Journal 6

The reading for this week titled, The Rise of the Robots, by Martin Ford, discussed the expansion of robotics across the globe in all aspects of industrialization. Ford begins the chapter by describing a scenario of a human worker and a machine moving boxes. The human worker understands that one must remove boxes from the top first so the pile doesn’t collapse. On the other hand, the machine takes time to perceive the situation then moves the boxes. Ford states that overtime as machines become more advanced, they will be able to move a box a second while a human moves a box every six seconds. “Robots can work continuously, will never get tired or suffer back injury, and will never file worker’s compensation claims.” The article goes on to give examples of robots taking over all tasks at work. For example, at the Tesla production headquarters in Fremont, California, the same robot is able to install seats, retool itself, apply adhesive, and then drop the windshield in place. The International Federation of Robotics stated that global shipments of industrial robots increased by more than 60 percent between 2000-2012. However, the fastest growing market of robotics is in China. Robot installations grew at about 25 percent per year. Ford goes on to explain that we are currently in an, ‘explosive wave of innovation,’ meaning that humans will eventually manufacture robots that can complete tasks in any commercial, industrial and consumer area. Scientists at Stanford University developed a Robot Operating System (ROS) that is used as the platform for robotics development. This software can be modified in any which way allowing it to be applied to any robotic body. In terms of the U.S. manufacturing industry, robots have been eliminating  various jobs of human workers. As these robots become more capable of completing tasks, factories will approach becoming fully automation. Martin Ford concludes his passage by stating that as robotics are used across the country, they will threaten lower wage jobs that require modest training. Some assume the U.S. will be able to absorb all these free workers and create high-skilled, higher-wage jobs for them. Ford believes this may be false in the end.