Challenges of Industry 4.0 for medical products and smart devices sector in Brazil

It is a fact that there is a 4th Industrial Revolution underway that imposes a new global economy. This article aims to study the factors linked to medical products and smart devices for safety and well-being that can be decisive for the success of this industry in Brazil in the face of the new scenario. The focus was to identify the growth challenges of this industry and possible solutions to these problems. The basis of the study was the technological prospection carried out initially through a bibliographic survey and a search for patents to determine the existing technologies, their qualities, limitations, and growth potentials, in addition to the scenario in which they are inserted. Then, the results were related to future industrial trends seeking to identify the sector's problems. Finally, an analysis with the Delphi technique was carried out with experts in the area regarding the results obtained to validate the study and collect suggestions for proposals to solve the problems. The obstacles to growth and proposed solutions for the context of medical products in Brazil presented by both experts and those seen in the literature of the Brazilian and international contexts proved to be complementary and concordant with each other, pointing to the need for action in human resources and technology.