Handesbatt-专利与第四次工业革命（英文版）-2017.12-100页

Inco-operationwithPatentsandtheFourthIndustrialRevolutionTheinventionsbehinddigitaltransformation|December20173ForewordDearreaders,Aneweraoftechnologicaldevelopmentcharacterisedbydigitaltransformationisrapidlygatheringmomentum–onewhichisfrequentlyreferredtoastheFourthIndustrialRevolution(4IR),or,insomeregions,asIndustry4.0.Theconsensuson4IRisstillformingbutthefactthatitisreferredtoasa‘revolution’impliesthatitsimpactisexpectedtobefar-reaching.Businesses,industry,analysts,policymakersandmanyothersarestartingtodiscussingreaterdetailitscharacteristicsandthechallengesandopportunitiestherevolutionpresents.Asanorganisationattheforefrontoftechnology,theEPOhasthetoolsandskillstosupportthisdialoguewithaclearpictureofevolvingtrends:theEPOisoneoftheleadingsuppliersofpatentinformation,andthesoliddatathatweholdcanhelpustor