Robotics, Ageing, and Employment – where are we and what’s next?
The link to the article below will take you to an overview of how robotic design is developing towards a more ‘natural’ form of human movement. To a larger extent, this is part of the normalisation process so that those of us exposed to robotics can be more accepting of their presence. This is indeed a very good sign – a move away from a capability focus toward an acceptance framework should speed takeup of robotics especially in more socially demanding areas like hospital assistance and aged care. And there’s one layer that is yet to be included:
Here’s the link to the story first featured on KurzweilAI called ‘Making Robots More Like Us’. For those of you have heard me speak about Honda’s ‘Azimo’ you’ll know the reason the humanoid was so small: it’s at a comfortable eye level for elderly people sitting down and as such, less of a physical threat.
So assuming that size and type of mobility is covered effectively, we can expect the facial software programs that are well underway (which display quite natural looking facial movements), to be incorporated into these more human like machines. From a jobs perspective that makes them an easy and ready replacement for jobs like toll booth operators, desk bound security, reception clerks and even to an extent, check out staff in supermarkets or drive through restaurants.
And the step after that that MUST come for their to be a more ready take up is smell. Despite our relatively limited Olfactory capabilities, Humans are surprisingly good at detecting the smell of other humans – the novel ‘Perfume’ by Patrick Suskind explains in delightful form the impact of human scent. The lack of a ‘human scent’ will expose robots (even those plainly out in the open) as less palatable to us. Expect robotics to move into artificial pheromones. Robots – coming to a perfume counter near you!
In a recent article in The Age, Clive Williams of Macquarie University’s Centre for Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism suggested that athletes booked in to attend the Commonwealth games in India need to consider a terrorist attack as a potential wildcard. Whilst an interesting perspective, I’d like to suggest that a potential terrorist attack at…
Read More >If my information is correct, the 14th of February is the start of the New Year and instead of the usual flowers and chocolates, you might be wise to invest in another gift for your heart’s desire Because Feb 14 is the start of the Chinese New Year – the year of the Tiger. So…
Read More >Had any thoughts yet? I have – plenty and judging from the number of media inquiries it appears lots of other people are also curious to know what might lie ahead in the next year or next decade. I’m putting my thinking hat on so that we can consider what 2010-2019 might hold, the second…
Read More >I’m tipping that Consensus will be reached at Copenhagen this week. Alas it will be a consensus for more talking, thinking and commitments to agree to a proposal to set a time for a discussion around more concrete targets. In otherwords, a commitment to not commit. The politicians waver whilst our planet is being poisoned.…
Read More >The cycle of consumption rears its head as it has done for quite some time. Consumption is neither good, nor bad, it ‘just is’ and right now the majority of media exposed potential consumers are being lured, enticed and occasionally conned into parting with their hard earned money to satisfy needs and whims. Some consumers…
Read More >Our son has just celebrated his fifth birthday and although we don’t make a huge fuss about milestones (the kids get a party every second year), there’s no doubt that he is learning about desired future outcomes and goals. I doubt he is different from most kids in his ability to spot something and declare…
Read More >Here’s a little something I’d like you to think about. Are you really who you say you are? And, how do I know that I can trust you? Identity Theft is one of the most debilitating crimes a person can suffer for it strips away the very core of your own belief system and that…
Read More >‘World – we have a problem’ (apologies to astronaut James Lovell). We are killing ourselves with food and it’s happening at both ends of the continuum – millions starve each day whilst a gluttony caused obesity epidemic is killing others off in different ways. We have a growing global population requiring sustenance, whilst Climate Change…
Read More >Anyone looking at the final rainfall figures for Melbourne’s rainfall might be heartened by the news that the final result was about 10mm above the September average. Compared to last year’s disastrous result where we had about 12mm, it was over 50mm better. But I wonder if the final result, and the current ‘average’ isn’t…
Read More >Strategic Futurist Marcus Barber discussed the future of travel at the ANTOR session at The American Club in Sydney, NSW on the 24th of September. Along with Angela Smith from Roy Morgan Research, Martin Kelly from Travel Trends and Gail Rehbein from the Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility Marcus proposed some of the emerging…
Read More >