browsing.

A study from Check Point Research (CRP) has found scammers are impersonating Amazon or affiliates to trick online shoppers - and in the last 30 days alone, over 1,000 new Amazon related domains have been registered, 88% of which were identified as suspicious.

Many of these domains are ‘parked’ or not in use, but could be activated in the coming days, or used in phishing attacks. The scams come in a number of forms, but commonly advise customers to update their payment methods to ‘access’ prime benefits - and of course then steal their sensitive information.

Prime targets

As Amazon Prime Day grows in popularity, such scams have become sadly more common - and because the event specifically encourages customers to order within a specific time frame to access deals and benefits, fraudsters pressure victims into acting fast with urgent calls to action.

The deception goes beyond just emails too, with some criminals going as far as to call customers to ‘inform’ them that their memberships are missing information or a payment method - data that they will collect and exploit.

Every year around Prime Day, bogus sites pop-up at an accelerated rate looking to take advantage of shoppers looking for discounts.

To stay safe this year, CPR recommends checking URLs and email addresses carefully, common misspellings are often used to trick users by impersonating a trusted site. Also, look for HTTPS website URLs, which indicate a more secure connection.

We know the deals on Prime Day can be pretty juicy, but be wary of any that seem unrealistic - trust your instincts on sales, an iPhone for $10 is probably less than legit. Ideally, shoppers should stick to the verified Amazon website or App, and never click on links to third parties.

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Here are some hints, and the answers, for the Oct. 8 Strands puzzle, No. 219.

Here are some hints and the answer for Wordle No. 1,207 for Tuesday, Oct. 8.

Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections No. 485 for Oct. 8.

Commentary: Pack your carry-on with items you'll actually use. Amazon's next Prime Day event kicks off on Tuesday, Oct. 8.

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One of the most immersive and downright impressive experiences on the Apple Vision Pro is watching content. Whether the content is optimized for the $3,500 spatial computer or not, the appeal is that almost anything can be a showstopper.

I’ve been transported to London’s Hyde Park for a Springsteen show on a 100-inch screen, in which I can choose the vantage point I like or even rewatch some Spongebob with the famed creature beside me, thanks to a custom environment. Some of the most impressive, though, are the ones produced just for the headset – up until now, though, it’s been unscripted adventures like getting up close with wild animals or walking a highwire high above the clouds.

However, that’s changing this week – Apple’s first scripted film captured in the Apple Immersive Video, Submerged, is arriving on Thursday, October 10, 2024. It’ll be free for anyone with the Vision Pro and available to watch within the TV app on the device. While there is no shared runtime, it is dubbed as a short film.

Edward Berger, an academy-award-winning filmmaker, directed and wrote Submerged. He previously worked on All Quiet on the Western Front, and another film he worked on, Conclave, is due out soon.

While we didn’t get a formal trailer, Apple released a video showing some shots from the film, depicting unique camera angles and Berger wearing the Vision Pro while on set. Also seen is the special camera capable of shooting in the Apple Immersive Video format. It's safe to say it should offer those with the Vision Pro a unique view that swaps you from just watching a film to being part of the story.

The film itself will transport viewers onto a submarine during WWII as it’s in the midst of an attack from torpedos – Apple’s full synopsis is: “Submerged invites viewers onto a WWII-era submarine and follows its crew as they wrestle to combat a harrowing torpedo attack. This adrenaline-pumping thrill ride showcases the unique storytelling experiences made possible by Apple Immersive Video, a remarkable media format that leverages ultra-high resolution 3D video and Spatial Audio to put viewers in the center of the action.”

(Image credit: Apple)

Submerged is out on October 10, 2024, and is free for Vision Pro owners. It will also continue to expand the Immersive Video content available on the platform. That’s a good thing, and it marks the first jump towards scripted content, with hopefully more to come.

I’ll give it a watch once it drops, but I also think Apple’s Vision Pro works well with a regular movie or TV show. I’m excited to spin the upcoming Springsteen documentary – Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – via Disney+. I hope that Netflix eventually joins the bandwagon to watch Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts concert film later in October. The device excels this way thanks to the excellent displays and great Spatial Audio - when supported – via AirPods Pro.

