The field of industrial electronics has evolved profoundly during recent decades, hand in hand with smart systems, enabling the development of new functionalities. It is now common for robots to perform many previously burdensome tasks and operate in collaboration with humans. Miniaturized sensors, which are capable of extracting industrial process data with high levels of accuracy and robustness, are fully integrated to increment efficiency. Motion control systems have enabled the adaptation of systems to harsh industrial conditions, and all data related to sensing, operation, and control are interconnected using communication networks. Fault diagnosis strategies provide feasible control actions when abnormalities are detected. These are just a few examples that illustrate a revolution that has enabled the incorporation of smart systems into industrial processes. This article discusses how the incorporation of these capabilities has been made possible, and it examines the future challenges to further advances.
