With technology for drones far advanced, the next step is to ensure they can fly safely in cities. Image credit: CC0 via Unsplash The Spanish resort town of Benidorm is known for its sandy beaches with clear waters, a skyline dominated by towering hotels and tourists from northern Europe. But one day in February, it also served as a testing ground for European society's future with drones. Since the local economy depends on tourism during the summer, Benidorm is relatively empty in winter – and that's a plus when it comes to safety while testing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The tall buildings that dominate the skyline also stand in nicely for those of a big city. In sum, it's an ideal place to try out new drone technology.

From flying vehicles to smart buildings, this year's IoTSWC will bring the best industrial internet solutions to Barcelona. The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) is the leading organization promoting Industry 4.0 in the US. During the last five years, together with Fira Barcelona, it has been organizing the IoT Solutions World Congress (IoTSWC), the leading conference of industrial IoT. Dr. Richard Soley is the Executive Director of the Industrial Internet Consortium and is responsible for the vision and direction of the organization. In addition to this role, Dr. Soley is Chairman and CEO of the Object Management Group (OMG) – an international, nonprofit computer industry standards consortium -- and Executive Director of the Cloud Standards Customer Council – an end-user advocacy group.

Then, when you went to actually use the software, sometimes--not always, but sometimes--it might actually function. It was inaccurate and frustrating--but it was a start. Today, you can just say, "Alexa, play The Beatles" and within a few seconds, there comes "Here Comes the Sun" from your speakers. You can say, "Phone home," and your device will look up and dial the number in your contacts list. Artificial intelligence (AI) is now all around us.