Robots : What They Can and Cannot Do (Yet)

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Exterminate... Humans!


Today's topic is inspired by Apple's recent pivot to home robots after their electric vehicle project failure. 

Industrial scenes come to mind when I think robots: a series of them churning out everything from cars to perfectly peeled pineapples. (Who really likes peeling those?)

But robots are far more diverse than those seen in factory lines, they can be classified in various ways based on design, function, autonomy, and application. 

Take agricultural drones, for example, these bots hover around trees, using vision technology to select the best fruits for harvest based on color.

Additionally, humanoid robots are no longer science fiction!

As a result, these advancements in technology have led to workers performing these repetitive tasks being relieved of their jobs.

While new jobs are created, the question still stands: "Will there be a balance between job displacement and job creation?"

Those who are for robots often say that we will work alongside robots in a sort of symbiotic relationship, where they will handle the pineapple peeling tasks and we will handle the "higher-level cognitive tasks" such as innovation and emotional intelligence.

On the other hand, persons who are anti-robot think of a dystopian society where robots are the overlords that have identified Homo sapiens as the problem and will revolt against us.

Whichever side you are on, here is a list of the things that robots can and cannot do as of 2024:


What Robots Can Do


Repetitive Tasks

Robots excel at performing consistent, programmed actions with high precision. For example, sorting items, placing them in boxes, and sealing packages. 


Dangerous Tasks

Robots can handle environments that are unsafe for humans, like bomb disposal, deep-sea exploration, and nuclear waste cleanup.



What Robots Can't Do (Yet)


Creativity

 Robots currently lack the ability to generate original ideas, art, or creative content without human input.

Skilled Trades

Jobs like electricians, plumbers, and craftsmen involve hands-on skills, adaptability to diverse situations, the ability to imagine complex systems and to detect what’s going on in current systems.

Emotional Intelligence

 Understanding and responding to human emotions in a meaningful way remains a challenge for robots.



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