Robotics.......the word is known to conjure a variety of
images......humanoid cops, fighter robots, weird insects, cars of
various shapes and sizes, flying objects, and a host of others. But,
have you ever read the definition of a robot? Now wait a minute, robots
are so common-place, everyone has heard about them, its like cars or
tables, we don''t need to know the definition for that........or do we?
What about an oven, is it a robot? A washing machine? Surprise,
surprise.....there is no consensus on any definition of a robot. The
ones that are available are widely differing and none can be called be
''the right one'' as of yet.To give you a feel of this, check this out."A
mechanical device that sometimes resembles a human and is capable of
performing a variety of often complex human tasks on command or by
being programmed in advance." - The American Heritage Dictionaries"A
stand-alone hybrid computer system that performs physical and
computational activities. Capable of performing many different tasks,
it is a multiple-motion device with one or more arms and joints. Robots
can be similar in form to a human, but industrial robots do not
resemble people at all." - Tech Encyclopedia"Any
automatically operated machine that replaces human effort, though it
may not look much like a human being or function in a humanlike
manner." - Brittanica EncyclopediaIt does not end here. A
quick Google on Robots will present a plethora of options for you to
choose from. Pick anyone that you like. But, I think most of us have a
common perception of what Robots are and there is scarcely any need of
the perfect definition for the understanding of robots. Robots are said
to be the next big thing. Some say, they will be as ubiquitous in the
future are
computers are today. Imagine all your work being done by a
Robot. Your house-maid is a robot, your chauffeur is a robot, your
receptionist is a robot, all the manufacturing is done by the robots,
etc. Wouldn''t it be wonderful? All the complex surgeries, the intricate
manufacturing, the delicate handling of nuclear stuff, everything being
done by the robots. If it doesn''t sound so exciting now maybe it is
because none of this is a concept anymore but a reality.Now,
where do humans figure in this equation. A lot has been presented in
sci-fi movies (iRobot) and a lot of novels about how the machines will
take over humans and how we shall land ourselves in precarious
situations. But, most scholars believe, this is unlikely to happen as
humans are and will remain smarter (or rather more cunning) than the
machines. Leaving that behind, one immediate effect that seems obvious
is the replacement of man by machine. Millions (or billions) or jobs
will be obliterated and that many people will be jobless. What can
happen to such people is not a rosy picture to paint. But, wouldn''t the
manufacturing of robots create jobs? The answer is yes but, they will
be a very small fraction of the jobs lost. So, does this mean that
development of
Robotics is dangerous to human beings?Well, if
we peep into our past, the industrial revolution seems to offer a
comfortable analogy for analysis. Machines that replaced humans in
large multiples were installed at various factories which led to many
people losing their jobs. Most of the people who lacked the skill sets
to survive in this new world dominated by machines, lived from hand to
mouth. But, the few who knew how to be the masters of the machines,
employed the machines as their slaves and made a fortune. But, what
about the majority who were not so lucky (or intelligent as they say)?
Most continued to live from hand to mouth but, their next generation
reaped the benefits of their sacrifice ( or rather a forced sacrifice).
The generations that came later were much better at utilizing the
slaves called machines and this raised their standard of living.
Imagine what would this world have been if the people tve
completely blocked the advent of the machines for short term gains
(i.e. for the benefit of that generation)? Of-course some did try doing
that but, most of the organizations that did so, failed miserably.So,
taking a lesson from history we can conclude that if robotics is the
next big thing, we''d better start gearing up for it. Though it is hard
to imagine that this transition into a completely robotized world will
happed suddenly, it can happen well within half a lifetime of a person.
Taking a cue from what happened to the early-birds in the computer
(both hardware and software) industry, early-birds in this industry may
very well strike gold in the near future (if they already haven''t).
But, what is important is that we must understand that being
robotics-illiterate could be as bad as being computer-illiterate today
(I can openly say so as those guys won''t be reading this article, he
he).So, keep your eyes and ears open for the robots from now
on. They are on their way and can arrive at anytime in the near future.
Who knows when you might find out that your job has been offered to a
robot with a lifetime bond with a onetime payment (for its cost price)
and a meager salary (for maintainece and repair). So, watch out, the
robots are coming with all their wheel, limbs and God knows what
all..............
More abstracts about the Brace Yourself! Here come the robots!!