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.