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If you have been following technology news, you might be wondering if robots are about to take over our lives. Google in particular has made a slew of robotics acquisitions: the company bought eight robotics companies in the second half of last year, including Boston Dynamics, a maker of legged robots that can balance well enough to climb over obstacles and run, and it recently agreed to buy drone maker Titan Aerospace, whose robotic aircraft could help bring the Internet to remote parts of the world.
What does it all mean? At the least, companies like Google are anticipating business trends. These companies know that robotics is important, maybe even revolutionary. But if a revolution is coming to the consumer market, what will it look like? And why would it happen now?
If you’re waiting for an invasion of walking, talking, anthropomorphic robots, the coming changes will surprise you. In fact, many have already occurred. Robots are already an essential part of modern civilization, but they have mainly performed static, repetitive tasks (dispensing cash as ATMs, for example). Now, thanks to trends including the plunging prices of certain technology components, robots will soon be able to tackle an array of more complex, varied tasks with greater degrees of autonomy and intelligence.
The smartphone and PC revolutions have given us valuable precedents for studying this market. Once we can make useful devices affordable enough, an entire industry of thinkers, engineers, and inventors will spring up to address the rising demand. In fact, we’ll probably see an app store for robot hardware as well.
Indeed, trying to predict where the robotics industry is headed feels like holding your first iPhone in 2007 and imagining how it would become part of our lives—it’s exciting to ponder what the future holds, but impossible to know. When it introduced the first iPhone, Apple had created an extraordinary piece of technology. But more important, it had produced an affordable product. We can now do the same with robots, and the possible applications are endless.
originally posted by: Illiberation
a reply to: VoidHawk
They already applied at Wal-mart, they're called the automated checkout
originally posted by: Yeahkeepwatchingme
They test the waters to see how much they can get away with. People accepted robotic vacuums, toys, auto checkouts. Inculcated through years of sci fi programming and "future technology" to think it is the future no questions asked. It's safer, quicker, cleaner, everyone wins. Except the ones they never show. And even then it's romanticized.
They're useful and safer in many instances, I won't deny that but it's another hint that we as a large population are not needed. We never truly were but the shadow of giant robots, efficiency and ultimately population control is getting larger.
originally posted by: TRiPWiRE
I've got a Robot vacuum cleaner. It's called Neato. He's taken over my vacuuming job. I don't mind.
I've had stern words to him regarding becoming self aware. He's promised not to.
originally posted by: VoidHawk
I'm all for robots, they could make our lives so much more enjoyable, but until we get shot of the mentality that everyone must work, they will only cause problems.
Where will we work when robots take our jobs?
originally posted by: Sparkymedic
originally posted by: VoidHawk
I'm all for robots, they could make our lives so much more enjoyable, but until we get shot of the mentality that everyone must work, they will only cause problems.
Where will we work when robots take our jobs?
I'll be happy working in my garden or on my motorcycle. Workers of the world, RELAX!
originally posted by: VoidHawk
originally posted by: Sparkymedic
originally posted by: VoidHawk
I'm all for robots, they could make our lives so much more enjoyable, but until we get shot of the mentality that everyone must work, they will only cause problems.
Where will we work when robots take our jobs?
I'll be happy working in my garden or on my motorcycle. Workers of the world, RELAX!
Me too, but do you think tptb would allow that?