Thursday, 29 June 2017

Robots.


                

When The Countess of Shopville next visits her 'out of town' Hypermarket, buys things she doesn't need, with money she doesn't have, she may possibly choose to go through an un-manned checkout, and allow basic robotics to deal with her purchases. She might also pay with an arbitrary swipe of a plastic card.

I have just been listening to a radio programme about the 'frightening' future of robots, and it seems that the UK is lagging behind. Whereas the UK has just 15,000 robots in use at present, other countries such as Germany, China, and Japan, each have about 150,000.

What jobs are now safe? Even your mooning bricklayer is being replaced by machines.

Children leaving school should think very hard about what careers to follow.



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35 comments:

  1. cumbrian29 June 2017 at 06:35

    I foresee a future without the need for human intervention?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cro Magnon29 June 2017 at 06:38

      And standardised 'universal salaries'. Everyone will be paid £100,000 to stay at home, whilst machines do most of the work. Not a pleasant prospect.

      Delete
  2. Ro29 June 2017 at 06:53

    Tens of millions of people with nothing to do all day. There's only one way that will end, in drink, drugs and eventually violent revolution. Humans need a sense of purpose and for most that is fulfilled by work.

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  3. local alien29 June 2017 at 06:56

    The rest of the world has a long way to go to reach those numbers. Don't worry, we'll all be wiped before robots take over places like Greece or the Sudan

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    Replies
    1. local alien29 June 2017 at 06:57

      Wiped out.....or s-wiped out?

      Delete
    2. Cro Magnon29 June 2017 at 06:59

      Maybe it will be the robot-resisters who will survive.

      Delete
  4. Sue29 June 2017 at 06:58

    A frightening future. (Has anyone invented a gardening robot that can pull weeds?)

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    Replies
    1. Cro Magnon29 June 2017 at 07:02

      Train Rick.

      Delete
    2. Kim29 June 2017 at 12:07

      The creators of Roomba have invented a robotic weeder called Tertill. My daughter and son in law own a Roomba and I thought about mentioning the garden version to them.

      Delete
  5. Andi's English Attic29 June 2017 at 07:06

    I would say a career in designing, building or fixing robots would be a good bet.

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    Replies
    1. Cro Magnon29 June 2017 at 07:19

      Maybe the robots will eventually find humans as being unnecessary.

      Delete
  6. A Heron's View29 June 2017 at 08:03

    Strange how you have shown the brick laying machine, one of these was designed by a friend of mine who lived in Bristol - it failed because the operators were too lazy to clean it thoroughly.

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    Replies
    1. Cro Magnon29 June 2017 at 08:15

      I believe this one is German. However, I wouldn't want to live in a house that had just a single skin of brick.

      Delete
  7. Tom Stephenson29 June 2017 at 08:45

    It's not that fast at laying bricks though. I'm sure they will speed it up.

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    Replies
    1. Cro Magnon29 June 2017 at 09:07

      And it takes a human to scrape off all the excess pug.

      Delete
  8. Tom Stephenson29 June 2017 at 09:20

    It does produce neat, straight and perfectly plumb joints without the need for lines or levels. I bet it doesn't drive itself to the site.

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  9. Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe29 June 2017 at 11:11

    The world is changing very fast, and I am glad I am old.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Rachel Phillips29 June 2017 at 11:34

    Check out Demmis Hassabis for the future of the world.

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    Replies
    1. Rachel Phillips29 June 2017 at 11:48

      It is all in computer games already.

      Delete
    2. Cro Magnon29 June 2017 at 13:23

      He looks interesting, however, I can never think of AI without thinking of cattle.

      Delete
    3. Rachel Phillips29 June 2017 at 13:34

      Algorithms and cattle? You've lost me.

      Delete
    4. potty29 June 2017 at 14:24

      I was thinking of the film A.I. and how much I would like a 'Teddy'.

      Delete
    5. Rachel Phillips29 June 2017 at 21:41

      AI, I got there.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous29 June 2017 at 12:47

    I was a little gobsmacked by the video, but then I thought, why not? Laser guided, etc etc. Picking up the mortar was impressive though. But again, why not? Strict consistency of mortar, mixed by a machine. There is no reason why the machine cannot do some fancy brick work either. Which commenter said I am glad to be old? I am. The exponential growth of technology does my head in.

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  12. Rachel Phillips29 June 2017 at 15:02

    I met a robot designer on holiday 2 years ago in the Azores.

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    Replies
    1. Cro Magnon29 June 2017 at 15:29

      You never know who you're going to meet on holiday. I once met a girl who had won a British 'Barmaid of the Year' award. Her prize was the holiday.

      Delete
  13. The Weaver of Grass29 June 2017 at 19:48

    At present I could do with a robot to help pack all my boxes for the move.

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    Replies
    1. Cro Magnon30 June 2017 at 04:36

      I thought you were all packed and ready! Horrible job; I sympathise.

      Delete
  14. Graham Edwards30 June 2017 at 23:06

    H G Wells. Well we're not there yet.

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    Replies
    1. Cro Magnon1 July 2017 at 06:34

      Not far off Graham; close enough to start worrying.

      Delete

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