Australia’s Tech Revolution: What Industries Are Evolving Fast?

Technology is fantastic; there’s no doubt about it. Computers, smartphones, tablets and other devices offer convenience, ease of use and seamless integration with all aspects of your digital footprint. Today, all of our work is integrally tied to the World Wide Web, as cloud-based technologies and their diverse capabilities continue to evolve and develop. 

But how exactly are Australia’s most prominent (and emerging) industries utilising technology? We’ll be answering just that question by delving deep into mining, manufacturing, the medical industry, and even computer networking on a global scale to outline all the most revolutionary ways that Aussie professionals are using technology today.

The Mining Industry

First, let’s start with one of Australia’s oldest and most lucrative industries. Mining and Australia have a long history, dating all the way back to the gold rush, and has made steady progress since.

But in recent years, the mining industry has been experiencing pressure to evolve, namely to address sustainability concerns as the impacts of mining activity have been known to result in environmental degradation. So what’s the solution?

The development of industrial IoT platforms has played a monumental role in transforming mining sector operations. These platforms and connected smart devices allow miners to detect mineral deposits using sensor technologies, reducing the need for mining corporations to expend excessive amounts of fuel and other resources to dig blindly. As these technologies also reduce the overall amount of manual labour that occurs on-site, they also bolster on-site safety, improving working conditions for mining operational workers. 

IIoT platforms also allow site workers the opportunity to utilise AI-driven equipment that’s capable of practicing predictive analytics and diagnostics. The key benefit of these features is that mining technologies can now conduct predictive maintenance on themselves. Operators of machinery can also monitor their equipment in real-time and see when any potential issues arise. Repairs, maintenance and emergency fixes will also be more accessible, cheaper, and more efficient, all thanks to the proactive approach that’s been made possible through the use of predictive analytics.

The intelligent, digital equipment and sophisticated software, such as cloud infrastructure and AI that the mining industry can inherit through technological innovations will be likely to assist in both strategy, high-level governance and day-to-day operations, keeping the tens of thousands of industry workers safer and simplifying the momentous task of resource extraction from the earth. The use of technology can be implemented and tweaked to speed up production and reduce downtime, boosting efficiency and profits. 

Foundry and Metal Manufacturing

In the materials and metals manufacturing sectors, the benefits that technology can offer are highly similar to those that have been observed across Australia’s diverse mining industry. The innovation of emerging fabrication technologies and the incorporation of these technologies in fabrication and manufacturing plants across Australia, has already resulted in a reduced risk of casting damage, casting equipment, and heat levels (which all means less waste and higher levels of material control). 

Smart, advanced equipment will also enable proactive production and projection, making it easier for manufacturing companies to determine precise levels of raw materials that are required for manufacturing. For instance, data science innovations can ensure accurate measurement of the amounts of chemicals, sand and other consumables required for foundry operations. 

The ability to accurately gauge materials required for specific construction and manufacturing jobs will ensure that companies can deliver a consistent product with less chance of faults, which will increase their output and subsequently boost their profit margins, all alongside resource conservation, waste reduction, and other facets of improving sustainability.

And what about site safety? Like the mining industry, manufacturing and fabrication professionals can also enjoy improved working conditions due to the introduction of smart technologies. Production line machines that can operate themselves reduces the need for manual labour, which in turn reduces the risks of human injuries on-site.

Does this mean that IIoT technologies will replace human jobs? Well, not necessarily. In fact, the introduction of IIoT technologies in factories will allow factory workers to enjoy more fulfilling work that requires greater technical skills-building. With the incorporation of IIoT tools, factory workers can start honing highly transferable skills, ensuring that they can enjoy greater career flexibility over the course of the digital age.

Cybersecurity

One industry in Australia that has consistently been heavily tech-influenced by emerging technologies is of course, the cybersecurity sector. Cybersecurity specialists have been given the monumental task of monitoring emerging technologies and their capabilities, and determining how these technologies could potentially be used to wreak havoc in the cybersphere.

In particular, AI innovations are causing a rapid evolution in this industry, namely due to the advancements of AI-powered ransomware and malware. With malware that’s capable of machine learning being released by hackers across the World Wide Web, the role of cybersecurity technicians has become more vital than ever before. And the natural solution that they’ve discovered to combat AI malware is AI-driven cybersecurity solutions.

Before AI evolved to the level it is today, traditional cybersecurity methods relied heavily on human intervention and specific human-maintained systems. In contrast, AI cybersecurity solutions utilise machine learning algorithms that can detect and respond to known and novel cyber threats in real time. This helps to prevent malicious code and applications from infecting and causing havoc on Australian computer networks. 

These AI algorithms are trained using massive inputs of data, such as historical threat data and other device data. Using this information, AI digital security solutions can effectively ‘learn’ and train themselves to recognise more sophisticated patterns that humans might have difficulty detecting independently. This removes our reliance on human intervention, providing Australian security firms with more dynamic ways to safeguard Australian government offices, as well as schools, hospitals, and all of the other unique working environments that make up our thriving national economy.

Healthcare Revolution

Finally, and speaking of hospitals, there’s no denying that Australia’s healthcare sector has been under the pump for the past few years in particular. Concerns like overcrowding and a lack of skilled healthcare workers, threatens to prevent everyday Australians from being able to access medical care when they may need it the most.

So what’s the answer to streamlining the healthcare sector and ensuring that Australian doctors, nurses, and patients have access to the resources that they need? Once again, the best solution lies in emerging healthcare technologies.

One type of bleeding-edge tech being used in Australian healthcare is machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence or AI that we mentioned earlier. Machine learning is being used to analyse CT and MRI scans to treat the acute effects of COVID-19 and other illnesses. 

AI can also improve cancer diagnostics, and hospitals are moving towards this away from a biopsy. For instance, a digital scan of parts of a human body where cell mutations are occurring can be used to diagnose cancer, and then treatment can occur. And it goes without saying that faster diagnoses means faster treatments. This prompt response could mean the difference between life and death for millions of Australians annually.

Technology is also improving healthcare operations and administration in a major way. Thanks to Cloud computing, Australian healthcare organisations are now able to maintain electronic records of patient files, reducing the need for hospitals and clinics to maintain on-site records or computer network servers. Where once it used to take a few business days to send your files through to a new clinic, your doctors can now send files over in a matter of seconds. This rapidity helps Australians secure prompt and timely medical treatment, which may in turn, also aid in reducing risks of overcrowding in hospitals and clinics across the country.

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As you can see from all the examples provided above, we’re well and truly in the midst of a tech revolution, and specific industries are rapidly evolving and taking advantage of innovations in technology. But it’s important to note that this is by no means an exhaustive list either. Even law enforcement, the retail sector, and the education sector (amongst many others) are all embracing digital technologies. So how will these industries evolve across the digital age? Only time will tell.

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