Internet of Robotic Things in Industry 4.0: applications, issues and challenges

The widespread availability of network resources and the development of new generation devices allowed the industry to pass into the so-called Industry 4.0 era. In this fourth industrial revolution, Internet of Things (IoT) and robotic systems closely cooperate, reshaping their relations. This way of integration of robotic agents and IoT leads to the concept of Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT). Such disruptive technology opens new possibilities also in research fields other than manufacturing, such as agriculture, health, surveillance, and education. This paper reviews the key technologies of Industry 4.0 and the way they are implemented in IoRT architectures. In addition, it sheds light on the impact of the IoRT on other research fields, focusing on the main open challenges of the integration of robotic technologies into smart spaces.