In the technology sphere, ‘disruptive’ can sometimes seem an overused term. So much so, in fact, that it almost feels rare to encounter a new product or technology that isn’t instantly labelled ‘disruptive’ in its publicity material.
The ubiquity of the term, however, should not obscure the fact that there are truly disruptive technologies out there and that they are changing the world of engineering fundamentally. To name just a few, additive manufacturing, virtual reality, autonomous vehicle technology, AI, connectivity and Industry 4.0 are all technologies that have moved from the theoretical to the actual relatively recently and are all set to transform engineers’ working lives.
This leaves engineers with the problem of how to stay abreast of an extremely fast-moving technological landscape. The sheer volume and pace of technological change mean that it is imperative to familiarise oneself with all the technological trends that have the potential to affect one.
In short, whether we like it or not, ‘disruption’ is here to stay and engineers must learn to embrace it.
