Workflow Canvas

Imagine stepping into a modern factory hall, with machines humming everywhere, robot arms grasping precisely and conveyor belts transporting components. Yet behind this choreographed precision lies a problem that plagues the industry: Systems don’t understand each other – they speak “different languages.”And somewhere in between sits an engineer trying to translate this Babylonian confusion of languages – that is, the many incompatible systems – into functional code. Digitalization projects fail not due to grand visions but because of this invisible wall of incompatible protocols.

The translation revolution

This is where Workflow Canvas comes in. At its core is the idea of converting human language into automated control commands, thereby creating a comprehensible connection between previously separate processes. Sounds simple – but it isn't. Because industrial reality is a patchwork of proprietary standards, historically grown systems and disconnected technological areas. IT systems – that is software, databases and cloud applications – live in their own world. OT systems – hardware such as machines, sensors or controls on the factory floor – live in a completely different one. Workflow Canvas now makes it possible to unite these two worlds. It is a platform that combines several tools to manage the integration of IT and OT elements. This is especially true when introducing modern devices that cannot be exclusively controlled by PLCs (programmable logic controllers).

Behind this invention is the researcher Zhen Hua Zhou, who has been working at the interface between software and automation for many years and is being honored with the Inventor of the Year Award 2025 in the “Newcomer” category. His introduction to technology began early: As a child, he wanted to develop his own computer games and therefore taught himself programming. Through these games, he also improved his English and developed a keen understanding of logic and structures. Today, his goal is not only to improve individual processes with his developments, but, in the long term, to make the industrial world more efficient and understandable.

Three principles, one vision

The platform rests on three revolutionary pillars:

• Global indexability (uniquely findable and linkable worldwide): This means that every element, whether machine or piece of data, receives a unique identity – like a universal postal address for machines.
• Non-intrusiveness: Workflow Canvas leaves existing machines and software unchanged and only docks onto them from the outside – without reprogramming the systems. This eliminates the need for expensive modifications or risky interventions in ongoing processes.
• Multilingualism: The platform speaks fluent IT and OT, translating between databases and robots, between the cloud and the factory floor.Processes can suddenly be linked across company boundaries, manufacturer boundaries and even technological eras. Legacy systems – that is, older but still used technology that is difficult to network – can now communicate thanks to today’s AI-supported cloud solutions. This is possible because Workflow Canvas is based on open standards and unique digital identifiers, allowing machines and software from different companies to speak the same language.

The next stage: standards for the world

Zhou's ambition extends far beyond individual success stories. By 2026, Workflow Canvas is to be established as a new national standard in China and, in addition, as a potential international IEC standard. The goal is to merge the hitherto separate standards for different programming languages and OT systems in such a way that a common, open, and globally accessible understandable language for IT and OT emerges.

The invisible revolution

The most fascinating innovations are often those that cannot be seen. Workflow Canvas could fundamentally change the way we produce more than any single machine ever could. Because only when systems understand each other can true machine intelligence and networking emerge. With Workflow Canvas, Zhou has created a translation bridge for digital factories. This makes processes comprehensible and simplifies dealing with complex systems. The greatest breakthroughs sometimes lie not in what we build – but in how we connect it all together.