In a world which has been described as an attention economy, creative and innovative consumer technologies have played a vital role in getting maximum attention/engagement and influencing the behaviors of target audiences. Influencing behavioral change is a critical factor in the adoption of /adaptation to disruptive new technologies and the future sustainability of socio-technological systems built around them. Today’s most serious global challenges in healthcare, environment, education, and warfare are examples of how digital technologies have disrupted traditional practices, leading to their breakdown or collapse as they are threatened by new processes, perceptions, tasks, devices, and environmental situations. These problems are inextricably linked to human factors and a failure to recognize, respond to and/or harness the power of human/computer collaboration.

Public healthcare systems are an example of how the enabling technologies of IR4.0 have challenged existing clinical practices by empowering citizens with the technologies to manage their own health. Public health ecosystems are no longer fit for purpose, using bespoke technologies and outdated systems which fail both citizens and healthcare professionals and act as a drain on public finances. Similar examples exist in education and industry.

HF/E disciplines and practices applied to socio-technological systems have been a driving force in the development and consumerization of disruptive technologies which are attractive, affordable, accessible, and aligned to the needs of the users, tasks, devices, and scenarios.

The key disruptive technologies driven by consumer demand are AI, cloud computing, sensors (IOT), machine learning, 5G, nanotechnologies and audio-visual technologies and applications. These disruptive technologies impact knowledge professionals, careers and consumers across every sector manifested by:

• Consumer/user empowerment
• Multidisciplinary collaboration
• Changes in roles, tasks, and employee profiles
• Barriers to innovation where the status quo is threatened

This presentation examines the impact of these disruptive technologies on healthcare, education and industrial systems using examples of wearable technologies, artificial intelligence, drones, virtual reality, smartphones and cloud computing. It compares the failures and problems in these sectors with examples of successful human/computer collaboration based on a holistic HFE approach to the challenges/opportunities of IR4.0