As emerging digital technologies become increasingly integrated into our everyday lives, it is important to evaluate how they can be used both as beneficial tools in the design process and how they can be effectively integrated into higher education pedagogy to enhance teaching and learning processes. As we enter the fast-changing Industry 4.0, students must be suitably and sufficiently equipped with a wide range of skills that Industry 4.0 requires. This includes the “hard skills” of practically using emerging digital technologies, as well as the “soft skills” required to effectively apply these technologies in sustainable and ethical ways.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is rapidly blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological worlds through advances in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and other technologies. While Industry 4.0 is transforming our future realities, it is essential not to lose sight of human needs and basic human rights. Development must balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability, which is why designers need to engage with ethical considerations and social realities. One example of a technology that has both potential benefits and ethical threats is nanotechnology. Nanobots, machine versions of bacteria or viruses, can perform pre-programmed tasks autonomously at the atomic level.