This story was originally published by Knowable Magazine.

The ongoing pandemic will likely change, if not completely alter, many aspects of our daily lives. One facet that will significantly change is the way we work.

Collaborative robots are increasingly attractive to manufacturers that require flexible solutions for their growing product mix but may not have the scale of work or capital resources needed to justify larger investments in automation systems.

The full economic impact of the pandemic has yet to be felt. However, it seems beyond dispute that Covid-19 and globalization don’t mix well.

Step into the factory of the future. Alicia, an operations manager, sits at her workstation viewing a digitally enhanced video feed of the facility, using cameras installed in strategic locations.

The old picking methods of paper, pick-to-light, and voice-picking are almost impossible when employees must practice social distancing, use PPE (personal protective equipment), and avoid contact that could potentially exacerbate the spread of Covid-

Digital experiences surround us in all aspects of our lives. Today, as consumers of products and services, we can accomplish most of our tasks digitally.

For manufacturers—as for all of us—the past few months have been a blur of fast adaptations and long periods of waiting.

In October 2019, I shared the news that the classroom connectivity gap in U.S.

The other day I overheard this comment: “Why does innovation always have to be about disruption? That’s all I ever hear anymore, ‘disruption, disruption, disruption,’ and it makes me uncomfortable.”