We've always known to some extent that robots would someday replace humans in certain tasks. We can already see this happening today with certain labor jobs. With Japan being known for its technological advancements, a 40-foot robot doing critical work is no longer a surprise.
Giant Humanoid Robot Working on Trail Lines
It might seem like one of those instances where people would lose jobs to a robot, but that's not true in this case. Instead of doing dangerous work in high places, personnel would instead be within the safety of the truck controlling the robot to reach the task.
The 40-foot humanoid robot is currently being used by West Japan Railways. It was developed by two companies, namely robotics technology developer Jinki Ittai Co and IT and electricals in infrastructure firm Nippon Signal Co, as per Interesting Engineering.
The humanoid robot itself is attached to the arm of the truck which can be lifted so the robot can reach the heights. It will then be operated by the driver of the truck itself using the controls on the vehicle and VR goggles, which are connected to the cameras on the robot's head.
The robot's arm can even use certain attachments for specific tasks, making it more versatile for other kinds of work. The company states that the robot, aside from reducing workplace accidents like electric shocks, can also help fill worker shortages.
It can lift and maneuver heavy loads like steel pipes plates, and wires, which is usually a job for more than one worker. With the operator synchronizing its movement with the robot, the worker will be able to work with finesse along with the strength that the robot provides.
West Japan Railways President Kazuaki Hasegawa stated: "In the future, we hope to use machines for all kinds of maintenance operations of our infrastructure, and this should provide a case study for how to deal with the labor shortage."
The robot is already expected to lead the advancement in maintenance technology and safety. The beauty of it is that it serves as a solution to worker shortages, and not just a way to cut down on costs by laying off human workers.
The Inevitable Use of Robotics
The threat of robots taking over jobs has been a concern for many workers for years, and it is a valid point. However, this has often overshadowed the benefits of technological advancement, such as robots taking over more dangerous jobs.
For instance, there are still people who work in mines, which is considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Not only is it risky, but the work environment is also not ideal for any human due to high temperatures and harmful gases.
Robots are already being deployed to haul, drill, and blast through for exploration. Soon enough, there will be advanced systems that can easily be controlled by personnel to perform all mining tasks.
Still, it's hard to job displacements caused by robotics and by extension, AI. For example, driverless taxis are already on their way to being more widely implemented. This can take jobs from millions of cab drivers all over the world.
