Historical Example of Convergence – Steam Powered Factory.

Ken Wirt, palmOne, Inc.

Wirt explains that the invention of the electric motor revolutionized the way factories operate. With steam power, there was one central boiler which dictated how the factory had to be organized. As electric motors evolved, it became possible to make small motors that could be distributed around the plant to provide power to individual machines allowing for greater flexibility. Now, electric motors are everywhere, he says.