Name change SATW Expert Group - from Industry 4.0 to Digital Industry

Translated by an automated translation plugin.

The Expert Group has always seen itself as a platform for the exchange of information on digitalisation in industry. Experts from various Swiss research institutions bring together their perspectives and knowledge, discuss ongoing research projects and specifically promote cross-institutional collaboration. This not only generates new scientific impetus, but also joint R&D projects.

The group continues to pursue this aim - in the context of the further development of the thematic focus from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0, which is now also visible in the change of name to Digital Industry. While Industry 4.0 focuses primarily on networking, automation and data-driven efficiency increases, Industry 5.0 expands this perspective to include social and organisational dimensions. Questions of sustainability, resilience and the role of people in digitalised production systems were therefore also at the heart of the discussions within the expert group. Among other things, they were incorporated into the article "People as a success factor in the digitalisation of industrial processes", which emphasises that successful digitalisation is always a socio-technical task in which human skills and digital systems interact in a targeted manner.

This perspective is in line with the Technology Outlook 2025, which describes Industry 5.0 as an orientation framework for the next phase of industrial development and characterises a future-proof industry through three central guiding principles: Sustainability, Resilience and a consistent focus on people (human centricity).

Against this backdrop, the name change to "Expert:innengruppe Digital Industry" is the logical decision. The name not only reflects the thematic breadth of digital industry development, but also better reflects the scientific diversity of the participating institutions and issues. At the same time, the core remains the same: The SATW Digital Industry Expert Group is interdisciplinary and brings together experts from various Swiss research institutions. It regularly discusses current research projects and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration between the institutions.