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Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #485) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• CANE
• BLOCK
• ACCIDENTAL
• SPIDER
• BAR
• STAFF
• APPLE
• NOTE
• BAT
• BAN
• PUMPKIN
• CORN
• FORBID
• WITCH
• REST
• DENY

NYT Connections today (game #485) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• Yellow: October holiday favorites
• Green: Not allowed
• Blue: Members of an orchestra will recognize them
• Purple: [sweet thing] blank

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #485) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: HALLOWEEN SYMBOLS
• GREEN: PROHIBIT
• BLUE: FOUND ON SHEET MUSIC
• PURPLE: CANDY ___

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #485) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #485, are…

• YELLOW: HALLOWEEN SYMBOLS BAT, PUMPKIN, SPIDER, WITCH
• GREEN: PROHIBIT BAN, BLOCK, DENY, FORBID
• BLUE: FOUND ON SHEET MUSIC ACCIDENTAL, NOTE, REST, STAFF
• PURPLE: CANDY ___ APPLE, BAR, CANE, CORN

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

A much easier one today than yesterday's near-impossible Connections. I solved all four without making any mistakes, and I suspect many of you will have done too.

Yellow, HALLOWEEN SYMBOLS, was particularly easy – with the task of finding BAT, PUMPKIN, SPIDER and WITCH only mildly complicated by the presence of APPLE, which also has some Halloween connotations (apple bobbing, anyone?). APPLE was instead part of the CANDY ___ group, together with BAR, CANE and CORN. This was the purple connection, and it was actually the first one I got. That's always an advantage when it comes to completing this game, because with that out of the way there's rarely any truly difficult groups. That said, I don't think I'd have completed blue today – I've never played a musical instrument, so FOUND ON SHEET MUSIC might well have remained out of my mental reach. Fortunately, it didn't matter today.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, 7 October, game #484)

• YELLOW: KNUCKLEHEAD DING-DONG, DODO, YAHOO, YO-YO
• GREEN: CAR ONOMATOPOEIA BEEP BEEP, PURR, SKRRT, VROOM
• BLUE SOUNDS OF LAUGHTER HAR-HAR, HOOT, WHOOP, YUK
• PURPLE: FAMOUS PRIMATES BUBBLES, GEORGE, KING KONG, KOKO

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #219) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Protective measures

NYT Strands today (game #219) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• WALL
• TELL
• RENT
• SCAB
• BACK
• WRECK

NYT Strands today (game #219) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Keep it tight

NYT Strands today (game #219) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: left, 4th row

Last: right, 6th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #219) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #219, are…

• LOCK
• PASSWORD
• SAFE
• BACKUP
• FIREWALL
• ENCRYPTION
• SPANGRAM: SECURITY

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 2 hints

The trouble here was that even once I realized the theme was SECURITY, as the spangram would have it, I was thinking physical and not digital. That's maybe not surprising as my first hint had given me LOCK, and combined with the theme clue of 'Protective measures' that got me thinking of ways you protective yourself in the world, rather specifically online. And indeed, they weren't all online – SAFE was also in there. But thinking of the likes of ENCRYPTION and FIREWALL was harder, so I needed another hint to get me to the finish line, safe and sound.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday 7 October, game #218)

• CHOICE
• GROOVY
• SWELL
• DANDY
• BOSS
• RIGHTEOUS
• HYPE
• SPANGRAM: THATSCOOL

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now nearly 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #988) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #988) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #988) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #988) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #988) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• T

• H

• B

• D

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #988) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #988, are…

• TROUT
• HATER
• BARGE
• DOZEN

Dealing with an uncommon letter like Z is always a tricky matter in Quordle; the chance that it appears in more than one word is unlikely, so you need to be pretty sure it's needed before playing it. Fortunately that was the situation I was in today: I effectively had DO-EN to solve, and nothing other than Z worked there by that stage. Given the presence of an ER word (HATER) and a repeated letter in TROUT, it was a difficult enough day without that Z cropping up too.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Daily Sequence today (game #988) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #988, are…

