A3 and BBC StoryWorks Launch "Age of Automation" Series

Those in attendance at the A3 Business Forum in Orlando last month were among the first to hear about the launch of “Age of Automation,” a global film series produced by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) and BBC StoryWorks.

The series dives into how automation technologies are reshaping human lives and industrial landscapes worldwide. This multi-episode series offers rich, human-centered narratives that particularly resonate with professionals advancing machine vision, robotics, and automation integration.

Bringing automation’s real-world impact into focus for engineers and integrators specializing in machine vision and automation systems, "Age of Automation" provides illuminating case studies that demonstrate how automation goes beyond factory floors to tackle critical real-world challenges. The series presents original films showcasing automation’s role in enhancing healthcare access, improving educational equity, strengthening disaster response, and building resilient, efficient supply chains.

Jeff Burnstein, president of A3, said in a press release, “Automation is often discussed in terms of productivity and efficiency, but at its core, it's about people. This series highlights how automation augments human capability: improving patient care, expanding educational access, strengthening safety, and empowering the next generation of innovators.”

Spotlight on Vision-Driven Automation Applications

The series features diverse applications where machine vision and automation play major roles, including:

• Healthcare. AI-enabled learning tools for deaf students and robotic mobility aids helping children take their first steps demonstrate vision-guided robotics for improving patient care.
• Industrial and mining safety. Autonomous mining trucks leveraging sensor fusion and vision systems for safer operations illustrate automation’s potential to improve hazardous work environments.
• Smart logistics and supply chain. Companies like Cimcorp Group are showcased for deploying automation solutions integrating vision and robotics to optimize warehouse and material-handling workflows.

One episode specifically focuses on young innovators engaging in robotics competitions, illustrating how hands-on automation and vision technology experiences equip the next generation with skills to redefine the technical and workforce landscape.

Produced by BBC StoryWorks, the commercial content studio of BBC Studios, "Age of Automation" spans multiple continents and industries. In addition to robotics and healthcare, the series highlights automation pioneers such as Mayo Clinic, Google, Cisco, Daifuku, Komatsu, Toyota Mobility Foundation, and Avnet—many of which use sophisticated vision- and sensor-based automation in their solutions.

Why Should VSD’s Audience Watch?

For professionals developing, integrating, and optimizing machine vision systems, this series could serve as a valuable resource for understanding broader automation trends and how the technologies you build are making significant societal impacts. It's also a source of inspiration from authentic stories of how automation is evolving from a traditional industrial tool into a force that improves safety, productivity, and human capability across sectors.

For engineers and integrators eager to explore cutting-edge automation narratives, the full series and more information can be found here: "Age of Automation."