Robots Replacing Humans - Research Paper Example

Robots Replace Humans Robots Replaces Humans Robots used to be a mere idea that could be found in sci-fi movies. We used to wonder about the idea of having mechanical beings to do the task for us especially those that are extremely difficult. We thought that that they are mere ideas that can only be found in sci-fi movies. Until years ago that idea became a reality when scientists and engineers finally introduced the first few models of robots using modern available technologies. Their functions may be very basic and crude but the first few models set the motion for robot development or robotics. The technology in robots may be traced back in the Industrial Revolution when mathematics, engineering and science was in flower in England that provided the basic groundwork of robotics. Among the prominent scientist during that time who contributed to the development of robots was Charles Babbage who developed the foundation of computer science and his two uncompleted project, difference and analystical engine. Although these projects were not completed, they laid out the basic framework for mechanical calculations necessary for robots to function (Thomasnet 2013). Robots as we know them today however was not yet recognized nor had such name during this time. The concepts about robots however already proliferated during the Industrial Revolution but its realization has to come decades later because the technology were not yet available then. Until in 1920, Karel Capek published his play entitled Rossum’s Universal Robots where the word robot was first used. The word robot came from an old Slavic word that meant “servitude, monotonous or forced labor”. From the use of “robot” in Karel Capek’s play begun the usage of the word that refers to mechanical devices that replaces human functions. It was however in 1927 that the first actual robot was made in the United States called Televoc which operated through the telephone system. Japan followed suit in 1928 and created Japan’s first robot named Gakutensoku. Robot became a formal science in 1941 when Isaac Asimov formulated the Three Laws of Robotics, which formally gave the name of robot creation as robotics (1950). The first few models of robots that used modern available technology begun in the 1950’s however which George Devol designed a robotic arm device named Unimate which was intended for industrial use. Unimate function then was to transport die castings in General Motors plant in New Jersey. Seeing the viability of robots particular in industrial manufacturing, a company owned by Joseph Engelberger founded a robot manufacturing company that made robots commercially available (Thomasnet 2013). When the computer was invented, the use of robot rapidly increased and the complexity of their function also increased exponentially. Where before they were primarily used for industrial purpose, their use extended to various fields such as medicine, military and police use, intelligence gathering, and even helping astronauts in space. They proved to be accurate and efficient not only in doing specific functions, but they also made work for humans easier. They are even used to save lives such as those used by policemen in detonating bombs to save their officers from the risk of accidentally detonating a bomb. They are now even used in medicine to operate on humans with incredible accuracy. One of functions in medicine which is performed by a robot is the Cyberknife which is a stereotactic radiosurgery that provided an alternative that is less prone to human errors (Thomasnet 2013). Robots have already gone a long way since its was first conceived. It no longer performs just simple repetitive task but rather capable of processing very complex processes that could rival human beings (Canadian Space Agency). To illustrate the new “thinking capacity” of robots IBM constructed chess playing program dubbed Deep Blue to be pitted against World Grandmaster Chess Champion Garry Kasparov. The robot lost in its first prototype but the second version beat Garry Kasparov (Isom 2005). Scientist and engineers also went as far as putting “emotion”in robots by creating a robotic dog that is capable of interacting with humans. Later in 2000, a robot was developed in Japan named ASIMO that moves similarly to humans that can run, walk, communicate, recognize facial and environmental movement, recognize voice and interact with its environment (Haug, 1999). The high efficiency and effectivity of robots raised some concern that they may replace human beings that many people would lose their jobs. This concern is being raised in the midst of high unemployment where the absence of jobs are being blamed to robots that replaced their jobs. Robots are also seen as a threat to humans because it is perceived to do their jobs better that robots may eventually take over the work of human beings and many will lose their jobs and source of income. Many worry that instead of making human lives better, robots will eventually make it hard for human beings because it will take their jobs away from them. While robots are quite expensive to purchase and maintain, they are not as complicated to deal with compared to human beings. They are machines and being such, they just need maintenace and replacement parts to continuously work without the complexity of dealing with the human aspect of work such as motivation and job satisfaction. But despite of its efficiency and effectivity to do certain tasks, robot are just that, programmed to do specific tasks and incapable of doing things that it is not programmed to do. It also cannot solve any problems it may faced that is beyond its programmed function. And despite all the hype about robots, it is incapable of learning just like humans and can never be creative because they are just a product of human creativity. Instead of seeing robots as threat or a competition to one’s job, human beings should go back the first time robots were envisaged, a machine that would make our lives easier and less riskier. Robots mechanized nature that it could be repaired is indispensable in functions that puts human lives in peril such as bomb detonation, sample collection on dangerous places (samples of magma during volcanic eruption), space shuttle repair and other tasks that would make robots a wonderful replacement for human beings. This is evident with the development of Robonaut 2, an astronaut helper developed by NASA that was aboard Space Shuttle Discover on the STS-133 mission that proved to be helpful in working in outer space because it is more dexterous than humans in gravity less environment (Canadian Space Agency). Robots could also be very helpful in minimizing if not totally removing fatalities from road acciedents because Google developed a robotic car which can be driven without a driver. And yes, robots can also be used in taking care of humans. Scientists discovered that a robot that can take care of patient by taking their temperatures and blood pressure and send it to the doctor in charge. Robots can also arrange a video call between the patients and the doctor and give them medical prescriptions. In China there is a restaurant that replaced all its waiters with robots to serve the costumers. The costumers were happy for this new service and even thought that robots are better than humans because they cannot lose their patience and they can serve them faster not to mention that they do not know how to get tired. These only shows that application and use of robots are numerous and their potential has not been optimized yet. In the coming future, it is expected that the use of robot will be more prolific with the development of faster computers, smaller chips and smaller components where the parts necessary to make the robot became faster, smaller and more efficient. It will not be an isolated idea that time will come that robots will look like us, talk like us and even interact like us with the further development of technology and know how to create robots. In Japan, scientists and engineers are already working on that direction of creating robots that can look, move and interact exactly like human. The first version ASIMO showed that it is possible that only time can tell when will it be done. But we should not be threatened by their development because no matter how developed they get, robots can never know how to think on their own but instead relies on artificial intelligence. They cannot also pass good judgment about situations that they are not programmed to. They also cannot manage people and machines or other functions in an organization and this gives us an assurance that robots will be subservient to us. Above all, robots with all its efficiency and accuracy can never have or learn the “human” traits such as intuition, perception, creativity, better judgment that made human beings not only as individuals, but better than robots because of his capacity to feel and think. References Asimov, Isaac (1950). I, Robot. Doubleday & Company, Inc.; New York; p51 Canadian Space Agency (nd). History of Robots [online]. Available: http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/pdf/educator-story_robot.pdf Haug, Walter (1999). The Roman van Walewein as a postclassical literary experiment. In Originality and Tradition in the Middle Dutch Roman van Walewein, ed. B. Besamusca and E. Kooper. Cambridge, 17–28. Thomasnet ( January 6, 2013). History of Robotics [online]. Availabe: http://www.thomasnet.com/articles/engineering-consulting/robotics-history Isom J. (2005). A Brief History of Robotics [online]. Available: http://robotics.megagiant.com/history.html Read More