Introductory elements

Industry has undergone several revolutions, the most important of which took place in the second half of the 18th century. The first industrial revolution was the exploitation of coal with the invention of the steam engine in 1769. A second revolution came with the advent of electricity, mechanization and the development of transport at the end of the 18th century. The third revolution came in the mid-20th century with the advent of electronics, telecommunications and computing.

We are witnessing the convergence of industrial production with ICT (Information and Communication Technologies). This concept prefigures a fourth industrial revolution (also known as the "industry of the future").

The new revolution...