The Future of Robotics : Assistants or  Replacements ?

Emily Arévalo 

It is predicted that robots will replace a greater number of human workers in the future. This essay will first discuss the professions that are susceptible to automation and will then outline how robots can eventually benefit society. According to scientists, automation is expected to affect manual labour the most. This is because jobs that involve manipulating small objects can be easily performed by robots. A recent study from the Ministry of Works claimed that by the year 2030 one-third of the existing jobs will have disappeared due to machines programmed by artificial intelligence. In recent years, we have witnessed robots and machines replacing many jobs that used to be done by people. The questions on everyone’s mind are when will it stop, will robots replace humans in everything, what jobs will be left?  As technology continues to progress, robots are becoming cleverer than people and computers learn to perform tasks with greater efficiency than us, it is worrying to think that one day robots will be in every work place and there will be less and less jobs available for people.

 

However, certain experts with superior mental dexterity skills will be still needed, such as dentists. Although various blue-collar jobs might be threatened by automation, robots are likely to bring tremendous benefits to our lives. Robots can do repetitive and monotone tasks efficiently and errorlessly. According to a survey carried out in the Department of Computer Sciences, job tasks like answering the phone or filling in a patient form could be done by robots. As a result, cognitive labour, such as lawyers and doctors, can concentrate on more demanding tasks, which require analytic thinking and research skills. Machines can now do both of these tasks, with robots developed that can drive cars safely, which could mean job losses in the future for bus and taxi drivers. For years now machines have slowly been taking over the role of building cars, in every company and every factory.

There are now less people employed in the retail and bank industries, as self-serve machines and ATMs mean that customers can do most task themselves on these, and fewer employees are needed. This is the same for pharmacies, where some are now using robots instead of people to fill in prescriptions. There is even software now that can generate stories and articles, which means less work for writers and reporters, and software that can review documents that would have previously been analyzed by lawyers. Machines can now do a lot of human tasks, with even robot astronauts being developed by NASA. Soldiers are also slowing being replaced, first by drones and also with robot soldiers being developed, though this may be seen as an advantage to many as it will save lives.

There are now over 1.2 million industrial machines and robots working across the globe, and will grow as technology advances. However there are many fields in which humans will not be able to be replaced, like artistic jobs that use our creativity and imagination, something that computers are not able to reach and places such as hospitals. Whilst there are now robots that are performing surgery, not all tasks in a hospital can be undertaken by robots. They may have steadier hands, but aren’t capable of connecting on a human level with patients.

Thus, it can be argued that this development is chiefly positive. In conclusion, I would argue that although some manual vacancies are at risk to disappear, the advantages of automation overweigh disadvantages. Computers bring many benefits for companies, who make fewer mistakes, save money and work faster and more precisely. This is why many businesses in all fields are beginning to use more machines. Robots are unable to show compassion like people do and should never be able to replace us when it comes to human interaction. Robots can reliably handle many manual tasks that humans usually consider mundane and uninteresting.

 Change for humanity

Technology is no longer a secondary thing, but an essential part of our lives.  As we are progressing, the creation of new technologies are introduced in society every year.  One of them are robots, there are different types: medical, disaster response, industrial and underwater.  Some may say that it will be a bad future if we are dominated by them, but in reality, they can be useful to people who risk their lives in the different jobs.

Some people are scared to be involved in a world with robots, but even though It can be because it is unknown, and humans feel the need to take control of all things. However, we should be more open-minded as they will be helpful in the future on things that humans thought impossible.  Robots are being developed by scientist, and there are various types.

On one side there are robots in the heavy Industries have more precision than humans on doing dangerous jobs in construction sites, in the manufacture field and more things that now humans aren’t needed as machines are faster and more effective. Another one to mention are the ones of Disaster response, these are in charge of seeing the situation from a deeper level, for example, there are developing a robotic spider, that is capable of identifying how many survivors are trapped.  And another one to mention is medical robots, they can be a subject of experiments, like for example to see if a product it is safe for humans (cars, planes, etc.), not only that but can perform surgeries.

Only a few were mentioned but we can’t deny the positive change that science is doing for our future and we can’t hide the excitement to see how the human kind reduces the problems of today.

Robotical Helpers

In 1954, George Devol brought to life a project that would have an everlasting impact.  Devol built and sold the first commercial, digital, and programmable robot named "The Unimate."  This robot was used to lift pieces of hot metal at the Ewing Township General Motors plant.  Nowadays, there are robots even at our home!  Gadgets such as vacuum cleaners and washing machines are examples of robots that help us and eased our activities.  There are numerous fields in which robots can be extremely useful, save us time and prevent us from accidents.  But, the question is, will robots replace humans some day?

One of the fields in which robots have helped us is space exploration.  These robots are sent to investigate and bring information about their destinations.  NASA states that robots as opposed to humans are cheaper to be sent to space.  Another good aspect is that explorations are nothing to worry about since the safety of the robots is not compromised thanks to their abilities and resistance to difficult weather conditions.  One example of these robots is BRUIE, the Buoyant Rover for Under-Ice Exploration.  It can float in the water and roll its wheels along the underside of an icy surface, all while taking pictures and collecting data.

 

Another field that has been benefited from the existence of robots is healthcare.  Emerging in the 1980s, the first robots in the medical field offered surgical assistance via robotic arm technologies.  Over the years, artificial intelligence (AI), has enabled computer vision and data has transformed health care robots, expanding capabilities into other areas of medicine.  Health robotics have opened the gate for high level patient care, efficient processes in clinical settings, a safer environment for both patients and health care workers.  The most commonly known surgical robot is the da Vinci Surgical System, which magnifies 3D high-definition vision system and tiny instruments that bend and rotate in ways human hands could never.  The surgeon is in control 100% of the time; this helps to carry out more precise operations than previously thought possible.

