Robots are just about everywhere now, and robots can do just about anything now. There is a lot of talk about the future of work and labour that robots will take jobs or whether robots can be friendly like (some) humans, but what gets lost in the conversation is how important and useful the robots and artificial intelligence we have built, have been for our lives.
In almost every field imaginable, robots have become an integral part of successful businesses and services. Medicine, business, education, aviation, engineering, and environmental science are all areas which have seen a significant positive impact from our robotic pals. Although some people fear that robots are going to have a negative effect on our society, like taking jobs in retail or labour, the benefits of what they can and have done vastly outweigh the negatives.
From the biggest impact on our world to even the smallest benefits, here are some ways robots are taking over the world for the better:
1. Medical and Health Industry
A shortage of nurses and doctors has always been a major issue in the world of medicine. It is very tedious and difficult to become a doctor or nurse and requires years of training and education. With robot assistance, cutting down on wait times for patients has made life easier for medical practitioners and patients. Even while waiting for the next graduating class of educated professionals to enter the workforce of healthcare, robotic assistance through the use of machines and smart technology has been able to bridge the gap so that patients do not have to wait for extended periods before they receive help from their hospital workers. The future is bright too. Nanotechnology seems to be the next step in how healthcare can find problems inside a human that a doctor could never reach, extending our response times and giving us a better picture of how our bodies are working.
2. Education
Education is always looking for ways to innovate so that students can receive the best learning material available. In the classroom, it is often hard for teachers to be able to connect to all their students in a meaningful way. Some students require specialized education or learn in different ways. With the help of tablets, smartboards, and even consumer-level A.I. technology, teachers can expand their teaching capabilities so that no student is left outside of the bubble of education. Programmable robots are also toys that have shown the benefits of robots. These programmable robots are fun toys that teach kids about coding and computer science in fun and engaging ways that will get them excited about one of the largest growth industries in the job market. Preparing kids for their futures is one of the biggest goals that many schools and teachers have, and using robots as a way to get kids excited has proven to be more valuable than ever thought possible.
3. Military/Law Enforcement
You could make the argument that drones and military technology are negative, but I would argue that it has helped save lives. Military technology is often associated with death or destruction, but there are robots in the armed forces that have saved countless lives. Bomb disposal robots, for example. These helpful tools of the military and police are able to go into even the most stressful environments to dispose of tricky or well-rigged explosives without the risk of endangering the lives of humans. They can be operated from a great distance and pose no risk to anyone but the robot itself. Saving lives should be one of the key missions of any soldier or police officer, and these robots do so by helping disarm deadly bombs to keep civilians safe while letting the soldiers and cops remain safely away from the explosive device. Not always do, we associate the police and army’s robotic devices as friendly or helpful, but bomb disposal robots are certainly an exception that is helping do good in the world.
4. Household Robots
From the global scale to the home, household robots have become a major industry. We are always busy around the house doing one thing or another to keep everything tidy and in order, but most of us also do not have the kind of money to hire a cleaning service. Along came the cleaning robots! These helpful home robots are automated vacuums that have reduced our time spent cleaning the home. Looking at this list of the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaners that help to clean your home shows how much of an improvement in our daily lives that robots can make, once again showing that robots have a big positive impact on our world. Even smart fridges and smart thermostats can be used as examples of simple home-based robots that can help us. Some might not see how home technology is changing the world for the better, but it is making life easier for families so they have more time to spend with each other.
5. Agriculture
If it is important to track our food intake with our smart fridges, it is even more important that our food is being cultivated and harvested properly. Robots have become a useful companion to farmers who need a little extra help. Spreading seeds, dispersing fertilizers, watering crops are just some of the handy ways these robots have impacted the agriculture and farming industries. The benefits go beyond just our food as these robots will use less water than dousing the entire crop, and can focus on each plant individually through its programming. Helping the environment is another benefit by spreading fertilizer in controlled bursts unlike dusting a crop with the harmful chemicals.
Robots have shown that their usefulness goes beyond what we expect. From global industries like agriculture and military to localized areas such as home and consumer use. Robots can range from educational assistance tools, bomb disposal units, and vacuums. There are a lot of people that believe robots are going to take jobs or change our lives for the worse, but the examples listed are just a small sample of how much good these robotic companions really do for us.
