Preface

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital and automation technologies by companies so that they can not only stay in business but also be resilient in these challenging times. Some of these technological innovations include artificial intelligence (AI), 5G and enhanced connectivity, edge computing, Internet of Behavior, additive manufacturing, quantum computing, blockchain, human augmentation, distributed cloud, augmented reality, and virtual reality. However, even the world's most technologically advanced countries, the United States included, are struggling with a gap in digital skills necessary to utilize these new technologies. A recent poll by KPMG in Canada noted that many businesses are having a hard time hiring people with the right digital skills. It is clearly a serious issue. There are two factors to consider in this regard: lack of digital skills amongst existing workforces and lack of properly trained graduates to fill digital technology jobs in commerce and industries. Many countries have launched massive initiatives to address these issues and challenges. An example of such an initiative is the Future Skills Centre programs, which partners with employers and industry leaders across Canada on projects that advance institutional and systemic change. Universities and colleges are also ramping up their efforts to address these challenges. The core digital competencies include but are not limited to electronics, coding, the Internet of Things (IoT), the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Industry 4.0, and additive manufacturing. The role of computing in all these issues is still a dominant factor that needs to be considered along with political, economic, technological, and social impacts of skills' development for the future. This book provides examples of technological innovations that are rooted in IoT technologies, where sensor data, communications, and computing are integrated. The book begins with three chapters related to sensors and communication technologies, followed by two chapters on digital technologies for health care. The next two chapters address the environment and renewable energy, followed by a chapter on the epistemology of ambient intelligence. The last part of the book includes chapters that focus on IoT/IIoT, Industry 4.0, and AI in computing. This book uses an interdisciplinary approach to explain the complex issue of scientific and technological innovations largely based on intelligent computing.

> **Ishwar Singh** Adjunct Professor, W. Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

> > **Dr. Zhen Gao** McMaster University Hamilton, ON, Canada

#### **Dr. Carmine Massarelli**

Water Research Institute (Earth System Science and Environmental Technologies of the National Research Council of Italy), Bari, Italy
