How bringing a sense of play to work could benefit Industry 4.0

The answer to some of the most common questions in manufacturing may not lie in typical approaches, but rather in gamification. It may seem surprising, but many of the problems that users encounter when interacting with industrial equipment are the same as those players must tackle in games. What’s the most cost-effective way of managing resources through the different stages of production? It’s a strategy game! How can AGVs be faster and more efficient in moving items from point A to point B? It’s a racing game! One area where the principles of gamification are being successfully applied is in the creation of highly interactive human-machine interfaces. Traditionally, manufacturing processes centre on the machines and their requirements to optimise productivity, quality and profit. On the other hand, gamification processes centre on users and their interests. Games stimulate players’ attention with a combination of attractive design and highly interactive mechanisms and the user is constantly asked to input orders and react to environmental changes.