Service Robots and Human Labor
“Are Service Robots on their way to replace human Labor?” This question was raised by many who are wondering about the future of human Labor in front of the rapid growth of technology and Robotics.
In fact, Service robot technology has evolved considerably over the past several years which now allow robots to perform several tasks traditionally done by human beings.
The deployment of robots in the service sector comprises performing cumbersome, boring, repetitive, risky, time-consuming, and monotonous tasks.
Indeed, Artificial Intelligence and biometric recognition are all making service robots increasingly virtual which in turn is leading to more enterprise adoption.
It is undeniable that the rapid advancement in technology has led to a surge of public interest in robotics. For instance, for many business owners, using service robots will cut costs of human labor, assure fewer errors (mean more quality), uninterrupted workflow, faster and more adequate services; Therefore, happier customers.
In addition, the need for service robots has gained more attention during the outbreak of the new COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, a Service Robot can contribute to minimizing human-to-human contact, henceforth decreasing the risk of contamination.
Some robots use to expand from minor tasks, such as transporting medication and blood samples within a medical facility, to more complex and cumbersome tasks, like delivering food and supplies to quarantines. For example, we can mention the Indoor-Outdoor Delivery Robot: SIFROBOT-6.2 which is a service robot dedicated to performing delivery and transportation tasks within or outside a facility.
Although, Service robots can take/deliver customers’ orders, guide them during a tour, provide answers to their questions, and perform reception and billing tasks. They are not a replacement for the human workforce, rather service robots are meant to help and assist human beings.
Some people may have the idea that Robots are “job-stealing” machines. But, “In contrast to robots used by manufacturers or specialists, service robots are close to people and easy to operate, providing a variety of services, such as housekeeping and entertainment ” (Decker, Fischer & Ott, 2017)
To sum up, the replacement of human labor has been one of the key issues since the beginning of robotics. However, Robots are not intended to displace humans; instead, they are collaborative technologies designed to optimize performance, ensure protection, enhance quality, and improve productivity.
References: Service Robotics and Human Labor: A first technology assessment of substitution and cooperation, Are Robots Stealing Our Jobs?