• BINGE
• OVERT
• UNMET
• SHOOK

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #987, Monday 7 October: CAULK, HALVE, APING, HEATH
• Quordle #986, Sunday 6 October: FUDGE, TENOR, BEGAT, ROUSE
• Quordle #985, Saturday 5 October: ELECT, CROAK, FRISK, JAUNT
• Quordle #984, Friday 4 October: ELFIN, GRAIL, PATIO, RECAP
• Quordle #983, Thursday 3 October: TENTH, REMIT, CURVE, TOAST
• Quordle #982, Wednesday 2 October: ARGUE, CRANE, TOKEN, PRINT
• Quordle #981, Tuesday 1 October: FRILL, MADLY, GRANT, NYLON
• Quordle #980, Monday 30 September: CRUSH, TARDY, TEACH, STUMP
• Quordle #979, Sunday 29 September: SERIF, BORNE, WRITE, SLEEK
• Quordle #978, Saturday 28 September: BUSHY, CIVIC, SNOUT, EQUIP
• Quordle #977, Friday 27 September: GUEST, CHASM, ROOST, BASAL
• Quordle #976, Thursday 26 September: STAGE, VOGUE, CLUMP, HEATH
• Quordle #975, Wednesday 25 September: UMBRA, DADDY, GLAZE, PRANK
• Quordle #974, Tuesday 24 September: SPACE, INNER, SPAWN, BEGAT
• Quordle #973, Monday 23 September: GUILT, STERN, ANNEX, FIELD
• Quordle #972, Sunday 22 September: ZESTY, MEATY, ALIVE, DRAWN
• Quordle #971, Saturday 21 September: VITAL, FRAIL, SPEAR, EERIE
• Quordle #970, Friday 20 September: ELIDE, DITTO, SHAWL, BONUS
• Quordle #969, Thursday 19 September: MARRY, OWING, DICEY, LUCKY
• Quordle #968, Wednesday 18 September: CEDAR, VENOM, MIGHT, MEDIC

It’s been a tumultuous few months for Sonos, all dating back to the redesigned Sonos app, which wasn’t ready for primetime. Ultimately, it overshadowed the launch of the anticipated Ace headphones, and the company has spent plenty of time apologizing, reorganizing priorities, and regaining customers' trust.

While the result was that hardware was going to be delayed and some launches pushed back, it seems that Sonos might still be readying at least one new product. Sonos’ Arc has been around for four years and is the brand's flagship soundbar, complete with 11 speakers inside.

Four years is a long time for any piece of kit, and we’ve heard rumors of the Sonos Arc Ultra, which would succeed the Arc. And now, thanks to a few quick screengrabs from Matthew Bolton, TechRadar’s Managing Editor, Entertainment, it seems that Best Buy might have created an Arc Ultra landing page a bit too early.

(Image credit: Future/Matthew Bolton)

As shown above, we found the listing and corresponding descriptions from a seemingly crawled webpage for the Sonos Arc Ultra in Black and White via Best Buy. It reads, “Premium design worthy of your home. With its distinctive curved shape, low-profile design, and matte finish, Arc Ultra is thoughtfully crafted to look great in …”. The linked web pages have since been pulled, though.

Maybe more importantly, though, Best Buy also might have revealed the price at $999.00 USD, putting it $100 above the cost of the current Arc. Of course, we’ll need final confirmation from Sonos on the cost, but this squarely matches previous rumors, also pointing to just shy of a $1,000 USD price tag.

(Image credit: Future/Matthew Bolton)

Further, via results on the desktop, we can also see some of the promised features, including Bluetooth connectivity alongside Wi-Fi and, like the original, a voice assistant built-in. The addition of Bluetooth has been rumored and lines up as the connectivity is found on the Sonos Ace, Move 2, and Roam 2. We even saw a preview image depicting two colors and a similar build. The Arc Ultra is expected to keep controls up-top and physical ports on the back as well.

(Image credit: Future/Matthew Bolton)

The Dolby Atmos-capable soundbar is also expected to use a new speaker technology. Sonos acquired Mayht in 2022, and the technology brand created a speaker that can be smaller than most competitors but still deliver strong sound as it pushes sound out from both sides. Pulling and pushing at the same time could reduce vibrations, similar to Apple’s force-canceling speaker design in laptops, but also greatly increase the sound quality and overall loudness thanks to a reduction in size. The Arc was no slouch with 11 speakers inside, but the Arc Ultra could add plenty more.

Considering Best Buy already had these listings up and has since pulled them, it could be a sign that Sonos is getting ready to drop the successor to the Arc soundbar soon. Of course, this could also be a mistake on Best Buy’s part, but considering the previous looks, there’s a pretty good chance it shows that retail availability is incoming.

We’ve reached out to Sonos to ask about the apparent listings and we’ll update this post if and when the audio brand responds. In the meantime, check out everything we know about the rumored Sonos Arc Ultra here.

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