A future with Robots

Robots, mankind’s attempt to make life easier. A few decades ago this seemed like science fiction, a textbook concept that could only exist on paper. Today, robots are a reality due to the rapid advances in technologies such as chips and electronic hardware components. It is guaranteed that we will see more of them as time goes by. At first glance, the thought of passing a robot by the sidewalk seems intimidating right? Okay, how about a robot in a restaurant taking your order and when ready another serving your order at the table? Still freaked out? Lol. The point is not to get you a scared here but to show you how a future with robots could be beneficial to us. Robots unlike us, can execute most tasks well without experiencing effects like boredom or fatigue. While the loss of certain jobs to robots is a possibility am sure it is also possible to learn a new skill, switch jobs or even work alongside robots as their training supervisors. In my humble opinion, there are areas I believe that robotics would give us an edge and better living for all. Let’s take a look at them.

Manufacturing

Heavy industrial manufacturing always has a high risk of accidents occurring and workers getting injured. Some of the processes are too dangerous to be performed by human beings. Think of a steel manufacturing plant that operates smelting furnaces. The smelting furnaces operate at very high temperatures that are life threatening. In this case robots could be used to load the scrap metal into the smelting furnace and subsequently pour the molten ore into molding trays. Another example is a car assembly line where robots are used to weld the car body together with ultimate precision. Humans can weld too but because of fatigue and the repetitive nature of the job at the assembly line, it’s better suited for robots. In some factories (often termed lights out factories), robots can continue producing items with no supervision the whole night and meet demand.

Construction

With the advent of 3D- Printing, robots are easily finding their way into construction as well. This means construction work may take shorter periods to complete a building or give birth to designs that were not possible with human labor alone. Builders working alongside construction robots may be able to deliver on their projects quicker due to the extra hand offered by robots. The Boring company also has a robotic machine which simultaneously drills tunnels and builds the tunnel walls.

Healthcare

Robots are now being used in healthcare to assist in carrying patients in and out of bed. Some robots in the form of electric wheelchairs assist paralyzed patients to move from point to point within the hospital. There have also been advances in exoskeleton robots which when hooked onto a patient enable them to walk their legs. Research is also going into smart prosthetics for the limbs which interpret the wearer’s brain signals just like the way a normal hand or leg would. This would make life easier for patients. 

Agriculture

Plants require different levels of watering. Autonomous irrigation systems can be programmed to cater for different watering needs for plants in different fields. Robots can also be trained to identify ripe and unripe fruit then harvest the ripe fruit. Packaging of the harvest can also be done by robots making the lives of farmers easier. Robotic machines can also be used in planting seeds into the ground and weeding.

Retail

In retail, robotics can be used to interact with customers and offer a unique digital experience. Consider having a customer enquiries bot that you can ask questions about the store and it tells you exactly what you need to know. You could ask it which section the toothpaste is and it will show or tell you.