Robots will be as common as mobile phones
Published on : Tuesday 30-11--0001
Are robots a boon or a threat to human beings, especially when it comes to jobs?
As I have seen it, companies invest in robots for two reasons. One, with a long term vision on improving quality of their products or services; and two, to meet the existing customer demands which is a short term goal. In both cases robots are complementing the current work force rather than competing with them.
Is the robots-taking-jobs argument exaggerated, as there are still jobs waiting to be filled?
I read a report that Germany, which is among countries with highest robots installed, could lack 3 million skilled workers by 2030. If the theory of robots taking human jobs is true, then the countries with high robots sold must have highest employment as well.
Moreover, I don't think robots are taking human jobs – at least for now – as the expertise on the subject is still inside the human brain. Robot is just a tool guided by the expert to do a particular job. The actual brain power is still is with the humans. There should be someone with enough skill to control all the robots.
While robots are adapting fast to new roles, are their human counterparts slow in doing so?
Unlike humans that can do almost anything, robot are made with specific application in mind. They are made to give better results than existing resources. They can be humans or they can even be other robots. But as said earlier, they are still tools in the hands of experts for executing the tasks effectively.
Compared to the advanced economies, robot penetration in India is still low. Will there be a dramatic change in the near future?
In India, we have some companies who are at par with western companies in terms of technology. But they are few. We still depend on developed countries for sophisticated technologies. Even in case of robots, 99% of the industrial robots installed in India are from companies based in other countries. But still there are companies small and big in India who are working on building robots for both Indian and international markets.
Ultimately it boils down to 'is it affordable?' and 'is there a good RoI?' We are hopeful that Indian manufacturing industry will take a big leap as Indian IT industry did back in 90s.
Finally, will man and robot co-exist in harmony?
Traditionally robots were used mainly by big automotive lines. However, after 2008 economic crash which affected the automotive sector the most, robotic manufacturers started looking towards other areas as well. Now with advancements in robotics, we can find the robots being used in every field.
Whether it is sophisticated robotic arms performing sensitive operations or service robots like robotic nurses, robots are everywhere. In the future, robots will be as common as mobile phones.
Hari Nidamarthy has 13 of experience in virtual manufacturing. Currently he is heading APEXIZ based in Hyderabad, which he started in 2016. APEXIZ is an engineering services company offering services in plant simulation and offline programming. Before starting APEXIZ, Hari has worked in Sweden for 9 years and has a master’s degree in Industrial Automation from Sweden.