[Technological Revolution] The Relationship Between Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things, Cloud Computing, and Big Data
Industry 1.0 was characterized by mechanization, while Industry 2.0 and Industry 3.0 were marked by electrification and information technology, respectively. In contrast, Industry 4.0 centers on CPS—Cyber-Physical Systems, or the integration of cyber and physical systems. Put simply, Industry 4.0 is defined by the seamless convergence of the virtual and physical worlds.
2017-07-08
Industry 1.0 was characterized by mechanization, while Industry 2.0 and Industry 3.0 were marked by electrification and information technology, respectively. In contrast, Industry 4.0 centers on CPS—Cyber‑Physical Systems, or the integration of cyber and physical systems. Put simply, Industry 4.0 is defined by the seamless convergence of the virtual and physical worlds.
In 2014, we used this diagram to analyze the relationships among the Internet of Things, cloud computing, big data, and the internet:
1. The Internet of Things serves as the sensory nervous system of the Internet’s “brain,” emphasizing the concept of sensor-based perception while also providing functions such as network transmission, information storage and processing, and industry‑specific application interfaces. Moreover, it often shares servers, network infrastructure, and application interfaces with the Internet, enabling communication among humans (Human to Human, H2H), between humans and objects (Human to Thing, H2T), and between objects themselves (Thing to Thing, T2T). Ultimately, this integration will bring together human society, the information space, and the physical world—linking people, machines, and things into a unified whole.
2. Cloud computing serves as the central nervous system of the Internet’s “brain.” Within the architecture of this virtual Internet brain, the central nervous system integrates the core hardware layer, the core software layer, and the information layer, providing support and services to the various virtual neural networks of the Internet. By definition, cloud computing closely aligns with the characteristics of the Internet’s virtual brain’s central nervous system. In an ideal scenario, IoT sensors and Internet users interact with cloud computing via network connections and computing terminals, submitting data to the cloud and receiving services from it.
3. Big data is the foundation upon which the internet’s intelligence and consciousness emerge, and it also serves as the source of the advent of the internet’s dreamlike era. As the “internet brain” continues to mature, virtual reality technology is entering a wholly new phase. Unlike traditional VR, this new era no longer involves merely superimposing virtual images onto real-world scenes (AR) or presenting three-dimensional visuals on a giant screen before your eyes (VR). Instead, it is increasingly integrated with big data and artificial intelligence, leveraging vast amounts of data to empower VR technologies, enabling users to experience heightened realism and interactivity. This process induces perceptual illusions in the human brain, allowing visual, auditory, olfactory, and kinesthetic sensations to interact seamlessly with the internet’s dream‑like systems.
The internet’s central nervous system—namely, the software systems of cloud computing—controls industrial production equipment, household appliances, and office devices. Through technologies such as intelligent automation, 3D printing, and wireless sensing, these machines are transformed into tools through which the “internet brain” reshapes the world. At the same time, these smart manufacturing systems and intelligent devices continuously feed vast amounts of big data back to the internet brain, informing decision-making by the central nervous system.
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