Nothing New About Robot Workers
by
Randy Mears
This article about Ubiko, a humanoid robot that gets paid by the hour, doesn’t seem to be worth taking seriously until you consider this. Industrial robots have already replaced many workers, particularly in the manufacturing industry. These industrial robots are well adapted to assembly lines where the work comes to them. In most cases, they perform a very limited set of tasks while firmly anchored to the ground.
The difference for Ubiko comes down to its place in the world. With its increased level of autonomy, mobility and interactivity, Ubiko can communicate and interact with a customer in a human language (albeit at a very rudimentary level). In its current form and at the current price point, this particular robot serves only as a bellwether for what we all, deep down, know will come.
