Intelligent systems: What they are, how they work and why they’re so important?

Intelligent systems solve complex problems automatically and efficiently in specific environments, thanks to the collaboration of people and technologies such as Big Data, IoT (“Internet of Things”), mobile networks (3G, 4G, and 5G), artificial intelligence, robotics, video analysis, computer vision and augmented reality, among others.

Let us discuss what intelligent systems are, their origins, how they work, their components, and the applications most in use today. We will also mention how autonomous artificial intelligence can enhance their operations.

What is an intelligent system?

Intelligent systems are a technology that has emerged and gained importance in less than a decade.

Indeed, intelligent systems are the response to the accelerated technological growth of recent years and the needs of people and organizations in an increasingly interconnected world.

In this context, intelligent systems aim to enable specialized organizations involving various physical, digital and human parties to achieve a common goal. This rearrangement, interaction and learning between all these components is part of the Industry 4.0 transformation.

Industry 4.0 seeks to change current companies’ working models so that they can adapt and grow in this new collaborative environment between machines and humans.

How do intelligent systems work?

In general, intelligent systems use Internet Protocol (IP) technology and sensors to collect information from a specific environment and share it among its different elements in order to achieve a common goal. This interconnection between the digital world and the physical world is called the Internet of Things (IoT).

Big Data is another element that makes this type of system possible, namely the possibility of collecting information and knowledge within a system from large amounts of information from different databases. This same technology learns from its experiences through artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies.

The main characteristics of an intelligent system are:

Perception: Intelligent systems create representations of the world to interact with specific environments and perform tasks.

Action control: The intelligent system can execute actions or interrupt them in order to achieve a goal.

Interaction or connectivity: an intelligent system can communicate its elements using a common language.

Deliberate and social reasoning: the machine itself makes decisions to achieve a specific outcome, taking into account the human context.

Self-learning: Intelligent systems can reduce errors and optimize performance by learning from their own experiences.

Identification: Intelligent systems can automatically recognize specific information and transmit it through different channels.

Protection: The networks and communications of an intelligent system must be secure to function correctly.

Remote management: an intelligent system allows you to interact with it from any location.

User experience (UX): To interact with users, intelligent systems must have accessible and adjustable interfaces.

Data Analysis: a key element of intelligent systems is the ability to process large amounts of data and extract value from it.

Properties of intelligent systems

Intelligent systems have fundamental similarities, but depending on the industry, they can vary significantly.

Here are six basic properties of intelligent systems:

1. Sensors

It is the technology that allows data to be obtained from the environment and transmitted to the intelligence core for identification and analysis.

2. Actuators

They execute the actions that the intelligence core determines after analyzing the environment in real-time.

3. Specific environment

The environment in which intelligent systems are analyzed and modified can be static, discrete, episodic, deterministic, or known.

4. Intelligence Core

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are the pillars of this section. They allow you to generate knowledge about a situation and learn from it.

5. User Interface (UI)

It is the way in which an external agent communicates and modifies the relationship between the system and the environment.

6. External agents

It is the way in which an external agent communicates and modifies the relationship between the system and the environment.

History of Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 is a new phase of the industrial revolution that focuses on interconnectivity, automation, big data, machine learning and real-time data. It is particularly useful for manufacturing and service companies and supply chain management.

Since the 19th century, technology has created industrial revolutions, and each phase is recognized by technologies such as mechanization, electricity, computing, and digitalization. Over time, these technologies have brought about impressive changes for businesses and their workers.

The first industrial revolution

The first industrial revolution took place between the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century. This movement ushered in a period of profound growth and transformation in work systems and society’s structure.

The manufacturing industry evolved to optimize manual labor performed by humans and supported by animals. It mainly consisted of replacing old hand-made tools with more productive machines running on steam or water with other machines.

The Second Industrial Revolution

At the beginning of the 20th century, we entered the second industrial revolution, which brought industrial and social changes and improved the economic model through the introduction of steel, chemicals, the use of electricity in factories and obtaining new forms of energy.

The introduction of electricity allowed manufacturing companies to increase their efficiency, dynamism and productivity, giving local markets the opportunity to expand and internationalize.

The third industrial revolution

The third industrial revolution took place in the mid-20th century when manufacturing companies began to incorporate more technology until computers were introduced into factories.

This stage is characterized by the use of renewable energy, smart electricity, and the transformation of buildings into power plants and the development of more internet communication technologies based on renewable energy.

During this period, manufacturing companies began to abandon analog and mechanical technologies in favor of digital technology and automation software.

The fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0

Over the past few decades, a fourth industrial revolution, known as Industry 4.0, has emerged. This new stage is committed to more automation, connectivity and globalization.

It focuses on digital technology from recent decades and takes it to a whole new level through interconnectivity through the Internet of Things (IoT), access to real-time data and the introduction of cyber systems.

It has provided an opportunity to connect the physical with the digital. It enables better collaboration and access for all departments, partners, suppliers, products and organizations, enabling them to understand aspects of operations and get the most out of them. Data that the system produces to increase productivity and drive industry growth.