Whether you call it Industry 4.0, the smart factory, or Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), technology and the need for increased efficiency and reduced waste are pushing manufacturing toward a revolution in how we produce things.

It would be an obvious understatement to say that technology plays a key role in just about everything we do, as well as how we do it.

Creativity—the ability to imagine things that do not exist and make them a reality—is said to be one of the things that elevates humans above other species.

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. It’s a famous line from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” uttered by a more-than-thirsty sailor on a ship bereft of fresh water as he is forced to stare at an ocean of sea water he cannot use to satiate his need. 

Bridging the gap is a popular idiom derived from Old English. In its earliest use—and not surprisingly—bridge meant “to make a causeway” and gap meant “an opening in a wall.” So, to the drywallers, civil engineers, and road construction crews of the early 14th century (Ha!), bridging a gap was quite literal.

Easy ain’t easy. Sounds like something said by cultural catchphrase artist and legendary baseball player Yogi Berra, but it sums up a conversation I had at a recent tradeshow in Atlanta.

While Taoist philosopher Lao Tsu was the first to make the statement, “Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know” part of his formal teachings, some form of the wisdom behind this statement has been attributed to such great philosophical minds as Socrates, Buddha, and Jesus.

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. According to Ty Webb, “The shortest distance between two points is a straight line…in the opposite direction.” 

Knowing the environment, or being aware of your surroundings, is key to many a task. It’s at least one of the ways we express the importance of having all the information we need in order to reach a goal.

“Work smarter, not harder.” It’s a term often heard by just about anyone who has ever set out to perform a task. It can be found on inspirational posters and do-it-yourself home repair manuals as well as articles on life management and corporate handbooks.