Robotics is a vast and growing field of science. It combines both the engineering and computer science disciplines. Robotics deals in the research, development, testing, and production of robots. Robots are machines programmed to carry out complex tasks and operations.
The purpose of robotics is to help create intelligent machines that can assist human beings. Their usage is completely dependent on programming. A robot will do what it is programmed to do. It is as simple as that.
History Of Robotics
Before we get into any discussion about robotics it is necessary to understand their history. In the 20th and 21st century robotics has advanced at lightning speed. The earliest modern robot was invented in the 1950s by a scientist named George C. Devol. However, according to an article by Stanford Giovanni Torriani created a wooden robot as early as 1557. The purpose of this robot was to fetch bread for the emperor. This shows that from the start humans have played around with the idea of having consumer service robots.
Impact
Imagine the next time you go to a restaurant your server is a robot or when you check into the reception for a hotel, you are received by a robot. Although this may still sound like fiction to some, this is very close to reality. While they may not be becoming chefs or doctors any time soon, huge advancements are being made in this field day by day. In this article, we will be discussing the modern-day applications of robotics.
Manufacturing
One of the biggest and most widely used applications for robotics even today is in the field of manufacturing. Factories are being automated at a rapid pace. Manual labor has been replaced with robots such as robotic welding arms, pick and place robots, and many more. Robotics has also allowed for the efficient use of molding clear plastic. This means, with the help of robotics, plastic can be molded into any shape or structure. Automotive factories and packaging factories use large amounts of robots in their assembly line. This has allowed for greater and more efficient production.
In the future, we can see entire factories being run by automated machines and robots. With the development of machines such as 3D printers, another industrial revolution seems to be at the gate soon. It is predicted that by 2030, one-third of American jobs would be automated.
Military
Robots are actively used in the military for surveillance purposes. Pilotless drones are a prime example of such usages. It is now possible to gather surveillance over targets hundreds of miles away through drones while staying at your base. This has been a game-changer in the military field. However, in the future, we can anticipate robots being used as soldiers as well. A lot of such projects are currently underway as well. Where scientists are researching on creating efficient and sustainable robotic soldiers. So in the future, we can look forward to seeing an increase in the usage of robotics in the military field both on and off the field.
Standard Of Living
Robotics surely has a positive impact on the standard of living for people. We have seen throughout history that automation has led to an increase in the standard of living. We saw it with the industrial revolutions and we will see it again with robotics. Even today even the simplest tasks can be automated with the help of robots such as cleaning the floor or even taking out the trash.
Robotics will also help out in the field of education and health care. This will lead to greater literacy rates and health. Robotics has also led to the automation of motor vehicles. Self-driving cars are being made by companies such as TESLA. This allows people to sit back and relax or use their time for other work while robots take care of such activities. Thus ultimately leading to a higher and better standard of living.
Jobs
Many people fear that with the increase in automation, millions will lose jobs. They are right, millions will. There is no doubt that soon robots will replace humans in performing many jobs. However as they take away jobs, they produce jobs as well. Robots are not independent, they need humans to control them and program them. Thus, while they will destroy many jobs, they will create many jobs as well.
The Future
The future of robotics burns brighter than the sun. Robotics has an immense impact on our lives today. They are a part of our pop culture, homes, workplaces, and public spaces as well. Every year thousands of exhibitions are held at trade show displays in Las Vegas. These displays showcase hundreds of types of robots. Thus expressing their importance and inclusion in our future.
Further advancements and developments in robotics are certain. However, that does not mean we’ll be living in the Jetsons era anytime soon. Humans and robotics will continue to integrate slowly into our lives. Rapid integration is just not possible since a lot of people lack the resources. In conclusion, we can say that it is certain that robotics will impact our future just as it is impacting our present. Let’s just hope it is a positive impact rather than a negative one.
