As we enter into what the industry refers to as the fourth Industrial Revolution, or 'Industry 4.0', Microsoft believes it is intelligence that will significantly enable Industry 4.0 in business. Windows 10 powers devices from the smallest internet of things (IoT) devices, to highly mobile devices such as smartphones and 2-in-1’s, to large screen devices such as Surface Hub for collaboration and insights.

This week at Hannover Messe 2016 in Germany, Microsoft will demonstrate how Microsoft together with its partners are building business ecosystems for interconnected services, people and things.

IAV, an engineering services firm and worldwide pioneer of automated driving, is at Hannover Messe 2016 showing how drivers can be productive on the road when the car is doing the driving for them. They are using the Windows 10 Continuum capability to stream Windows 10 directly to a car’s dashboard to allow for easy access to important data and services on the road. Specifically, the solution integrates data and services into the vehicle through devices the driver already owns such as a Windows notebook, tablet or smartphone; with features and apps like Cortana, Skype for Business, Calendar, Outlook and Groove Music.

SM!GHT is a corporate startup of EnBW, one of the four big power providers in Germany headquartered in Karlsruhe. SM!GHT has developed "Smart City Lights" based on Microsoft Azure to power intelligent streetlights that feature Wi-Fi hotspots, e-Mobility charging stations, an SOS-Button and environmental sensors. These smart streetlights sense things like pollution, temperature, humidity and traffic congestion, all in an effort to help planners and commuters make better decisions. The data is monitored and collected from the streetlights using a Windows 10 universal app on a tablet and analyzed in real time using Azure Stream Analytics and Machine Learning. In an instant, cities can determine which neighborhoods or routes have the highest pollution or traffic and send drivers in a different and better direction. Drivers have the possibility to avoid traffic jams, air quality improves and commuters are happier because they’re getting to their destination more quickly and less frazzled.

Liebherr Group, an equipment producer that manufactures 2.4 million fridges a year, announced it will bring intelligence to pharmaceutical refrigerators and freezers with Windows IoT and Azure Stream Analytics. These refrigerators must be particularly sturdy and energy efficient as they are often used to store sensitive contents like medical supplies. Hospitals and medical companies sign legal agreements ensuring their supplies will be stored at the correct temperature, and they need fridges that will help them keep that promise. Windows IoT provides the foundation Liebherr needs with Enterprise class update, servicing, security and support required in the Medical field. The company plans to launch the SmartDeviceBox2.0 in April 2017.

ZF offers driveline and chassis technology as well as active and passive safety technology. ZF Services is working with Microsoft to showcase concepts of how intelligence and connectivity can be used for better fleet management along with ZF Services' connectivity specialist, Openmatics. Together, ZF Services and Openmatics developed a dashboard on a Windows 10 universal app platform called deTAGtive logistics, powered by Microsoft Azure, to improve operational and business processes in truck and bus fleets. deTAGtive logistics collects real-time data using tags attached to a customer’s cargo and Bluetooth Smart technology. The platform stores this data in the Azure cloud, and provides truck and bus fleet managers access to real-time insights. This keeps customers informed on the location of their goods in transit as well as transportation conditions such as weather and truck speeds. The platform can also can instantly push alerts to a drivers Windows 10 phone or Microsoft Band to alert them based on specific events such as shocks to cargo, or loss or refrigeration allowing real time resolution.

Insights from products in the field can be used to make processes smarter as shown by Trumpf, a global manufacturer of industrial equipment and machinery. Microsoft and Trumpf have partnered to develop a Universal Windows 10 application solution which is based on collecting acoustic data to diagnose equipment faults. Automating the age old approach of describing an engine noise to a mechanic. The system functions in a similar manner to the popular music app Shazam. A machine operator uses their Windows 10 Phone to capture a distinct machine noise and a Machine Learning model in the Microsoft Azure cloud classifies a problem or machine state based on the acoustic fingerprint. The results are provided back to the operator allowing them to take the right corrective actions.

At Hannover Messe, Dell made a number of announcements continuing their momentum in the IoT space. This included availability of the Dell Edge Gateway 5100 Model running Microsoft’s Windows 10 IoT Enterprise and Microsoft Azure Certified for IoT. It is a rugged device built for industrial environments including support for extended temperature ranges. Dell also launched five new accessories for the Edge Gateways, including I/O and power modules, ZigBee module, CAN bus card, and IP65 rugged enclosure.

Together with the OPC Foundation, Microsoft announced availability of the OPC-UA stack on the Windows 10 Universal Windows Platform at Hannover Messe 2016. This enables customers and partners to build OPC-UA clients and servers on all Windows 10 products (including Windows 10 IoT Core) for the first time. The global standard OPC-UA works on a secure, reliable, open, scalable, platform independent and flexible communication standard for industrial automation. This allows machine builders and IA providers to aggregate fine-grained data in the cloud from existing OPC-enabled equipment deployed across their global customer landscape. The We will show a vertical (Sensor to Cloud) and horizontal (Factory Relay) secure integration with Microsoft Azure IoT.