Automation 2018

This book consists of papers presented at Automation 2018, an international conference held in Warsaw from March 21 to 23, 2018. It discusses the radical technological changes occurring due to the INDUSTRY 4.0, with a focus on offering a better understanding of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Each chapter presents a detailed analysis of interdisciplinary knowledge, numerical modeling and simulation as well as the application of cyber-physical systems, where information technology and physical devices create synergic systems leading to unprecedented efficiency. The theoretical results, practical solutions and guidelines presented are valuable for both researchers working in the area of engineering sciences and practitioners looking for solutions to industrial problems.

The goal of this book is to familiarize readers with the latest research on, and recent advances in, the field of Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics. It gathers a selection of papers highlighting the state-of-the-art in Intelligent Control Systems, Optimization, Robotics and Automation, Signal Processing, Sensors, Systems Modelling and Control. Combining theoretical aspects with practical applications, the book offers a well-balanced overview of the latest achievements, and will provide researchers, engineers and PhD students with both a vital update and new inspirations for their own research.

This book brings together experts from research and practice. It includes the design of innovative Robot Process Automation (RPA) concepts, the discussion of related research fields (e.g., Artificial Intelligence, AI), the evaluation of existing software products, and findings from real-life implementation projects. Similar to the substitution of physical work in manufacturing (blue collar automation), Robotic Process Automation tries to substitute intellectual work in office and administration processes with software robots (white-collar automation). The starting point for the development of RPA was the observation that – despite the use of process-oriented enterprise systems (such as ERP, CRM and BPM systems) – additional manual activities are still indispensable today. In the RPA approach, these manual activities are learned and automated by software robots, either by defining rules or by observing manual activities. RPA is related to business process management, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Tools for RPA originated from dedicated stand-alone software. Today, RPA functionalities are also integrated into elaborated process management suites. From a conceptual perspective, RPA can be structured into input components (sensors in the wide sense), an intelligence center, and output components (actuators in the wide sense). From a strategic perspective, the impact of RPA can be related to the support of existing tasks, the complete substitution of human activities, and the innovation of processes as well as business models. At present, high expectations are related to the use of RPA in the improvement of software-supported business processes. Manual activities are learned and automated by software robots that interact with existing applications via the presentation layer. In combination with artificial intelligence (AI) as well as innovative interfaces (e. g., voice recognition) RPA creates a novel level of automation for office and administration processes. Its benefit potential reaches a return on investment (ROI) up-to 800% that is documented in various case studies.

Business Automation and Its Effect on the Labor Force informs business managers on new technologies that can make their industries more efficient. This book provides a primer on quantum computing, artificial intelligence, robotics, and sensors. As a business management book, managers can start planning for the future. The author predicts when the advanced systems would be ready to use. Getting a clearer picture of what is on the horizon, business managers can determine how many workers and machines will be needed. Managers will learn how to calculate the optimal mix of workers and machines. Key Book Highlights Covering labor and technology in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, transportation, hospitality, health care, office administration, and education. A review of the evolution of systems, machines, and devices from the past to the present, and where the latest advancement is headed. A visual timeline showing when new systems and machines would be available for eight industries in the next 25 years. Succinct descriptions of eliminated jobs, retained jobs, and new roles for workers. A simplified method to calculate the costs of operations, allowing business managers to compare human productivity against machine productivity. Labor market information in context of technological innovation for state workforce agencies and local workforce development boards. Lists of occupations with Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes for labor economists, workforce development specialists, and job seekers.

This book examines the growing importance of algorithms and automation—including emerging forms of artificial intelligence—in the gathering, composition, and distribution of news. In it the authors connect a long line of research on journalism and computation with scholarly and professional terrain yet to be explored. Taken as a whole, these chapters share some of the noble ambitions of the pioneering publications on ‘reporting algorithms’, such as a desire to see computing help journalists in their watchdog role by holding power to account. However, they also go further, firstly by addressing the fuller range of technologies that computational journalism now consists of: from chatbots and recommender systems to artificial intelligence and atomised journalism. Secondly, they advance the literature by demonstrating the increased variety of uses for these technologies, including engaging underserved audiences, selling subscriptions, and recombining and re-using content. Thirdly, they problematise computational journalism by, for example, pointing out some of the challenges inherent in applying artificial intelligence to investigative journalism and in trying to preserve public service values. Fourthly, they offer suggestions for future research and practice, including by presenting a framework for developing democratic news recommenders and another that may help us think about computational journalism in a more integrated, structured manner. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Digital Journalism.

The book presents recent theoretical and practical information about the field of automation and control. It includes fifteen chapters that promote automation and control in practical applications in the following thematic areas: control theory, autonomous vehicles, mechatronics, digital image processing, electrical grids, artificial intelligence, and electric motor drives. The book also presents and discusses applications that improve the properties and performances of process control with examples and case studies obtained from real-world research in the field. Automation and Control is designed for specialists, engineers, professors, and students.

In modern marketing, a pivotal challenge has surfaced - finding the delicate balance between automation and human interaction. This challenge stems from the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, which, while promising unparalleled efficiency and innovation, also lack the personal touch inherent in traditional marketing. As AI gains prominence, marketers grapple with integrating automated processes while preserving the authenticity and emotional resonance that human engagement brings. Balancing Automation and Human Interaction in Modern Marketing positions itself as a guiding force in achieving balance amid the changing marketing landscape. Within the pages of this book lies a comprehensive exploration of contemporary marketing challenges centered on striking the right balance between automation and human interaction. The quest for optimal equilibrium threads through topics such as elevating customer experiences, scalable personalization through AI, emotional intelligence in marketing, and the critical role of human-centered design. By addressing these challenges head-on, the book provides practical advice for implementing AI in marketing but positions ethics at the forefront. It advocates for responsible AI-driven marketing, fostering trust, and ensuring that the human touch remains a cornerstone of brand-consumer relationships.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the Blockchain and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Forum which was held as part of the 18th International Conference on Business Process Management, BPM 2020. The conference was planned to take place in Seville, Spain, in September 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the conference took place virtually. The Blockchain Forum and the RPA Forum have in common that they are centered around an emerging and exciting technology. The blockchain is a sophisticated distributed ledger technology, while RPA software allows for mimicking human, repetitive actions. Each of these have the potential to fundamentally change how business processes are being orchestrated and executed in practice. The BPM community has embraced these technologies as objects of analysis, design, development, and evaluation. The 14 full plus one short paper presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from a total of 28 submissions.