 

Surgeons, astronauts, industries, and other fields can argue that robots may not be perfect, but they have certainly eased our tasks, kept us safe, and saved us a lot of money.  There are certain fields, however, in which robots may be no substitute for humans, but for now we should take advantage of all the benefits robots bring with them.

The Different Species of Robots

 We live in a digital era, where new gadgets and devices are being launched every day.  Each morning there’s a new phone, a new TV, a new car, and even, a new replacement for us.  Robots have existed for a long time, even if you don’t notice them, they are there.  They go from security cameras to vacuums, to humanoids.  Robots are used in almost every single industry.  They can perform surgery, they can build skyscrapers, and even save lives after a disaster.  But they are also classified in different categories, they all belong to different kinds of “species”.

 

Industrial robots consist of machines design to perform repetitive tasks.  They facilitate dangerous jobs in factories and can work alongside humans.  Industrial robots are automated, programmable, and capable of movement on three or more axes.  One example is the Unimate, considered the grandfather of all factory robots.  It was the first industrial robot and it worked at General Motor’s assembly line.  It was developed by George Devol during the 1950s and patented in 1961.  It was estimated that in 2020 there were 1.64 million operating industrial robots worldwide according to the IFR

 

Medical robots are another kind of robot that has become extremely useful. Medical and health-care robots include systems such as bionic prostheses and robotic exoskeletons, or the da Vinci robot, is a system that helps perform minimally invasive surgery.  Or the Endoscopy-Bot, they are used to look for damage or foreign objects in the body, and there’s also the Orthoses, an exoskeleton that helps correct malformations or helps patients that are going through rehabilitation.

 

One of the most intriguing kinds, in my opinion, is humanoids.  This is what most of us think when we think of robots.  They specifically designed to look like people, one example is Sophia, a creation of Dr. David Hanson, who is the creator of Hanson Robotics.  Sophia has appeared in TV shows like Ellen, and magazines such as Cosmopolitan.  Junko Chihira is another example of a world-famous humanoid.  She is described as a trilingual android, that is being developed by Toshiba.  Junko mostly works at a touring information center in Tokyo, greeting visitors from all around the world.  Robots have been around for a long time now, and I don’t they will go soon, so we better get along with them 

ROBOTS AND HUMANS

As technology advances more and more everyday, it is more common to see robots and humans working side by side.  Write a classification essay to answer the following question:

Can robots replace human beings in all activities?

Give reasons and examples in your response.

 

A SPECIAL GIFT 

When it comes to family all of us cherish different people. Some may consider family to be the people we chose as friends other may be fond of those with an actual blood relationship. To me family is anyone who is loyal to me a person who understand me and has been there all along through thick and thin, most of the time these people are my nuclear family.

My family starts with my mom, she is my whole family. The person I turn to for anything and I value and love her the most among all people. I am an only child, I never got to have the experience of having a little brother nor a little cousin it was always just me. From my dad´s side I had 2 older cousins but since they lived in Guatemala and I lived in the US at the time  it was close to impossible seeing them often, so I consider I did have cousins at all. Until 5 years ago when my aunt started to have babies.

When it comes to aunts and uncles I have quite a few. Starting with my aunt Sandra she is the aunt everyone wants; she is always taking me out to places and buying me things. She is truly very special for me. Next is my uncle he is married but doesn’t have kids yet, he lives in Sanarate. My other aunt is also married and has two beautiful baby girls, my little cousins Nicole and Valentina.

I cannot imagine living my life without my family by my side. Family is very important and valuable to me and is something that should never be taken for granted. Without my family, a large part of my life and culture would be missing.

Whether it's my grandparent, my two cousins, my mom, or my dad, I know I can always count on someone to help me feel better. In fact, I think that this is probably the most important thing that my family has taught me; a family is made up of people who you can trust and who you can count on. Too many times today, we read in the papers about families where parents abuse their children, verbally and physically. What these parents don't realize is that they are either beginning or involving themselves in a vicious circle of hate in families. When parents abuse their children, they are telling their children that that is the way to raise children, and this is what their children learn. I was lucky, I have learned differently, because my family cares about me, and I care about them.

Unexpected destiny

 

My beautiful mother, Silvia Sepúlveda, was born in the city in where she had to endure a lot of hardships during her childhood, as she didn´t have responsible parents, she then decided to go her way, if there was something that she wanted then will make the impossible to achieve even if anyone disagreed.  A woman with courage but with a precious heart, she then decided to make the decision to leave behind the things that put a weight in her heart, she left her house, which couldn’t be called home as she didn´t have any peace living there. As the time has passed, she always had problems with self-esteem issues and this is something that has sabotaged her relationships, but she is confident that even though she makes mistakes, it is just room for improvement.

            And Independent and brave woman took the decision to get a job in a bank as no one will support her, who could have known that she will meet her love of her life a year later?  He was called Arturo, my dear father, before coming at the city, he lived in Chicacao, with his family but the sudden death of her father and a year later his mother.  He then decided to leave in search of opportunities, he had a job but as he was not growing professionally, he left.  That´s when he met my mother, first as friends and later as lovers. After dating several months, they decided to marry 2 years later, and they did. And subsequently they had three children, two girls and one boy.

            I can say that the story has not ended yet and I am happy to see the day that they do no have to worry about us at all, leave their job and rest peacefully.  I pray for their well-being and happiness.