BY MARKOS YIANGOU
STAFF WRITER
From senior living homes to prosthetic limbs, the reach of robotic technology is growing in almost every industry. When I was younger, the idea of an automated machine was in my robot dog Zoomer or my friend MIP. Who could have ever imagined that such efficiency from this type of technology could affect so many sectors in such a short time.
In the agricultural industry, companies are using robots to gather all kinds of crops, from apples to lettuce. Eliminating countless hours of manual labor. Not to mention manual labor is getting harder to find. In Washington, an orchard in Grandview uses a harvesting robot to pick apples off of their trees.
The service industry has also seen a shift in automation. For example, McDonalds has been acquiring technology companies to automate their ordering process and bring more efficiency to their drive-thrus.In the future you will see drive-thrus change based on the time of day, weather, traffic, and the customer’s order.
Another job robots are doing is taking care of seniors. Some robots act as coaches to help elderly people exercise, stay social, and even distribute food and medicine. In South Korea there is a type of chair that can hold someone who weighs up to 220 pounds. It is a robotic chair that moves around with a joystick. Robots can be used for getting people around if they are unable to walk.
As we move into the age of experience, robotic technology will continue to play a big role in shaping our lives. Some are skeptical about bringing robots into everyday life, but if you weigh the pros and the cons, you’ll see the difference. All of this technology is a benefit to society as it solves labor shortages and allows companies to remain competitive. Everyone could use more Zoomer’s & MIP’s in their lives.
Sources:
Staples, P. (2019, March 02). Robots Used in Everyday Life. Retrieved September 13, 2020, from https://sciencing.com/robots-used-in-everyday-life-12084150.html
Lucas, A. (2019, September 10). McDonald’s acquires A.I. company to help automate the drive-thru, its third tech deal this year. Retrieved September 15, 2020, from https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/10/mcdonalds-acquires-ai-company-trying-to-automate-the-drive-thru.html
Picture: https://time.com/longform/senior-care-robot/