SMART ROBOTS
Responding to two of your peers’ posts
1st students responds
Although robots are more prevalent today there are some pros and cons to robotic technology, for instance a pro would be that robots are more precise than humans, they are able to perform surgeries more easily without error. The human hand is not sturdy or steady, but the robotic tool is. They can be programmed to do pretty much of anything a human being can do. The con of robotic technology is that it cannot yet think for itself it has to be programmed by a human to perform tasks. A lot of jobs have been lost due to the creation of robotic technology and the replacement of robots into jobs that people once had have been eliminated, because robots are more efficient and cheaper.
Imagine having a robot complete a brain surgery on a patient in a part of the brain that is difficult for a human surgeon to reach that requires a steady hand and accuracy. You can program a robot to execute this surgery precisely, but if while in brain surgery complications occur on a different part of the patient’s body the robot is not programmed to care for that part of the body. This means a human would either reprogram the robot or step in to assist with the alternate medical issue the robot is not programmed to handle.
- I feel that robotic technology is evolving with society and we will continue to use it to reach productivity goals and save money.
2nd students response
Technology is playing a pivotal role in helping humans work more effectively. Since automation has become an integral part of business operations, we can predict that robots are soon going to replace many jobs that are today performed by humans.
Artificial Intelligence has many helpful attributes. An example of this is Fastbrick Robotics’ Hadrian X. This Australian robot is capable of laying more than 1000 standard bricks an hour, which far exceeds the amount a human laborer can lay in the same time frame. This can make building structures much easier and take much less time. Simbe Robotics in the United States has developed Tally which can work in a supermarket stacking shelves and checking prices of goods. Although there are advantages to using smart robots, humans are still considered far more efficient than robots when it comes to decision making powers, handling difficult situations, brainstorming, and generally bringing a sense of emotion and empathy into a workplace. You cannot brainstorm in a meeting with a robot and a robot certainly can’t evaluate you for a raise or promotion. I would feel more confident in human decision making in these cases.
Some pros of smart robots are an increase in worker safety, especially for production lines, farming and the construction industry. They fill the gap in laborer shortages. Using smart robots increases efficiency. Robots are more precise than humans, they don’t tremble or shake like human hands. Robots have smaller and versatile moving parts which help them in performing tasks with more accuracy than humans. There is a decrease in labor costs for businesses. Robots can literally work on certain tasks 24 x 7. The human brain gets tired if it’s working continuously but robots never get tired of what they are programmed to do and they can work on certain tasks error free.
Some cons are they have less versatility, a robot is limited to what it’s been programmed to do. Robots can certainly handle their prescribed tasks, but they typically cannot handle unexpected situations. Where a robot saves times, on the other hand it can also result in a lag. It is, after all, a machine so you cannot expect much from them. If a robot malfunctions, you need extra time to fix it, which would require reprogramming, etc. There is a loss of some human jobs. Where robots are increasing the efficiency in many businesses, they are also increasing the unemployment rate. Because of robots, human labor is no longer required in many factories and manufacturing plants. Robots cause more environmental pollution. There are unpredictable costs at times and there is a significant investment with robots. Robots have higher expenses than humans and are costly to maintain.
Humanity is no stranger to the fear of losing jobs to machines. “Computerization” reduced the number of craftsmen, farmers and textile workers in the industrial revolution era. While these occupations were lost, it brought many new jobs to the forefront of society. This includes, but is not limited to, pilots, finance assistants and mechanics. Humans will still have a vital role in every workplace. You cannot rule out the significant role of humans in a business. No machine can replace the human factor “real employees” bring into a workplace.