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Dehyping Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI)!!

How and where can robots assist people?
Robots are not going to replace humans; they are going to make their jobs much more humane. Difficult, demeaning, demanding, dangerous, dull – these are the jobs robots will be taking. Productivity is one of the primary benefits of robotics in the workplace. In Europe, the goal is to attain a 20 percent increase in productivity by 2020. Central to achieving this is the exploration and use of robotics in the workplace.
Autonomous cars
There are 1.25 million deaths caused by automobile accidents every year. We spend approximately 200 hours a year behind the wheel of an automobile. Autonomous cars could give us back this time, while being safer and greener. Autonomous vehicles can also be empowering for millions of people who can’t drive today.
Health and well being
One in four people will be disabled by the time they reach retirement. Robotics, prosthetics and exoskeletons can provide technology that can restore freedom to people who now experience limitations due to age or disability. But, helping disabled people through technology is not about removing the human element.
In survey people have been asked about, ‘How many of you would want a robot to take care of you as you grow old?’ For most people, the answer is no. She then asks, ‘How many people would be okay with a robot helping them to get out of a chair, get into bed, go to the toilet, or fetch a glass of water?’ Hmm – a lot more of the audience say, yes.
Elderly care and aging is a global issue we are all going to experience. We are going to need help. Robotics is one solution which can be used to help alleviate these challenges. If robots can help individuals with the day to day tasks, this leaves more time for doctors, for family, for care takers to participate in other things they care about, and which they are more competent – the discussions, the conversations, the human contact, the act of caring. In this setting, the robots enable the elderly or disabled to enjoy the things they want to do – in either their own homes or assisted care facilities.
Empowering people with disability
The use of technology in humans is not about creating super humans, it’s about empowering people with disabilities through assistive technology. One example is the Cybathlon, an international competition organised by ETH Zurich for disabled competitors allowed to use bionic assistive technology, such as robotic prostheses, brain-computer interfaces and powered exoskeletons. The Cybathlon is much more about human achievement than the use of technology for the disabled.
The rise of the cobots
Take the example of a Baxter robot – or a cobot. A cobot is a collaborative robot designed to work alongside a human. Cobots are designed to be taught to do specific tasks within a company. By taking its arm, and showing it what to do, the cobot puts its human collaborator in a position to teach it skills, to show it how to perform functions, to manage its activities.
It’s an intuitive way of approaching robotics in the workplace which puts the human worker in a position of responsibility to improve the productivity of that company. You don’t have to be an expert to program a cobot – but you can become a manager by teaching cobots how to assist in specific tasks.
Precision farming and agriculture
How is it going to be possible to feed 10 billion people by 2050? Precision robotics used in farming is one way to solving this challenge. Food production and supply is another example where robots can provide valuable assistance. o a certain extent, precision farming enables farmers to look at how they approach crops in a more personal way – by understanding water and irrigation issues better, by using data from soil – for moisture and nutrients, to understand more accurately how to pinpoint the use of fertilizers and soil additives, or to reduce pesticide use.
Empowering experts to become better communicators
Robohub.org is a platform that connects the robotics community to the world. The aim is to ensure balanced, truthful and fair robotics information is being communicated on a broad basis. The key to dehyping how robotics is portrayed – especially through mass media outlets – is to empower experts to become better communicators for their work.
Scientists and field practitioners need to learn how to communicate with a broader set of stakeholders. Rather than communicate in a bubble, Robohub.org is set up as a non-profit that connects roboticists with the public – using tools like blogging, social media, videos, and similar channels go gain access to a broad audience.
Moving roboticists outside of their bubble and into the mainstream is the central philosophy behind Robohub.org’s mission to de-hype the mainstream perception about robotics and artificial intelligence.
Productivity improvements lie at the heart of robotics adoption
Understanding the reason why robots are being used in industry is a good place to start. Improving productivity levels is a priority for all organizations. Efficiency gains are driving the use of robotics in industrial environments, factories, routine service environments and manufacturing plants. Using robotics in industrial settings improves productivity.
In most instances, an increase in productivity leads to an increase in potential jobs being created within a company – either to fulfil new roles and tasks required to train and manage a robotic process, or, freeing up resource to deliver services or tasks which require a different level of human interaction.
When it comes to assessing the long term economic impact of robotics adoption and use, the data is not yet reliable, it’s just now being created. We are at the beginning of the cycle – in Europe, for example, there are no benchmarks yet.
How you can help to de-hype robotics?
1, Making robots and AI is difficult – it takes years to design and perfect.
Take the example of an elderly care robot. In order to complete a task like get a glass of water, there are hundreds of actions, algorithms, hours or research in order to get a robot to complete any particular task.
2. Robots perform tasks not jobs
Highly specialised AIs can complete very specific tasks – such as vacuuming a room. This is a far cry from The Jetson’s Rosie the Robot who cleans, cooks, answers the door and walks the dog.
3. The jobs of today will not be the jobs of tomorrow
The job market evolves constantly relative to technology. The use of remote working, video enabled conference calling, digitally enhanced learning environments. The jobs from the 1950s are not all relevant in 2017. The same principle applies to the jobs of today – they will simply not be the same jobs available to the workforce in twenty years’ time.
4. Robots are different – software bots and hardware bots are different
The process is different – one is a device and the other is a piece of software. While the first might require the second, the second does not need a hardware shell to function. It will take a lot longer to design a fully functioning robot that will be able to understand language, apply reason and move in intricate and delicate ways – all in the same ‘cyber’ body

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