Steel-Collar Workers' Update

Nextage, the latest humanoid robot from Kawada, and the Motoman SDA 10 both put on impressive manufacturing demonstrations this year... When watching the videos it is easy to see why factory workers should be terrified for their job security. The robots demonstrate agility with their hands, the ability to work together, and the ability to divide portions of a complex task amongst themselves. As with all robots these days, these humanoid manufacturing robots are superior to humans in strength, endurance, and dependability, but seem ill equipped to adapt to changing situations that have not been anticipated ahead of time. And yet the path is clear – these robots will get even more capable and adaptable with each passing year. Factory workers look out!

Of course for most industrial applications humanoid robots are not needed. In these cases the humans aren’t losing their jobs…they have already lost them. Across the globe humans have been replaced and improved with countless incredible robots that are designed to perform one type of task with repetition and speed that is simply beyond human.
A Review Of The Best Robots of 2009
Singularity Hub
December 22nd, 2009 by keith kleiner