Frustrated with the lack of tools to reliably communicate among different process areas, Andrew Thomas decided to do something about it. So in 1995, he and a partner developed real-time communication software that resulted in a program called Cogent Real Time Systems.

Over the following two-plus decades, he continued to reiterate eventually resulting in what is now called Skkynet -- a platform that enables real-time data connectivity for industrial, embedded, and financial systems, with no programming required.

Hear about his journey -- and his predictions -- in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.