Prof. Ovtcharova from KIT at DigiTalk of IHK Cologne with EU Commissioner Günther Oettinger

The participants of DigiTalk: Frank Blase, General Manager igus GmbH; Prof. Jivka Ovtcharova; Prof. Wolfgang Prinz, Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology; Host Richard Gutjahr; Judith Klups, Partner Agency „Zukunftsagenten“; Günther Oettinger, EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society; Ulf Reichardt, General Manager IHK Köln (Photo: © www.nickel-photography.com)

Industry 4.0 – Do we miss the digital revolution? – On this theme IHK Cologne invited host Michael Gutjahr as well as guests out of politics, research and economy to the third “Digital Talk” in Cologne. This time the question was how good Germany is positioned regarding Industry 4.0. Answers hereof were inter alia given by Günther Oettinger who as EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society described what happens on European and international basis. And what has to happen to e. g. not been overtaken by the USA, China and South Korea. He stressed that the digital economy of the Americans which is oriented on an overall economic advantage meets the real economy. Germany would be affected very strongly from the digital advance of the Americans. Oettinger says: “We have more to lose than others, but also to win!”

From the research point of view Germany has also no reason to be frightened. Prof. Jivka Ovtcharova even moved a step further: “We have not to compare ourselves with American competitors! We have unique, clustered competences. If we have a problem at all, it is only therefore that we are too careful, too slow. We need more euphoria and do not have to be afraid to fail. Industry 4.0 needs room- also for setbacks, thus we learn.”

KIT-researcher Ovtcharova illustrated what digitalization means: to record data, to save and to use again – and today to make algorithmisation smart: “Therein persists the extension of our possibilities, it is the extension of reality. Our task is to use our knowledge, in order to apply this data analysis pragmatically”, concluded Ovtcharova.

At the end the conclusion of this evening could be: We are well positioned for Industry 4.0. We have the necessary know-how and the technology. In order not to miss the connection it is now indeed time to act – and to take more risks.

Prof. Ovtcharova gives Interview to Industry 4.0

In context with the DigiTalk with EU Commissioner Günther Oettinger in Cologne on 21 October 2015 Prof. Ovtcharova gave an revealing interview.