We are creating a system that combines human well-being, the balance of nature, and the optimization of technology
"The earth has peaked in its life cycle and is now in a state of pre-entropy," Norbert Weiner
Most of today's countries are at the crossroads of Industrial Society - Society 3.0 to the Information Society - Society 4.0.
The ideal we strive for is Convergence Society which puts the individual and their needs at the center while balancing economic progress and solving social problems. On that path, however, it is necessary to establish a Convergence Society that aims to resist planetary entropy and the potential collapse of cultures and societies while establishing a system that combines human well-being, the balance of natural systems, and technology optimization.
4IR starting point for the establishment of the Convergence Society
The foundation for establishing such a society is the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), representing the rapid development and advancement in technology we have witnessed over the last decade around the world. Cyber-physical systems, advances in robotics, AI, nanotechnology, quantum computing, the Internet of Things (loT), wireless 5G, 3D printing, clean energy, smart cities, and autonomous vehicles are just some of the technological advances. In parallel with technological advances, humanity has moved away from a direct connection with nature.
"It is an illusion to expect that advances in technology will slow down soon. Nevertheless, now is the time for new technologies in the current and future stages of human development to potentially bring us closer to nature, helping people understand patterns in nature and how we influence it." .
The combination of different merging states - nature, humanity, and technology - takes us in a new direction in the next phase of evolution. This convergence requires new ways of thinking, approaches, methodologies, and planning and involves anticipating the evolution of complex systems. For us to go beyond optimizing technology to establish more efficient operations, we must add to the equation the convergence of smart people and smart policies to ensure the well-being of all citizens as well as nature protection and coexistence with it.
"The place where change towards a convergence society occurs in the local community, and the driving force behind the event is the living lab, which uses the synergy of the education system, industry, and local territory."
Cities already comprise more than 50% of the world's population with a tendency to grow, which raises a number of essential questions for the functioning of such entities. The solution is the optimization of Earth resources through technologies to improve efficiency and the creation of models of sustainability and coexistence with nature.
The new convergence requires a methodology guided by today’s innovation practice of common design, collaboration, and an experimental approach in a living laboratory. Methods that come together in smart city design include Living Labs, Innovation Hubs, Design Thinking, Co-design, and Citizen Centric Cities.
Building such cities focused on the convergence of the virtual and the real will ensure the development of harmonious, sustainable solutions, which will enable adaptation and change as technology, people and the physical environment evolve and affect them differently.
